-
- Fleas and their eggs
-
- Dog fleas
-
- Flea Sprays for Dogs
-
- Dog flea pills
-
- Dog flea collar
-
- Laundry soap, onion, garlic and wormwood
-
- Essential oils, needles and vinegar
Before you get a dog in the house, you should think not only about its breed, place for sleeping and the necessary feed, but also about means of protection against parasites. Most often, the animal delivers discomfort dog fleas - insects that live in wool and feed on its blood. Therefore, each owner of a fourth friend is concerned about the question of how to remove fleas in dogs and prevent their re-occurrence.
It is important to determine in time what parasites bother the animal and choose the right tool for their destruction. Therefore, it will be useful to know how fleas in dogs look. Some owners who find in the dog’s coat translucent gray or yellow shades of parasites think that they are white fleas. However, these are not fleas at all, but lice or beetle eaters. Their body is flattened in width, and fleas are flat on the sides.
Flea - a blood-sucking parasite of brown-red color up to 4 mm in size. It has a flattened body covered with a shell and long legs with bristles, thanks to which the insect can easily move along the dog’s coat and jump high. It is this ability that causes infection in other animals. Below are the types of fleas in the photo, as well as the larva and flea egg.
Causes and signs of infection
Some argue that a dog living in an apartment and occasionally appearing on the street cannot become a carrier of fleas. However, such an opinion is not true. The bloodsuckers parasitize not only on yard dogs, but can also feel comfortable on a person. It is he who in this case is the carrier and able to bring fleas to the houseon clothes or shoes. Having discovered the source of food, the bloodsuckers settle and multiply fruitfully in the dog’s coat.
During a skin puncture, a flea injects saliva into the wound, which causes:
- Severe itching, accompanied by redness and swelling;
- Skin and viral diseases;
- Hair loss;
- Allergic reactions;
- Anemia in puppies, which can result in death.
How to determine if a dog has fleas? It is not difficult to verify their presence; the main thing is to carefully look at the behavior of the animal.
- If the pet is concerned about the frequent itching of different parts of the body.
- Visible flea bites on a dog in the form of wounds and redness.
- The animal’s coat is studded with white grains resembling salt (this is how flea eggs look), small black blotches (larvae) and insect debris (excrement).
Dog fleas - You can detect fleas in a dog while swimming, when the parasites are in a panic, and they massively jump into the water or stray in the head area.
- The presence of bloodsuckers can be determined by eye contact or when combing with a thick comb (parasites remain between the teeth).
Chemical parasite control
The elimination of fleas in dogs is not a complicated process, but requires some knowledge and patience.The main condition in this struggle is to choose the right remedy, process the animal and the room in which it is contained. Having found the bloodsuckers on things, it is better to wash and iron them with a hot iron, thoroughly vacuum the carpets and soft toys.
To choose a means of how to rid a dog of fleas, it is necessary to consider the features of each of them. It is important to remember that treatment should be immediate and comprehensive.
Shampoo
One of the popular means of controlling parasites at home is dog shampoo. Most often it is used for bathing puppies, since not every adult dog will give himself a bath. Shampoos Leopard and Lugovoi show excellent results.
Flea shampoos for dogs can be based on insecticides and natural herbs. The first option is more toxic, but at the same time contributes to the rapid and quality disposal of bloodsuckers. Side effects of such a remedy include: an allergic reaction, increased salivation and vomiting. Therefore, it is very important that during bathing the foam does not get into the eyes and mucous dogs. How often you can wash your dog with flea shampoo is indicated in the instructions.
Natural shampoos are used for preventive purposes. They have a wound healing effect, give the coat a healthy look and silkiness. The product must be applied to the dog’s coat, foam thoroughly and left for 5-6 minutes. Then rinse with running water. When the animal’s hair dries, the remaining dead parasites should be combed out. The maximum effect is achieved when using shampoo in combination with other anti-cloud agents.
Spray
A more effective way to deal with bloodsuckers is to use spray. This is a means of removing fleas in a dog quite easily. In order to carry out disinfection, it is necessary to spray the drug along the withers of the pet. You can treat the whole body, but given that the dog is able to lick its coat after such a procedure, side effects may occur in the form of malaise, vomiting, upset, allergic reactions and shortness of breath.
Dog fleas are controlled outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Rubber gloves are required. The coat of a spray-treated animal should not be touched by small children during the day. It is also unacceptable to sleep a pet in the same bed with a person. Especially popular flea sprays Front line, Leopard, Harts or Beaphar.
Drops
Derive fleas from a dog at home using drops. This is a parasite exterminator suitable for dogs of large and small breeds of the Chihuahua type. The use of drops is much more effective than washing the dog with shampoo.
The number of drops specified in the instructions is applied to the withers of the dog, limiting the animal's ability to lick the drug from its coat. The active substance, penetrating the skin and blood of a pet, kills insects. It is important during this period to protect the dog from taking water procedures. Usually, the effect of this agent lasts for a month, after which the treatment is repeated.
