How to remove fleas from a dog and is it possible to prevent their further appearance?
How can you tell if your dog has fleas?
If you notice that your tailed companion begins to:
itch a lot, and in different places;
gnawing and biting your skin in response to an insect bite;
his sleep becomes light and intermittent;
eats less or refuses to eat;
became nervous and fussy, runs around and looks for places to scratch himself. Shows aggression or, on the contrary, falls into apathy;
Bloody bald patches have formed on his skin, his fur is falling out in clumps; How to remove fleas from puppies?
eyes water;
The flea bites themselves are visible on the skin. They look like red dots with droplets of blood,
- it's time to start antiparasitic treatment!
If you part the hair with your hands, you can find the insects themselves being brown/black in color or their eggs (gray-white) attached to the hairs. Remember that even the accidental discovery of just one flea is already a reason to begin antiparasitic treatment of your pet. Insects reproduce very quickly. In addition, they are able to hide not only in your dog’s thick fur, but also in the animal’s habitat.
How to remove fleas from puppies and pregnant dogs?
A pregnant dog and puppies are a separate category of animals that require much more gentle measures and medications to be cured.
Pregnant women. If the number of fleas is small or they have just appeared, try using traditional methods to eliminate them, but at the same time control the animal and monitor the healing process. It is acceptable to use a repellent shampoo based on Treating a pregnant dog against flea components (such as citrus oils, cloves, lavender, etc.), if bathing is not a stressful factor for a pregnant pet. If this does not work and the number of parasites increases, you should seek advice from a veterinarian.
Careful care for the smallest ones is also very important: puppies should not come into contact with other dogs from which they can become infected with fleas, for the reason that in this case it will be much more difficult to cure the parasites. Most medications can only be used when the dog is six months old. On your doctor’s recommendation, choose only the most gentle medications for treating puppies.
Prevention and treatment
Where can a dog “catch” fleas? If your tailed pet does not come into contact with other animals, this does not mean that it is safe from attacks by blood-sucking arthropods. Fleas live almost everywhere: in the grass and on the ground, they hide in carpets and kennels, and can be left behind by other animals in grooming salons and even in veterinary clinics. Basements and entrances are also a favorite place for ubiquitous insects to live. The owner can bring fleas on his clothes or shoes after returning from the street.
Flea prevention for dogs
Of course, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of your dog becoming infected with fleas. For this:
When walking on the street and even when going out into the entrance, she must wear an anti-parasitic collar.
try to limit your dog's contact with stray or infected animals.
Let us remind you that even if at least one flea is accidentally discovered, it is already necessary to begin treatment.
How is treatment (antiparasitic treatment) carried out?
Treating your pet with a selected drug that can kill fleas. When choosing a medicinal substance and dosage, the weight, size, age and other health characteristics of the animal are taken into account.
Treatment of the premises in which the infected dog lives. All things with which the animal has been in contact are also subject to disinsection: rug, bed, blanket, soft toys, etc.
Antiparasitic treatment for dogs What happens if you don’t carry out antiparasitic treatment if your dog has fleas? If you neglect your pet and allow fleas to get the better of him, the situation may worsen:
dermatitis;
helminths;
typhoid fever;
plague;
and other diseases can join an organism already weakened by blood-sucking insects.
The most common means for removing fleas from dogs
Products for removing fleas from dogs
Anti-flea collar. Not recommended for pregnant dogs and small puppies. The plastic collar contains chemicals that kill blood-sucking insects that parasitize the dog’s body. One type of such product is an ultrasonic collar. Ultrasound affects the nervous system of fleas, causing insects to leave the animal on which they parasitized en masse.
Antiparasitic drops. Apply to the dog's withers. Protects for the entire month after treatment. When such drops are applied, substances that are toxic to parasitic insects enter the animal’s bloodstream. The first time a flea tries to bite a dog, the insect is poisoned and dies. Before using such drops, it is important to consult a veterinarian and evaluate all the risks and possible consequences of such antiparasitic treatment for
I am weakened dogs, puppies, aging, nursing offspring and pregnant pets.
Pills. May not be as effective for some pets as other flea products. The dog does not always want to take the pill, even if it is first properly disguised in food. However, flea pills also have their advantages: they do not leave marks on the fur, do not stain everything around, and the pet does not need to wear a veterinary collar.
Anti-flea shampoo. When choosing such a product, pay attention to the composition. They are plant-based (medicinal herbs) and with insecticides. Fleas on dogs Shampoo is a low-toxic antiparasitic product. But despite this, dogs with allergies should not be washed with detergents containing harsh chemicals. It is also not recommended (unless your veterinarian thinks otherwise) to use them on pregnant, lactating dogs and small puppies. If your dog is vulnerable due to his health or age, it is best to purchase a natural herbal flea shampoo. Directions for use: Apply a small amount of repellent shampoo to damp fur, lather and distribute throughout the body except for the ears, nose, mouth and eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes (or as long as indicated on the bottle/manufacturer's instructions), then rinse with warm water.
