Flea Attack: Time to protect your Dogs!

Fleas can be a really big nuisance once they are brought into the home. Luckily, there are different dog flea treatment and to eliminate them.

What Are Fleas?

Fleas are wingless insects that can jump at long distances. Some fleas have been known to jump up to 13 inches which is 200 times the length of their bodies. They live and feed on the blood of mammals and birds.

They thrive in high humid places and places with mild winters. You can notice if your pet has fleas by checking their fur. If there are little black specs, it only shows that the pet is infected with fleas. The little black specs are either blood or flea droppings.

Dog flea shampoo and powders can help.

How Can My Dog Contract Fleas?

It is extremely easy for our pets to contract fleas. Some places they could pick them up could be:

• While out on a walk
• In long grass
• From other pets
• Near tree bark
• Garden Plants

While out for a walk, your dog is likely to pick up fleas at some point or another. During your walk you are likely to come into contact with most of the things on the above list.

Other pets that are infected are the biggest threat to your animal. This is because fleas jump from one animal to the next, constantly feeding as they go along.

They can also be contracted in your own garden through your garden plants. All dogs at some stage will contract fleas and the only thing you can do about it is to use dog flea treatment. Fleas mainly cause problems between April to August, but they can also cause problems through the year.

How Can Fleas Affect My Dog?

A flea can be extremely irritating as they cause severe itching. If your dog is constantly scratching it could have fleas. However the flea can also be quite dangerous to a dog. This is because they carry tapeworm larvae and if the dog accidentally swallows one he/she could end up with a worm infection. Dog flea bites are can lead to flea allergies dermatitis, anemia and even death.

The Difference between Cat Fleas and Dog Fleas

There are over 1,000 different types of flea but the most common one is the cat flea, named ctenocephalides felis. It is actually more common for dogs to have cat fleas than dog fleas (ctenocephalides canis). The only way to tell them apart is by using a microscope.

Cat fleas generally do not live on the animals that they feed on. They come only when they want to eat.

The Treatments available

There is a wide variety of treatments available including:

• Powders
• Pills
• Sprays
• Collars
• Shampoos
• Drops
• Flea Combs
• Household Products

Some treatments are mild and some are more intense. It is always advisable to use frequent mild treatments rather than the odd severe ones. Flea powders are usually mild treatments and they are generally applied every one to two weeks until the problem has been eliminated. Flea collars are another form of mild protection.

Dog flea shampoo is better for severe infestation like sprays. Sprays generally vary in strength .The noise of the spray can scare some dogs. Drops are quite a popular choice as they are simple to use. They usually work quite quickly and they are not too expensive either.

There is a special type of flea medication and that is in the form of a pill. The pill is given once a month and it stops flea larvae from developing into adult fleas. However, it does not remove any adult fleas so this may not be the right type of protection for your dog.

A flea comb can be used on smooth, short coats though it does not provide sufficient protection for longer coats.

What If My Young Puppy Gets Fleas?

If your puppy is less than 12 weeks old, you should only use a flea comb directly to get rid of the fleas. It is advisable to keep a couple of bowls of water next to you while you are doing this to put the fleas in and reduce the risk of putting them back onto the puppy. One of the bowls should contain a mild detergent and the other should just be plain water. The flea should be dipped into the mild detergent and the comb should be rinsed in the water.

Other flea treatments can be hazardous to young puppies so you should always just stick with a flea comb indirectly until they are over 12 weeks of age.

The Effect Your Dogs Fleas Have On Their Surrounding Environment

The worrying thing is, fleas breed quite quickly and they can bite your dog up to 400 times a day. Only 5% of the fleas actually live on the animal. The rest hide and live in the surrounding area. Unfortunately this often means they could be hiding in:

• Carpets
• Curtains
• Bedding
• The Sofa

If they can hide anywhere, they will. This makes getting rid of fleas. Make sure you wash all bedding and towels, clothes and carpets. Dog flea treatment will really help you to eliminate them as quickly as possible and to leave your dog flea free.

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