One of the most important things we can do as dog owners is make sure our dogs don’t get fleas. Fleas live in warm environments and since it will be heating up outside soon, it’s time to be proactive so our dogs won’t suffer from fleas.
“Well, how do I know if my dog has fleas?” you may ask. One possible sign is constant scratching and/or biting at their skin which is leading to skin legions. If you have a feeling that fleas are the culprit, do a thorough search throughout your dog’s coat. They measure about 2-8mm long and are a reddish-brown color. They are also fairly and have 3 pairs of legs.
If you can’t see any fleas, search for some tiny black specks. These are flea feces, a.k.a. “flea dirt”. If you put these specks on a damp paper towel, they’ll turn a darkish red color. This indicates that the specks are dried blood, indicative of your dog having a flea infestation. If you don’t see any adult fleas or flea dirt, something else is causing your dog to scratch intensely and you need to schedule an appointment with your dog’s veterinarian so the issue can be resolved.
In order to help prevent flea infestations, you need to give your dog flea preventative medication at least once a month. This is extremely important because when your dog gets fleas, it’s very difficult and quite costly to remove them from his coat and your house.
Flea preventatives are available at the veterinarian’s office or pet supply stores. They’re available in both liquid and pill form. Choosing the right flea preventative can make all the difference in the world.
To better assist you in selecting the best flea preventative medication for your dog, follow the steps below:
Make sure the flea preventatives that you’re comparing kill ADULT fleas.
Read the labels on the preventatives to make sure they kill fleas at all stages.
Consider choosing a flea preventative that also kills ticks and repels mosquitoes if your dog spends a lot of time outside.
Choose the preventative that can most easily be administered to your dog. For example, not all dogs are good pill-takers. If your dog is one, purchase a liquid preventative.
Make sure your dog is old enough before you give him any type of flea preventative. Most preventatives require dogs to be at least 7 weeks old.
Find a preventative that works and stick with it. If your dog is used to a certain preventative and you find another preventative that’s a little cheaper, don’t change it. I did this and it was a huge mistake. My dog started getting fleas because he was so used to the first preventative that his body never got used to the second preventative. We had to change him back to what we were using to begin with. Remember, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!”
If your dog currently suffers from fleas, follow the bathing steps below to help him get some relief:
Comb through your dog’s coat with a flea comb and dispose of the fleas into a plastic bag. Tie the bag and toss it outside in the trash.
Bathe your dog with an oatmeal shampoo. If you can’t find an oatmeal shampoo at your local pet supply store, simply bathe your dog with a flea-control shampoo and let him soak in a bath with a cup of dry oats. After letting him soak for about 10 minutes, rinse him off thoroughly.
Pat your dog dry with a soft towel.
Apply hydrocortisone cream to any patches of inflamed skin that you see.
Apply flea-control medication on the back of his neck (between shoulder blades) and rub it into his skin completely.
The faster you get a flea issue resolved, the better. Always remember that in most cases it’s easier to prevent something from happening than to treat it once it has occurred. If your dog isn’t currently on any type of flea preventative, there’s no better time than right now to get him started.
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