Spray. Spray on the dog's withers (neck). Also be careful: repellent spray contains toxic substances for fleas. They kill parasitic insects, but, of course, they cannot be called beneficial for dogs. Fleas usually disappear within 4 weeks. It is possible that the dog will have to wear a special veterinary collar while being treated with an antiparasitic repellent spray to avoid licking the drug from the fur and self-poisoning.
Today, the problem of removing fleas is not so difficult. There is a wide variety of anti-flea products: insecticidal foams and powders, special anti-parasitic combs for short-haired dogs, etc.
And if a dog or person is very bothered by flea bites, you can lubricate the affected areas of the skin with Fenistil or psilobalm. It also doesn't hurt to use an antiseptic. Use Chlorhexidine or Miramistin for this.
Is it possible to get rid of fleas once and for all?
How to rid your dog of fleas forever?
Unfortunately, today there is no vaccine that reliably protects dogs from fleas. Of course, this would make life easier for both animals and their owners. However, anti-flea drugs are now also administered by injection. But they will act for a certain time, and then you need to treat your pet again. The injection of insecticides, entering the body, bypasses the digestive system, which has a gentle effect on the dog as a whole, excluding poisoning. Again, such injections have their own contraindications: they are not recommended for puppies, pregnant, lactating, weakened after illness, elderly and pets suffering from allergic reactions.
How to treat the room where a pet lives?
The room will have to be treated with chemicals. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the safety rules in advance. During the treatment of the premises, the dog and other pets must be moved to another room. Wear gloves to protect your hands and a mask to protect your respiratory organs from chemicals. After disinfestation, open windows and/or doors wide to ventilate the room. Hands must be washed with soap and face.
All things that the pet has come into contact with must be washed in hot water. Alternative option: leave them for a while. Bath the puppy with flea shampoo in the cold (air temperature should be below 0). Under such unfavorable temperature conditions, fleas will die.
Sometimes the easiest way is to replace the bedding or old bed with new ones. Upholstered furniture (chairs, sofas) on which the pet has climbed should be sprayed with anti-flea sprays.
Dissolve a special pest control chemical in water and thoroughly wash the entire area with this solution. Get into the most inaccessible places so that fleas have no way to escape. If your dog has a kennel, don’t forget that it also needs to be treated with the solution. The consultants of our online pet supplies store E-ZOO will help you decide on the choice of antiparasitic agent for disinsection of premises.
If your pet has too many parasites, you can call insect control specialists to professionally chemically treat the premises. This way you will be sure that there are no more fleas in the area.
Remember that arthropods use a dog mainly for food, while the bulk of them can live. Antiparasitic treatment of a pet’s room is not at all in your pet’s fur, but somewhere under his rug. That’s why you should approach the anti-flea treatment of the premises very responsibly.
Even after
After pest control at home, some fleas may survive (and live with you for up to 8 months). Of course, if they have nothing to eat, they will die anyway. But despite this, do not forget to regularly shake out rugs, vacuum surfaces, and carry out wet cleaning using soda and salt or wormwood solution. You can also additionally use folk remedies to prevent repeated insect infestations. For example, place sprigs of geranium or wormwood around the room.
Are fleas dangerous for humans?
People are not particularly interested in these insects. However, in some cases, fleas can still pose a danger to humans:
If there are too many parasites, they can bite people. However, for some, a flea bite can cause a severe allergic reaction: the skin turns red, severe itching and swelling appear. If you scratch the wound, you can get infected and it will end in sepsis.
Fleas are carriers of many diseases dangerous to human health, such as tularemia, salmonellosis, brucellosis, encephalitis, etc. It is also possible to become infected with helminths through flea bites.
Veterinary flea medications for dogs
To prevent your dog from getting fleas, it is important to take timely preventive measures. For example, wearing a collar at all times or regularly using anti-parasitic drops will help both your pet and you feel calm and safe. It is very important to prevent the appearance of parasites, because after infection, it is often necessary to treat the animal for a long time and persistently, besides, it costs money, and the more advanced the situation, the greater the costs will have to be incurred.
Our online store for pet products E-ZOO is pleased to offer you our entire available range of anti-parasitic products for the treatment of pets.
In the catalog you will find veterinary drugs, disinfectants for premises, collars, drops, tablets, sprays, ointments, shampoos and much more for dogs and more.
More details on the website https://e-zoo.com.ua/blog/ekspertnoe-mnenie/kak-vyvesti-bloh-u-sobaki-i-mozhno-li-ne-dopustit-ih-dalneyshego-poyavleniya E-ZOO
