In the article I will describe the dog flea: its appearance, what it looks like and biological features. I’ll tell you how to understand it yourself and what the symptoms are. I’ll tell you how to remove and get rid of fleas in a domestic adult dog and puppy using folk remedies and special preparations and medications. I will give you ways to remove parasites from furniture and carpets and what to do. I'll tell you whether dog fleas are dangerous for people.
Brief characteristics of parasites
Fleas are ectoparasites, i.e. creatures that live on the surface of the body of another living creature. Insects are small in size (up to 4 mm) with a dark body and a yellow belly.
Their body is flattened and covered with a hard shell, their long limbs are covered with bristles. Due to the structural features of the limbs (they are directed backwards), insects can jump high and easily move along the fur of the “host”.
They reproduce by laying larvae on the fur and skin of animals. These parasites can live for at least 3 years.
What you need to know when using the spray
Before using the anti-flea spray, you must carefully study the instructions for use and strictly follow them.
- The animal should be treated outside or in a well-ventilated room.
- During the procedure, use a mask and rubber gloves.
- When spraying, the spray can must be kept in an upright position.
- The fur is straightened so that the drug gets on the dog’s skin.
- The dog's eyes, ears and mouth should be covered to prevent contact with the insecticidal substance.
- After treatment, the pet's coat should dry. It is important to prevent the dog from licking the insecticide at this point.
When choosing an anti-flea product, it is necessary to take into account the weight and age of the pet, as well as the individual characteristics of its body. Only a properly selected drug can achieve a positive result and rid the animal of parasites.
Danger to dogs
For animals whose body is covered with abundant fur, a flea bite is potentially dangerous. These small and seemingly harmless jumping insects inject their saliva into the wound of the bitten person.
Such an “injection” can lead to a number of pathologies:
- excessive hair loss;
- severe itching and redness of the skin in the bite area;
- infection with worms (occurs if a cat or dog accidentally eats a flea);
- transmission of viruses;
- bacteria entering the wound that provoke an allergic reaction;
- in especially severe cases, anemia is observed, which threatens the life of the animal.
A dog attacked by fleas begins to itch intensely, which causes the pet many unpleasant moments. Scratched areas of the skin often become inflamed and cause skin diseases.
Moving from an infected animal to a healthy one, fleas quickly multiply and begin to drink the blood of a new owner. Insect activity increases sharply in spring or autumn.
On a note . Fleas practically do not parasitize humans and are not transmitted to them from pets. As a rule, humans are too hairless for these insects, so the parasites are not found on the human body. However, the risk of flea infestation still exists.
How does infection occur?
Many dog owners are sure that their pet Tuzik, Rex or Polkan will definitely not catch fleas, since he does not leave the house and does not come into contact with stray relatives. However, even those pets who simply visit the toilet at home can become infected.
This happens for the following reasons:
- As a result of contact with sick animals . If a stray dog continuously itches, bites itself and literally bites into its fur, this indicates the presence of parasites. If a pet has come into contact with a suspected flea carrier, the pet should be thoroughly examined.
- After walking on the grass . Often, parasites literally fall from an infected animal, remaining in the grass. Climbing onto the highest blades of grass, they patiently wait for their next victim. And given the fact that fleas can jump 30 cm in height and 20 cm in length, it is not surprising that absolutely any animal passing by can become their victim.
- Through larvae . Baby fleas are no less dangerous than adult fleas. They can fall from an infected animal onto the grass, ground, or road. Eggs often end up in the house: a person brings them on the soles of his shoes or on his trousers.
The last point creates a risk of infection for pets that do not go outside. Thus, the danger of flea infection exists for all dogs, regardless of how often they are outside the home.
Even if the animal has been cured, the infection may recur, since insects and their larvae often remain on the dog’s personal belongings or attack furniture, carpet and other household items.
Consumer Reviews
Alexander, 42 years old, Voronezh.
“I often go hunting with my dog. And she always comes back covered in fleas. And fleas are everywhere! And in a booth, and on a collar, on a leash! They are visible to the naked eye. I have been using Frontline spray for a long time. Although it is expensive, fleas die immediately after using it. A very effective remedy. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Varvara, 35 years old, Moscow.
“I have had a dog for ten years now. I live in a private house, so walks with the dog in nature are almost inevitable. My Black constantly brings fleas home. I have tried a lot of things, but for the last three years I have been successfully using Dana drops. There were no side effects or allergic reactions. “Dana” protects Black for almost three months, then I drop the drops again. For me, it’s an excellent drug!”
