Getting Rid of Fleas

[caption id="attachment_1489" align="alignright" width="300"] Dog flea life cycle[/caption]

If you find yourself with a flea problem, you’ll probably need to try a couple of different flea control methods before you get rid of all of the fleas on your dog and in your home.

Its up to you to choose which treatment you think is best for your dog, you, and your home. Treatments may include using flea collars, flea combs, flea dips, flea powders, flea exterminators, and other flea control methods such as fiprospot flea treatment may proof effective.

In addition to treating your dog and your home, you may also have to treat your yard.

Taking care of a flea problem doesn’t mean only getting rid of the adult fleas or just the fleas you can see. You also have to get rid of all the fleas in their various life stages throughout your home and your yard. This will require diligence on your part to get rid of all the fleas, but it is well worth it for your dogs health.

Choosing a safe, as well as effective, method of flea control is critical.

Different levels of danger accompany all flea control products and methods and you should choose only the safest and most effective method for your dog and you.

Be careful when applying chemical flea treatments to your dog, as these will irritate any open sores she may have. Also, chemical flea medicines should not be used on kittens under the age of four months. These are two good reasons for trying to stick with natural flea control products, as they are generally less irritating to your dog and her skin, and overall, less dangerous for your dog, the environment, and you.

Controlling Fleas is Critical to Keeping Your Dog Healthy

[caption id="attachment_1493" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dog flea infestation[/caption]

Uncontrollable itching and scratching. Allergies. Tapeworm. Hair loss. Major discomfort. Even anemia and more serious health problems. Fleas hurt your dog.

Controlling fleas on your precious dog and in your dogs environment is so important in helping you deal with one of the worst external parasites your dog will ever face. Keeping your dog and your home flea-free is not only important for your dogs health, but for your own health, as well.

At the worst, even one single flea bite can lead to serious problems for your dog. Uncontrolled fleas, flea infestation, and flea bites can lead to allergies, tapeworm, anemia, etc. Diligence is an important part of taking care of your dog.

Indoor Dogs Need Protection, Too!

Flea control is critical for all dogs, even those dogs who never go outside. As a matter of fact, your indoor dog and dog environment can have an even worse flea problem than your outdoor dog.

We often make the mistake of thinking that just because our dog lives indoors, he will never have any fleas. Wrong! Fleas can be brought into your home from various sources, such as other animals and even you. Fleas are excellent hitchhikers! They can hop on your clothes when you’re outside and jump off once inside your home.

One flea can lay up to 20 eggs at a time and at their worse, they can lay eggs every day! So by the time you realize you have fleas, your home may already be severely infested.

Weak Dogs Have Worse Flea Problems

Fleas are parasites. They prey on weakened and less healthy dogs. Veterinarians commonly observe that dogs in the poorest health attract the most fleas. So the healthier your dog is, the less likely you’ll have flea infestations on your dog and in your home.

And if you end up with a flea problem, your healthy dog will be in a stronger position to deal with your flea control efforts.

To keep your dog healthy, feed him a diet of the highest quality dog food you can afford, make sure he gets regular exercise with safe and interactive dog toys, and keep his environment clean.

Add regular grooming to these preventative measures and you should be able to keep your dog in excellent health and flea-free.

How to Tell if Your Dog Has Fleas

The most obvious sign of a flea is the flea body itself. These are reddish-brown little guys about the size of a pinhead. They have incredible jumping ability. Fleas are often easily found around your dogs neck and base of the tail.

But just because you don’t see the body, don’t assume there aren’t any fleas. Fleas go through various life cycle stages, and they can be present in your home in different (almost invisible) stages.

To check your dog for fleas, part his hair around his neck, back, hind legs, and near the base of his tail. You can also use a special flea comb and run it gently through these areas to check for fleas.

In addition to actual fleas, you are also looking for any tiny black flecks. These black flecks are flea excrement (or flea dirt) and are a sure sign that these pesky parasites are around. To be extra sure that these black flecks are flea dirt, you can place the flecks on a wet paper towel. If you see a reddish brown circle form around the fleck, you’ve got yourself some flea droppings and a flea problem (the flecks are your dogs digested blood).

And although not every itch means that your dog has fleas, you should suspect fleas if your dog is doing a good deal of licking and chewing around her hind legs and back, especially near the base of the tail. This is often accompanied by hair loss. If your dog is licking and chewing a lot, be sure to give her a thorough inspection.

Inspecting your outdoor dogs for fleas should be a regular part of your flea control efforts.

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