What can be more annoying for a dog than fleas biting their skin? Your poor pet can do nothing but scratch and scratch away relieving the itchiness only temporarily. You’d go needs your help to fight these pesky parasites. Do you know what steps to take to not only get rid of fleas but also prevent them from coming back?
While it is important for you to be on top of flea and tick control for your dog or cat, you do need to be careful of what you use and how you use it, especially when applying flea treatments to you or your pets. I recommend only using treatments specifically intended for the animal you are using it on. For example, only use flea treatments meant for dogs on dogs. A treatment meant for dogs can be harmful and sometimes deadly for cats. Always be careful of what you buy and read through all the labels on any treatment you purchase before applying it on your pet.
Begin by giving your dog a good bath in warm, soapy water. It really isn’t necessary to use insecticidal dog flea shampoos. Fleas don’t really like soap but if you want a shampoo meant to kill fleas, look ones that promote flea & tick control and are made from all natural ingredients. Never use shampoos or products that contain DEET. This toxic chemical can cause serious adverse reactions in your pet.
I like to give my pet a thorough combing daily using a special flea comb. This tool is designed to remove any fleas so you can then kill in soapy water. Many pet experts like to record the number of fleas you find every day as a way to keep a semi-accurate means to tell if you have a flea problem or not. Another way to remove fleas from your dog is by getting some sticky tape, wrap it around your hand and then pat your dog with it. This works great on short-haired breeds.
After you have successfully removed the majority of the fleas from your dog, your next step is to follow a strict prevention routine. This is done to kill off any remaining stragglers while ensuring they remain under control. It is very important you kill the remaining few fleas before they get a chance to begin reproducing at an alarming rate. Keep up the routine for a few weeks even after you stop seeing fleas as a way to guarantee flea eradication success.