How to treat fleas on dogs
Sometimes our dear dog brings home some pets of his own. Dogs often
get infested with fleas through contact with other animals or through
contact with fleas in the environment. Following a multi-step process
should help you to control fleas on your dog and to end your misery.
Getting started - treating fleas on dogs
1. First, remove fleas from the indoor environment. Adult fleas can
be easily found on the body of the dog. But flea eggs, larvae and pupae
are found in the environment in abundance like in your beddings,
carpets, rugs and in the grass.
The presence of a single flea on your pet is a signal of dozens
hiding in your living room. So make sure that you treat your environment
at the same time that you treat the fleas on your dog.
Constant and thorough vacuuming helps clean the indoor environment of
any fleas. Always remember to dispose off the vacuum bag, sealed in a
plastic cover. This helps stop the fleas from escaping.
Also use a product that contains both Adulticides as well as insect
growth regulator to stop further growth of fleas inside your house.
Pyriproxyfen and methoprene are two examples of this. They can be in
the form of foggers, carpet powders or aerosol sprays. Use the product
not only in rooms but also on the beddings of your pet plus the areas he
has complete access to.
2. Second, remove fleas from the outdoor environment. This involves
cleaning the yard and the kennel, the patio, the porches etc. In short,
treat all the areas he goes about to. Rake away any organic debris. This
helps to disturb any flea habitat. While using a spray make sure that it
is environment-friendly.
3. Third, remove the fleas from the body of the dog. There are
typically eight treatments that should to treat the fleas on your dog:
i) First, use flea shampoos, sprays and powders that will kill any
fleas present at the time of application.
ii) Second, you can use flea rinses or dips. You need to smear it onto
your dog from nose to tail after giving him a rinse. The effects last
for 4-5 days.
iii) Third, you can use sprays called insect growth regulators (IGR).
These are usually applied weekly and it helps to break the fleaˇ¦s life
cycle.
iv) Four, you can make use of the flea collars. They are inexpensive and
contain a poison to kill the fleas.
v) Five, use the spot-on products that can be applied topically to a
small area of the dogˇ¦s skin and they can effectively kill the fleas for
a month.
vi) Six, use the flea pill. You need to administer it orally to your dog
at mealtime, at least once a month. It prevents flea eggs from hatching
and breaks the fleasˇ¦ life cycle.
vii) Seven, use natural methods like essential herbal oils, essential
fatty acids, vitamin B and/or garlic to make your dog less tasty to the
fleas (!)
viii) Eight, daily flea comb your dog to physically remove any fleas off
his body.
Finally, keep the immature forms of fleas from developing. Prevention
is definitely better than cure. So make sure you use repellants like
pyrethrins to keep fleas away and prevent a flea problem from
developing.
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