6 Steps To Get Rid Of Fleas From Dogs

Fleas are tiny yet can cause a lot of harm to your pet dogs. They survive by clinging and biting on your pet’s skin to consume blood – interfering with your fur friend’s well-being. According to pet health experts, different dog breeds experience various reactions to flea bites. Some might experience allergic reactions while others don’t. Either way, fleas are harmful to your dog’s health.
Further, fleas are known to multiply fast. Within only a short period, they can grow in large numbers and continue to wreak havoc on your pet’s health. If your dog is currently undergoing a flea infestation and you want to eliminate these pesky fleas, here are some practical ways you can check out:
1. Seek Treatment
Seeking treatment right away is key in eliminating fleas for good. Working with a veterinarian can help you find the right flea treatment that’ll work for your pet dog. A reputable veterinarian can examine your furry friend and prescribe effective flea-busting solutions. These range from medication to different care tasks a pet owner can do.
2. Prevent Fleas Infestation From The Get Go
Preventing fleas from getting to your dog is another way to keep a nasty flea infestation from occurring.
As the saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure.’ But how do you prevent fleas from getting in contact with your dog?
First, prevent your dog from getting in contact with their stray counterparts. Street dogs are likely to have fleas on them because of their poor hygiene. Further, avoid having your dog play with others that clearly exhibit signs of having fleas, such as excessive scratching.
Another way to prevent flea infestations is by investing in flea-preventive tools like collars, pills, or topical liquids. These items keep fleas off your dog and kill them upon contact.
If you’re unsure which preventive measure to practice, consult your veterinarian.
3. Use A Flea Comb
Buying a new flea comb is another effective way to remove fleas from your pet. But what are flea combs exactly? They’re a special type of comb used on pets to remove fleas. Flea combs come with closely packed teeth that are effective in removing adult fleas as well as small flea eggs.
To keep your dog flea-free, make your flea comb your close friend. When using a flea comb, make sure that you dip it in soapy water or a special flea-killing shampoo first to kill the trapped fleas and eggs.
4. Try Using Apple Cider Vinegar Solution On Your Pet
Apple cider vinegar solution is said to be useful and effective as a flea repellant. Fleas dislike this solution’s smell and taste. To take advantage of this solution, all you need is to dilute apple cider in water and transfer the resulting solution into a spray bottle. Then, you can use the spray liberally on your pet’s fur.
5. Practice Pet Cleanliness
Keeping your dog clean at all times can prevent flea infestations. There’s no room for fleas for a furry friend that’s healthy and always clean.
However, if your dog already has fleas, you can use cleanliness to help eliminate unwanted pests. Regularly wash your dog with lukewarm water and mild soap to remove fleas from your dog’s fur and skin. The soap drowns adult fleas, killing and eradicating them from the dog’s body.
Open wounds caused by flea bites on your pet’s skin can be very hard to clean. To bathe a dog suffering from flea bites, use specially formulated dog shampoos.
Lastly, if you wish to use flea-busting shampoo on your dog, seek your veterinarian’s advice. This is because flea shampoos can remove essential oils from your dog’s skin and make it prone to dryness and other ailments.
6. Keep Your Pet’s Bedding Clean
Licensed veterinarians believe that only five percent of fleas are found in your dog’s body at a given time. The rest are found in their bedding. With that in mind, it’s vital to clean your pet’s bedding regularly to kill unhatched eggs and adult fleas. Each time you bathe your dog, ensure to clean their bedding to prevent recontamination of fleas.
Conclusion
Fleas are among the most common pests that infest dogs and other pets. They cause the dog to experience severe itchiness, leading to discomfort. Fleas can also risk your dog’s health if the spread isn’t contained. That said, learning ways to eliminate fleas from your dog’s body and surroundings is vital.
Allowing fleas to multiply before acting can pose challenges when eliminating them after they’ve grown in numbers. The more you wait to get rid of fleas from your dog, the more they multiply and threaten your pet’s well-being. The insights mentioned above can help you act now.