Having a dog also means that you need to deal with pesky fleas. Fleas can survive off of the blood of your dog and it is often not easy to spot them on your dog due to their fur. Fleas can also cause your dog to become weak and anemic due to losing so much blood and they can transmit some dangerous disease into your dog. Your dog can also suffer from skin problems that can cause baldness, intense itch and inflammation throughout the dog’s body. There are a lot of dog owner that are very confused right now as to what flea treatment to choose from the wide varieties of flea control products available in the market today. Flea treatment products ranges from flea comb, flea sprays, natural products, topical spot-on solutions, oral growth regulator or "birth control" pills for the fleas and more.
Even if you don’t want it, your pets can get fleas everywhere specially when your dogs are outside your house. Even the well kept pets will be a host to fleas at some point in their lives. You can’t be sure that your dogs will not get any fleas. There is very little you can do to prevent this from happening because fleas can be found almost anywhere just waiting for a suitable host to pass by but there are some things you can still do to prevent fleas from propagating in your house.
You can use a special flea comb to comb your pet each day, particularly after your dogs have been outside during hot weather in order to get rid of fleas from your pet's coat. Adding a little bit of oil onto the comb spines is very effective in catching those little parasites because they get stuck or trapped to the comb. Do not forget to have a bowl of hot water close by when you do this so that you can instantly place any fleas directly into the water whenever you catch one. Behind your pet’s ears, spots in between their toes, the fur in their armpits, and under the neck are the spots that you check. Placing a white cloth under your dog during combing can help you to easily spot fleas. Fleas are notoriously hard to catch so don't expect to eliminate all your pet’s fleas in one combing.
Pure alcohol can help you in stunning the fleas as you brush out so you can easily dump them into a cup of water to die. Drain the mug down the toilet to make sure that any fleas do not make it out. Giving bath to your pet regularly can help lessen the flea problem of your dog but not when you are dealing with a major flea’s infestation. There are dog owners who prefer using special shampoos in the market that is made to killing fleas but these products are usually too toxic to use every day. Alternative products available commercially are rosewood, cedar, or eucalyptus is better choice than relying on other commercial products to take care of minor flea problems. Another option in dealing with minor flea problem is cutting up lemons and squeezing the juice into a quart of water is, after it settles in a few hours you can put it into a clean spray bottle. A little spray across the body is usually enough to solve minor flea problem of your dog, just remember to avoid getting any spray into the eyes of your dog.
You should bring your pet to a veterinarian when your dog’s flea problem has reached to flea infestation level. Veterinarian can analyze your pet’s condition and prescribe the best medication for the flea infestation. There are also many products available in the market that is safe to use in your home like a diatomaceous earth. This is one of the cheapest ways to handle flea problems in your home. Strong medication such as Advantage and Frontline can wipe out all of the adult fleas on your pet in hours while preventing outbreaks for up to 3 months. You just need a few drops onto your pet's shoulder and the special chemical will spread and cure on its own. Advantage and Frontline has little toxicity which makes it safe for your pet. These products are both harsh to pest but gentle to your pet’s sensitive skin. Whether Advantage or Frontline, you can be confident that your purchased item will completely eliminate the bugs on your pet’s skin. Be alert in handling such substances because these chemicals can hurt you or your pet if used improperly. Ask your vet before you buy and use any product. Every flea control products on the market are not the same so choose one that best suitable for your pet’s condition. Each has their own levels of effectiveness and kill different flea stages i.e. the eggs, larvae, and adults. One product may be effective against the adult fleas but is simply harmless to the eggs or larvae.
If your pet has a bad flea infestation then you have to use a combination of these products to effectively get rid of the fleas. Try to research on other options or methods in controlling and removing fleas. There are many flea control methods you might haven’t tried before so research! Your preference of a flea treatment medicine or method for your dog is very important because it determines the success or failure in your battle against these pesky fleas.