Signs of infection
Often, owners begin to breed fleas on their pets when there are already a lot of fleas and they pose a potential danger to the dog. To prevent negative consequences for your pet’s health, the animal must be carefully examined and its behavior observed.
The following changes in your pet's behavior may indicate the presence of fleas:
- the animal sleeps restlessly and constantly tries to change its resting place;
- the dog jumps up suddenly, having previously been in a calm state;
- the pet itches quickly and intensely, which is significantly different from habitual scratching.
If the owner detects one or more symptoms, the dog’s skin should be examined. Dried blood and inflamed areas indicate the presence of parasites.
But it is not always possible to track parasites on the dark fur of pets. You can determine whether your pet has fleas by performing a simple test.
This will let you know if your dog has flea excrement. The owner should arm himself with a fine-toothed comb and carefully comb the pet’s fur with it. If your dog is infested with fleas, the comb will be left with traces of insect feces in the form of characteristic black dots.
If your dog is prone to allergies or has very sensitive skin, a red rash will form on it. Typically, the inflamed areas are localized on the withers, behind the ears, on the stomach and inner thighs. Purulent ulcers gradually appear at the bite sites. The pet's fur begins to shed profusely.
In severe cases of infection, the dog has bald spots on the withers and croup at the base of the tail. Lack of veterinary intervention can lead to complete hair loss and even death of the animal.
Flea repellent drops
These tools are very easy to use. The drops must be applied according to the instructions in a certain amount on the animal’s withers. After this, protect your pet from water for a while and do not bathe him. Each product contains certain active ingredients, which can be used to determine how good and effective the chosen drug is.
But such drops have their drawbacks: their cost is quite high, and in some cases they can be toxic. If your pet is still small, you need to use drops designed specifically for puppies.
Flea repellent drops
How to remove parasites
Your dog should be treated for fleas immediately and the treatment should be comprehensive. You should not try to simply eliminate the itching, you need to make efforts to fight the parasites.
Advice . Before purchasing a flea remedy, you need to study the features of the product. Thus, many products are suitable not only for eliminating common dog parasites, but also for preventing the appearance of fleas. And the latter painfully bite not only animals, but also people.
Shampoo
Flea shampoos
are especially popular for bathing young dogs, because not every adult dog approves of water treatments. Most shampoos contain insecticides and natural herbs.
The first option is more toxic and kills parasites much faster and better. The downside of shampoos is possible side effects (stomach upset, vomiting, allergies). The owner must carefully ensure that during bathing the foam from the shampoo does not get on the pet’s eyes or mucous membranes.
Natural shampoos are used for prevention - they help wounds heal easier and make dogs' coat silky and healthy. The result will be more noticeable if other means to get rid of fleas are used along with natural shampoo.
The most popular flea shampoos among dog owners are Bars, Lugovoi, etc.
Spray
They are easy to use - you only need to spray the sprays over your pet’s withers. However, this method of treatment can be potentially dangerous for the animal if the dog begins to lick itself. The result may be adverse reactions: allergies, vomiting, weakness.
The procedure is carried out in a thoroughly ventilated room or outside. It is better for the owner to use rubber gloves during processing. The treated area should not be touched for 24 hours (it is especially important to instill this in children who love to play with their pet). During the treatment period, the owner is strictly prohibited from sleeping in the same bed with the pet.
The most popular flea sprays are “Bars”, “Beaphar”, “Hartz”, “Frontline”, etc. The latter option is suitable for removing fleas even from newborn puppies.
Drops
This product is suitable for both small (for example, Spitz) and large breeds of dogs (shepherd, St. Bernard) and is considered more effective in comparison with shampoo and spray.
Flea drops are distributed on the pet's withers in the amount specified in the instructions.
Important! The dog should not lick the applied drops!
When the active substance in the drops enters the bloodstream, it destroys fleas. During this period, the dog cannot be bathed. As a rule, the result lasts for a month, then the treatment should be done again.
Advice . Not all drops are considered safe and harmless. To prevent poisoning of your pet, it is important to discuss the choice of drops with your veterinarian.
Often dog owners choose “Barrier”, “Insectal”, “Blokhnet”, “Advocate”, “Practik”, “Advantix”, “Bars Forte”, “Clandestine”, “Inspector”, “Frontline” and so on.
Read more in our article: TOP 8 best drops for fleas and ticks in dogs
Collar
A flea collar
is considered the most effective option. Its main advantage is continuous action. At the first sign of fleas, a collar is put on your pet. This product protects the dog from getting the active substance into the bloodstream - the animal can even wash and swim. No additional processing is required.
However, flea collars also have disadvantages:
- They are not suitable for puppies under six months of age and dogs over 10 years old.
