Getting Rid of Fleas on My Dog

Summer’s here and so are fleas — those creepy, crawly pests that make your dog absolutely miserable. It only takes a couple of fleas to drive a dog crazy and a single flea can lay 50 eggs a day. That’s over 2000 eggs in her lifetime. So, if your dog has fleas you need to get rid of them! When owners ask about getting rid of fleas on my dog, there are some things that work.

1. Topical Flea Treatments

One of the most reliable ways of getting rid of fleas on your dog is by using topical flea treatments. These can include spot-on treatments such as Frontline, Revolution and Advantage and some of the other topicals like Bio-Spot and Zodiac. Lots of owners love these treatments because they’re easy to use, they only have to be applied once every few weeks, and they’re relatively inexpensive (compared to buying flea sprays, shampoos and dips constantly). They usually work very well for most dogs. They generally work by having the active ingredient absorbed in either the skin or hair of the dog which repels the flea or causes death to the flea after a bite.There has been a warning issued by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recently about topical flea treatments, however, stating that some dogs have experienced problems with them. There is a suggestion from some veterinary sources that the problem may be caused by improper use of the products so if you use a topical treatment you should be sure to closely follow label directions.

2. Oral Treatments

Oral treatments include pills such as CapStar and Program. CapStar begins working in just 30 minutes and all fleas on your dog should be dead within 24 hours. This is a good product for dogs with very serious infestations. Program works like birth control for fleas. It stops eggs and larvae from developing. However, it doesn’t kill adult fleas so it needs to be used in combination with a good flea spray.Sentinel is an oral flea treatment which is also a heartworm preventive and controls several kinds of worms. It does not kill adult fleas.

3. Shampoos and Dips

The old stand-bys of flea shampoos and dips still work. You have to work harder to keep your dog flea-free when you use shampoos, sprays and dips but they do work. You can ask your veterinarian to recommend some good products. Most good shampoos and sprays are pyrethrin-based.Remember that the effects of a shampoo will not last very long so you will need to shampoo again in just a few days. Dips last longer but they are also harsher on your dog’s skin. They contain more chemicals.

4. House Treatments

As anyone with fleas knows, these little pests do more than get on your dog. They quickly take over your home. You will need to treat your entire house to get rid of them. There are several good ways to approach this process.• Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum some more.
• Wash all of your pet’s bedding and anything he sleeps on in hot water.
• Sprinkle borax powder (20-Mule-Team Borax washing detergent works) over your carpets and leave for 24 hours. This will dry out flea exoskeletons and prevent eggs from hatching. Vacuum.
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth (pool grade) throughout your home. This can be swept over hardwood floors. Kills fleas when it comes in contact with them by tearing their exoskeletons. Destroys eggs and larvae. Vacuum.As a last resort you may need to “bomb” your house. This is a last resort because it usually means vacating the house for a while and setting off foggers in the house with some pretty strong chemicals. Make sure any pets are outside, too. If you have fish or birds you will need to make some provision for them since the toxins could kill them. Make sure you thoroughly wash any plates or eating surfaces before using them again. Bombing your house is a drastic measure.

5. Yard Treatments

• Spread diatomaceous earth (pool grade) throughout your yard and leave. Kills fleas and larvae, prevents eggs from hatching.
• Use nematodes (insect-parasites) to control fleas. They have been shown to contain up to 95 percent of flea larvae in some studies and are safe to use around people, pets and plants.
• Plants chrysanthemums and marigolds to keep fleas away. These plants naturally contain pyrethrins, the chemical used in flea sprays.

6. Natural Flea Control

There are a number of natural ways to keep these pests at bay. Try using citronella oil and distilled water as a spray on your dog. Citronella-based cleaners are good in general to discourage fleas. Try an herbal collar on your dog. Some people swear that giving your dog garlic and brewer’s yeast will keep the pests away. Other people claim that a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar per day will make your dog taste “funny” when insects try to bite. Anything that boosts your dog’s immune system can make him unattractive to pests since they do seem to target dogs with weaker immune systems.Try some or all of these ways of getting rid of fleas on your dog and you should have a good summer.