Not all flea drops safe, some can cause severe poisoning. Therefore, before buying, it is better to consult a veterinarian. Most often, dog owners prefer drugs such as:
Collar
The collar is perhaps the most effective flea remedy in dogs. Continuous action is their main advantage. Having found fleas on a dog, just put on anti-collar. The pet is protected from the ingress of unsafe active substances inside, has the ability to swim and swim without restrictions. In addition, special treatment and prophylaxis are not required.
However, in addition to the mass of advantages, collars have disadvantages.
- Some of these accessories can be toxic and, when worn continuously, are unsafe for the animal’s health.
- Age restrictions. The collar is contraindicated in puppies under 6 months old and animals over 10 years old.
- Anti-flea collar is not recommended for lactating, pregnant and sick animals.
- The continued use of a collar can lead to dermatitis.
The best flea collars of the brand Bars, Hartz, Forest, Celandine or Rolf Club.
Powder
You can poison fleas in dogs with a powder that is made on the basis of butox in a veterinary pharmacy. Its use is safe, however, before using the drug, it is necessary to take several tests and monitor the condition of the dog in order to avoid side effects (dermatitis or allergies).
The advantage of flea powder is its low cost. The disadvantages include a long course of treatment (it is possible to get rid of the bloodsuckers after 2 weeks).
Tablets
Chewable less flea pills, since they do not completely eliminate bloodsuckers, but only reduce their number. The principle of using this tool is quite simple: you need to put a tablet in your pet’s food. Repeat the procedure according to the instructions. The tool can cause side effects in the form of allergic reactions and gastrointestinal disorders. You can buy tablets at a veterinary pharmacy. The most popular are Capstar, Sentnel or Comforts.
Folk remedies
It is possible to bring fleas in dogs at home using folk remedies. The advantage of this control method is safety, affordability and low cost. The following folk remedies for fleas for dogs are:
- Herbs
- Essential oils;
- Garlic and onion;
- Pine branches and sawdust;
- Lemon;
- Apple vinegar;
- Laundry soap.
Herbs
Treatment dogs from fleas wormwood is one of the oldest and most effective means of controlling insects. The bitter taste and peculiar smell of grass is what fleas fear. Therefore, you need to know how to get rid of fleas in a dog using wormwood. It is enough to prepare a herbal decoction and bathe an animal in it. The main advantage of the method is its effectiveness and safety, therefore it is ideal for combating bloodsuckers for small puppies. Tansy and eucalyptus have a similar effect.
You can get rid of fleas in a dog using a helical solution. This tool has strong antiparasitic properties, and is used to destroy not only fleas, but also ticks and worms. The drug should be used with caution, since it is toxic, an overdose threatens with severe poisoning.
Garlic
Garlic is another effective flea remedy for dogs. A couple of garlic cloves need to be crushed or finely chopped with a knife, pour a glass of water and insist 8 hours. The infusion wipes the dog’s coat in places where it will not be able to lick the preparation (head and neck). The treatment should be carried out very carefully, since garlic is toxic to dogs. Once in the body of an animal, it can lead to poisoning and even death.
Bow
A bow has a similar effect. To cure a dog of fleas, it is necessary to make a soap solution from a grated laundry soap mixed with a glass of water. Next, crushed onions are added to this mass. The resulting mixture is applied to the dog’s coat and left for 5-10 minutes. Then thoroughly rinse with water. With a large accumulation of fleas, the treatment can be repeated.
Laundry soap
You can remove fleas from a dog using shampoo prepared at home. To do this, the laundry soap is dissolved in a decoction of eucalyptus and a few drops of tea tree oil or cedar are added. The resulting mass is applied to the pet’s hair, carefully foaming. Wash off after 10 minutes. This is a very good remedy for fleas, and it will cost a little, unlike chemicals.
Essential oils
This is an equally effective cure for parasites. Essential oils of lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree or citrus scare off fleas perfectly. A flea dog will quickly get rid of parasites if the animal is treated with a solution using one or another ingredient. To do this, add a few drops of oil to a small amount of water and spray the dog. Also, oil can be used for bathing a pet.
Needles
If you find symptoms of parasite infection in a dog living in the yard, you must use any of the above methods. And as a litter for resting the animal, it is better to use pine sawdust or finely chopped branches. The effect can be enhanced by adding wormwood branches to them. Such a "nuclear" tool will help get rid of parasites for a long time.
Vinegar
How to remove fleas in dogs with vinegar? It is enough to mix apple cider vinegar with water in a ratio of 1: 3 and treat the fur of the four-legged friend with the resulting product. After an hour, the hairline of the animal should be combed out of dead insects, their larvae and eggs.
What to do if a dog has fleas
Having discovered parasites in the dog, you need to act immediately to avoid their mass spread.
- Choose a suitable anti-cloud remedy, guided by the advice of a veterinarian.
- Fight fleas strictly according to the instructions for the drug. And if re-treatment is prescribed there, do not neglect it - this can lead to mass reproduction of parasites.
- Spend apartment processing followed by wet cleaning.
- As a preventive measure, you should limit the communication of the pet with stray animals.
Clear and timely implementation of these tips will help cure your pet of annoying parasites and prevent their appearance. With a strong accumulation of fleas in a house or apartment, it is recommended to use the service of the company, which will hold professional pest control.