- Some samples are highly toxic, so you cannot wear them all the time.
- Accessories are not suitable for pregnant or lactating dogs.
- Continuous wearing of a collar in some cases provokes dermatitis.
The most popular options for dog collars are Hartz, Bars, Celandine, Rolf Club, Foresta, etc. Products are also sold that can repel parasites with ultrasound, but they are not recommended for use in combination with other products.
Powder
One of the main advantages of flea powder is its low price. The main disadvantage is the duration of treatment (from 14 days). Before use, you should check the dog's reaction to exclude possible skin reactions.
In some cases, the powder provokes side effects (dermatitis or allergies).
Pills
Chewable flea tablets are not as common as other products. The principle of their action is simple: the tablet is placed in the animal’s food. After some time specified in the instructions, the procedure is repeated.
Many dog owners do not rely on tablets because they believe they do not completely remove fleas, but only reduce their numbers. Side effects from taking the pills may include allergies and stomach upset.
The most popular tablets for dogs with an anti-flea effect: “Sentinel”, “Comfortis”, “Capstar”, etc.
Reviews and comments
0 Olga 07/29/2015 18:21 Not a single summer has gone by without our dog picking up fleas, despite the fact that since spring we always put a flea collar on him for walks. Immediately, as soon as we see that he has picked up fleas, we make sure to wash him with shampoo, and put the collar on again, and never take it off. Usually one collar is enough for the season. We didn’t use sprays, our dog is afraid of such things. But we periodically drip drops onto the withers.
Quote
0 Marina 05/06/2016 19:44 I started treating my dog with Vectra drops about 1 year ago.
Because we used both the collar and the spray, but it didn’t save us, and in the end we got sick with piroplasmosis. We were cured and then came across an advertising flyer from the Ceva company about the Vectra, we decided to try it and for the whole year, we didn’t catch a single tick! This year I also plan to use this drug. We buy a package for our weight category, there are three pipettes in the package, enough for three uses, the drops last for a month. You must remember the date of the last treatment, otherwise you are putting your dog in danger. We liked the Vectra, it doesn’t seem to be particularly expensive, but it helps a lot. I don't want to be so nervous about these ticks anymore. But we still examine the dog after every walk and haven’t found anyone yet. It’s also very interesting that when we treated it for the first time, 3 fleas fell out, which we didn’t even suspect about. So this is how it protects against ticks and fleas! Quote
Folk remedies
You can fight fleas using certain folk remedies. The main advantages of this method: safety, accessibility and low price.
Herbal infusions
Fleas cannot tolerate the aroma and taste of wormwood.
For a long time, fleas on dogs were eliminated with the help of wormwood. Parasites cannot tolerate the aroma and taste of this herb. The animal is bathed in a wormwood solution (2 tablespoons of dry herb infused in 1 liter of boiling water).
Tansy and eucalyptus have a similar effect. This way you can effectively remove parasites from the fur of even very small dogs.
Garlic
2 cloves of garlic are crushed or finely chopped, add 250 ml of water and leave for 8 hours. The resulting solution is used to treat areas of the pet’s body that he cannot reach on his own (head, neck).
Onion
Has an effect similar to garlic. A piece of laundry soap is mixed with water (250 ml). Chop the onion and add it to the solution. The resulting mixture is treated with the dog’s fur and washed off after 10 minutes. If there are a lot of parasites, the application of the onion solution can be repeated after some time.
Essential oil
Lavender, eucalyptus, and citrus oils are suitable for fighting fleas. Pour a few drops of oil into 1 liter of water and apply the solution to the dog’s fur.
Vinegar
Vinegar is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3 and applied to the dog’s coat. After an hour, the fur is combed out to remove dead fleas, their eggs and pupae.
What are there
Blood-sucking parasites cause itching and transmit dangerous diseases (encephalitis, piroplasmosis). Preventive protection and treatment are carried out with drugs contained in different forms:
- Shampoos – remove insects, not suitable for long-term use.
- Collars - contain natural essential oils (repel), chemicals (gradually released, accumulate on the surface).
- Drops - applied to hard-to-reach places (withers, between the shoulder blades, back of the head), are not absorbed into the blood, accumulate in the sebaceous glands, and paralyze.
- Tablets - have an attractive smell, taste, substances are absorbed and distributed throughout the body.
- Spray - sprayed over the entire surface, it takes time for the fur to dry, it can scare away and paralyze.
- Injections, injections - used in case of severe infection, lack of effect after other types.
For lactating and pregnant animals, products based on herbs and essential oils are suitable.
Sprays are convenient for treating rooms, bedding, and kennels.
