Fleas – An Ounce of Prevention

Most people can agree that fleas are a downright nuisance but did you know that fleas are also dangerous for your dogs? It’s true. One little, seemingly harmless flea can wreck havoc on your dog’s body. That one little flea will lay eggs on your dog within 48 hours of her first bite. Then, infestation ensues. Flea allergy dermatitis and tapeworm are two such health issues that are associated with fleas. We, as pet parents, need to do our best to protect our dogs and prevent flea infestation in our home. How?

Put in place a plan of protection and prevention

There are many flea prevention products on the market and most of those products can be applied in one of three ways.

1. A pill may be taken orally. A pill may work well for your dog. It’s a no fuss no muss method of killing fleas on your dog. You don’t have to worry about messy products being washed away.  This method offers full body protection against fleas.
2. There are many sprays that can be used as well. However, there are many toxic side effects and a simple human error during the application process can cause more trouble than it’s worth.
3. Spot on treatments are chosen by many pet parents. It’s easy to apply and effective as it kills the flea upon first bite. Spot on treatments can also have toxic side effects for dogs and their humans.
4. Go Natural. By this we mean, consider buying or making natural products. While they won’t kill the fleas, all natural ingredients are the safest way to repel the little suckers.

My dog’s infested with fleas

1. Bathe your dog. The water will drown the fleas!
2. Following dosing instructions and safety guidelines, apply one of the products mentioned above.
3. Clean your house. You will need to wash all linens as well as vacuum the floors and furniture.  Steam clean your and treat your carpets with pet friendly products.
4. Keep your lawn and shrubs neatly manicured and treat your lawn with a pet friendly prevention product. There are now many organic products on the market.

We hope these tips will help you put in a place a safe plan of protection for your dog.  As always, keep your dog in tip top shape by keeping up with regular grooming and vet visits. Fleas are more prone to feast on a dog with a compromised immune system so keep your dog healthy and strong to help reduce the risk of infestation.

When you sign up for TAILored Pet Services dog walking or potty break visits, we will let you know if your dog appears to be scratching more than usual during our visits. We offer numerous monthly packages depending on your needs so contact us for more information.