Dog Flea Treatment
Posted on July 26, 2010
Filed Under Dogs and Puppies | Leave a Comment
Effective dog flea treatment begins with an examination of his fur. This process involves looking for flea feces. You will find small granules of a substance that looks like dirt and some people call this “flea dirt”. Subjecting some of this material to water by placing it on a wet paper towel will result in a red coloring being disclosed. What you are seeing is dried blood contained in the flea feces.
Fleas can enter your home on your dog or even on your own clothes. They come from wooded areas, parks and other areas where warm-blooded creatures are found. They inhabit these places because they need a host to reproduce. A female flea can lay as many as 50 eggs per day. With the multiplying factor one female can be responsible for one trillion new fleas in a little less than a year. Their four-stage life cycle makes them difficult to get rid of.
Start with a complete cleaning of your home. Vacuum often and pay close attention to pet areas and dark, damp places. Be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag properly so that the house is not reinfected. Now wash your dog’s bedding with plenty of soap and water and dry in a hot dryer. Sprinkle his bedding with diatomaceous earth or powdered pyrethrum and work some into your carpet and floors.
To treat your animal we will start with some of the gentler, more natural dog flea treatments. A good old-fashioned flea comb can remove a lot of fleas. Keep a bowl of soapy water handy to dip the comb and kill the fleas. With a longer haired animal trimming the fur may be helpful.
There are three natural and safer ways for effective dog flea treatment. The first is the diatomaceous earth previously mentioned. This is not a chemical but rather the remains of tiny one celled plant life that have dried out and hardened. This powder-like substance has microscopic sharp edges that literally cut the exoskeleton of the flea and it dies of dehydration.
The next product is pyrethrin that comes from the flower of the chrysanthemum plant. This is an old and well-established natural pesticide, which is recommended as a dog fleas treatment.
A newer product called d-Limonene is derived from citrus fruit and has the smell of grapefruit. These natural products are some of the safest around animals and humans.
Moving on to less natural but stronger medicine we have a product called Frontline Plus. A few drops are applied to the skin between his shoulders is a good dog flea treatment and will kill fleas for up to a month. According to the manufacturer it will kill almost 100% of the fleas with 24 hours.
Another flea treatment for dogs called Advantage Topical Solution is prescribed your vet according to the weight of your dog. The product is used once a month and upon application spreads all over the skin. Treatment for four consecutive months is recommended.
A product called Revolution not only controls fleas but heartworms as well. Revolution’s active ingredient called Selemactin kills adult fleas and larvae and also ticks and ear mites. This product is applied to the skin between the shoulders and is absorbed into the bloodstream. Intestinal parasites are killed by the fact that the product enters the bloodstream.
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