Fleas are very common amongst animals and even people. Fleas may be very tiny but they can cause a lot of nuisance to pets and pet owners alike as they bite and poop, and feed on the blood of their host. These wingless parasites are very stubborn and it will be a hard task in finding ways on how to get rid of fleas on dogs and other house pets.
Hot to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs: Getting to Know your Enemy
In order for you to get rid of fleas on your dog, you must first know what fleas are. Fleas are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of their host. Fleas can lay batches of eggs hours after ingesting the host’s blood. There are many types of fleas but the most common ones are the Cat Fleas or Ctenocephalides felis and the Dog Fleas Ctenocephalides canis. Ironically more commonly found in dogs are the cat fleas.
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs: Symptoms of Flea Infestation
If your dog constantly scratches its fur or excessively bites on them that it gradually develops into rashes, it may be time to check him or her for fleas. There may be eggs found in your dog’s skin or maybe flea dirt on the beddings, which may also confirm the presence of fleas on your beloved dog. You can check dusts around your dog’s fur or bed, wet it with water and see if it turns red, that will indicate flea droppings that would often times contain dried blood. At the very moment you suspect that your pet has fleas, prepare to have some treatment for fleas to prevent further complications.
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs: Complications of Having Fleas
To take the treatment of dogs seriously you must first understand the risk of having fleas on your pets. If left untreated, fleas can prove to be a serious problem for pets and pet owners because serious complications may develop as a result of flea infestations. Allergic reactions due to flea saliva may occur that can cause severe itching and hotspots for your dog. Furthermore ingestion of flea eggs which is very common may lead to the development of tapeworms. In addition, anemia may be caused by severe infestation of fleas that may even lead to death.
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs: Treatment Options
Treatment may vary depending on the owner’s preference. There are available topical treatments that can be purchased along with oral treatments. Oral treatments are sometimes preferred since it doesn’t counteract with a bathing regimen. One may choose to use diatomaceous earth as a treatment measure since it proves to be an effective way of getting rid of fleas and it is harmless to both humans and pets alike.
While many people have reported the effectiveness of chemical drugs such as Advantage or Frontline, some pets’ owners don’t want to toxic their dogs with these chemicals. If you are among one of them, you can try some effective home remedies below:
- Use a mixture of apple cider vinegar with water in the scale of 1:2 to bath your dog completely from head to tail. Your dog may get a vinegar smell. However, it won’t last long.
- Comb your dog with a flea comb to get rid of fleas on dogs. Since the teeth of these combs are very tight, they can catch the fleas and remove them from your dog. You can add some oils to the comb for better result.
- Add some chopped cooked garlic to daily meals for dog. Garlic improves the immune system and get fleas away. You should use a small amount of garlic for every meal because overuse it will lead to bad reactions from your dog.
- Another great way to kill fleas is using lavender oil.
- Diatomaceous earth can kill fleas by two ways. First, these “earth”s break the exoskeleton for fleas, thus prevent them from keeping water and surviving. Seconde, Diatomaceous earth is very hard, so they can break fleas into pieces very easily. Remember to buy only Food Grade Diatomaceous earth because other types, such as the one used for swimming pool, can cause potential side effects to you and your pets.
These methods above can only eradicate adult fleas in flea life cycle. Beside, you should learn how to kill flea completely in your house to prevent them from infesting your lovely home again.
Whatever option you may choose as a pet owner, always remember that the success of a treatment always depends on the consistency. Regularly check your dog for fleas and also treat the dog’s environment when treating your dog as they may be residue of fleas and flea eggs.
