How to remove fleas from your dog? Fleas are tiny insects that suck blood from the dog body. They act as parasites that irritate dog skin. It also infests your home. Often before you can even realize it, fleas enter the house. If your dog has been still scratching your head and still wonder to remove fleas from your dog, then we have a solution for you. Here are the steps you should eliminate to unwelcome these freeloaders.
Understand the lifecycle of a flea
At first, you must understand the enemy of the insect here are the stages of its life cycle:
Egg
Larva
Pupa
Adult
The adult is the final flea that acts as a parasite on dog skin. At the dog’s skin, these fleas lay eggs. The eggs get spread in your whole house and even your yard each time the dog perform some activity like lie down, shakes, or scratches. These eggs later develop into Larvae in comfort for sofa, bed, or carpet. These larvae further form the pupa from the cocoons stage. From this, the pupa turns into an adult that infest animal hosts.
It is essential to understand the life cycle of fleas because the different flea products have a life cycle. Hence it is necessary to read the label.
Prevention and treatment
The best way with which you can deal the fleas is to prevent them. The flea preventative will kill the insects when they try to come in contact with dog skin. It prevents their entry to the home. Here you have several options. Bath your pet with lukewarm water or water and mild soap to remove fleas from your dog you can use flea shampoo or some other fast-acting chemical that can help you to treat this but talk to your veterinarian first.
Use a fine-tooth flea comb in your pet’s hair, the little buggers can be found on the skin of the pet they are as small as a poppy seed and a sesame seed. They’re brown or reddish-brown and when you find the flea on the comb, then dunk the comb into hot soapy water to kill the flea. Fleas are hard to be crushed by hand as they jump quickly, Do regular checks dogs can generally be brushed with a flea comb once a week to make your home and pet are free of fleas.
Pet grooming tips let your pets groom themselves when cats have fleas they are likely to clean more themselves than usual. Researchers shed some light on the fact that how extra work helps cats to get rid of fleas. Now pay close attention to the dog moderate licking is a normal behavior in dogs but excessive licking is a sign of fleas, in most cases that’s ok.
But if you find that your dog is scratching, nipping, or chewing excessively or you notice hair loss or red, inflamed, or bloody skin then visit the vet immediately. You can talk with the vet regarding flea preventative, which is right for the dog. If your dog has fleas contact with the skin, then the medicines can still help you. Compounds include pills to kill fleas on the dog’s body.
Read also: Why do dogs lick their lips a lot
Get the insects out of the house
Killing fleas is one part of your problem. You need to move them out of the house. It would require a lot of patience.
- In many cases, it would take 3 to 4 months that help you to get rid of the fleas. It would take a long for fleas to go through the same life cycle. Here are some steps that you can follow:
- Wash the bedding in soapy and hot water.
- Vacuum the hardwood floors, carpets, tiled floors, and linoleum, and throw the vacuum bag away.
- Apply the environmental flea control, or you may even call a local exterminator.
- Apply the spray, non-toxic treatment, or pellet for the yard.
- Continue this treatment for the other pets or dogs with some other monthly preventatives.
Talk to the Veterinarian
When you have some doubts regarding a matter, then it is better to call an expert. Ask the veterinarian regarding how to surely remove fleas from your dog and house. Vets are all up to date on the latest treatment and preventatives for fleas. It would help you to have safe and the best treatment for your dog and your house too.
How can you spot the fleas?
Does your dog feel itching on the skin? Fleas are generally microscopic particles that are difficult to check on the surface with naked eyes. They are of dark and copper shade that has a size of a pin. If you want to spot fleas, then bring them to light as they do not like it.
Featured image: teampdsa
Sonal is a Visual Artist and Social Media enthusiast. She is also a community manager of Picovico and enjoys writing and painting in her free time.