Flea collar for dogs: pros and cons, varieties.

Why is a collar needed?

A dog collar is a plastic headband. It emits a pungent odor that parasites can smell well. They are suitable for different breeds of dogs and no matter what age it is. For a good effect, the anti-flea headband for dogs needs to be worn every day.

There are different types of such products. They have both pros and cons. They are selected according to various criteria, from the manufacturer to the parameters. There is also no need to skimp on them. Headbands that are too cheap may not protect the dog.

How to use a tick collar for dogs

The collar is put on the dog, adjusted in size so that there is a gap of 1.0–1.5 cm between the animal’s neck and the collar, then the free end of the tape is passed through the clamp and the excess collar is cut off, leaving the end no more than 5 cm long.

The validity period of different types of accessories varies, but usually one is enough for the entire summer season. Then it should be changed, since the level of protection will already be reduced. The collars begin to work 2-3 days after the start of use. In the first days of using the collar, ixodid ticks may attack and attach to the animal, but after 1–2 days the parasites spontaneously fall off.

Operating principle

Depending on the principle of operation, they are divided into the following types:

Ultrasonic. They are battery operated and repel parasites with their sound.
Chemical. They contain bad substances that kill insects.
Biological. Bio collars are made with essential oils and herbs.

Chemical headbands are impregnated with special substances that can kill parasites from a distance with their smell. They have no contraindications, but they are still best worn by adult dogs. Since small puppies can get poisoned from such a smell. This also applies to pregnant animals.

Biological ones are made on the basis of essential oils, with the addition of celandine and other herbs. Any dog can wear them, as they have no restrictions. These bio headbands do not kill parasites, but only drive them away. When ticks and fleas smell this smell, they try not to fall under its influence. But such bio collars have one drawback: they cannot be used for a long time. Over time, the smell fades and they lose their potency. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor this in order to change it for the animal in time.

Ultrasonic leashes are not harmful at all, but they are the most expensive. They have no chemical materials and are odorless. However, many owners are not happy with this type of headband. They believe that such protection is a poor option for insect control. This product works very simply, it emits a sound that insects can hear. There is also a downside to them: they are battery-powered and need to be changed from time to time.

How do they work?

All three types of headbands work differently. Chemical ones kill insects, and bio leashes and ultrasonic ones repel them. When using a chemical leash, allergies may occur.

To know how long to wear a flea collar to remove it, then read the instructions carefully, since it will only work for a short time.

Which leash is better to choose?

There are a couple of types of these products that occupy first places in use. Such as:

Flea barrier headband.
Leopard flea collar.

The leopard collar is used for cats and dogs against fleas and ticks. It is easy to use and has a number of positive aspects:

quite low price;
high efficiency;
ease of use;
long-term protection;
neutral color, you can combine it with different accessories.

This collar also has its bad sides, such as:

not all animals like to wear them, they bother them and they try to take them off;
an allergic reaction may occur.

The Barrier company is very popular; it produces not only collars, but also shampoos and drops. Such companies produce both chemical and bio collars. The operating life of the chemical product is six months. And biological ones are used for eight months. There are also ultrasonic ones, they look like a small box that is placed around the dog’s neck and emits sound waves. This headband does not have a time limit, since it is battery-powered.

How dangerous are fleas for puppies?

In addition to constant itching from bites and general discomfort, these pests cause small dogs a lot of problems, the most unpleasant of which are the following:

They transmit infections by biting. Ticks are especially harmful from this point of view.
May cause an allergic reaction to saliva.
Systematic loss of blood (this is what fleas feed on) leads to anemia.
Insects also carry worm eggs, which can be dangerous to humans.

How to use a collar correctly

It's very easy to use:

First, unpack the box.
Remove plastic connections and other items.
Stretch it a little and put it on your pet.
Pull it up so that there is a little space left, and it does not put pressure on the dog and there is something to breathe. Approximately 1.5 centimeters
After it has begun to act, for the first few days avoid going to the forest and taking water treatments.

Directions for use and precautions

It is advisable to remove parasites before using the collar. Veterinarians first recommend using flea drops, which are dripped into the withers through a special pipette, and after a couple of days, putting on plastic tape. If there are still fleas, wash your pet with shampoo.

First, you need to unpack the strap, stretch it slightly, check the plastic jumpers, and only then try it on your dog. The collar should not fit tightly to the neck: if a finger passes between the collar and the body, it means that he is dressed normally. It is advisable to cut off the excess part of the tape so that it does not irritate your four-legged friend. Thanks to a correctly worn collar, the pet will avoid dermatitis, and the poisonous agent will be distributed more evenly.

During the first few days, care must be taken to ensure that the animal does not become infected with fleas en masse again. Therefore, cancel walks in the forest and communication with relatives. You should not take off the collar at night, because it has only just begun to work.

During the first week, avoid swimming. You can add treatment with essential oils if this does not contradict the instructions. But the use of other chemicals is prohibited! If the collar is sometimes removed, then store it in an airtight container out of direct sunlight.

Note: Keep these instructions while your dog is wearing the collar. It indicates how the plastic tape is treated. If a piece of it gets into the body of a child or dog, the instructions indicate an antidote that will help stop the poisoning.

Here are a few tips for using a collar:

After the collar is on, monitor your dog for several hours. An allergy may occur: the animal will begin to itch, behave restlessly, and a rash will appear.
If the dog is a pet and has not had fleas for a long time, remove the tape from its neck. Constant wearing in the absence of infection is useless.
Use one pest repellent followed by an antiparasitic. An excess of poisons will not benefit your four-legged friend.
After treating your dog, do not forget to clean and rinse its bedding, in which fleas willingly live, waiting for their prey.

If you did everything correctly, then your pet will be free from “annoying guests.”

How to choose protection for an animal

Finding good collars is not as easy as we thought. They are sold in large quantities and different for every taste. Before buying them, you need to know a few rules:

If you have already selected the manufacturer whose product you will buy, read reviews about it.
Read the ingredients on the label. What chemicals does it contain?
Be sure to consider the size of your four-legged friend. So that he doesn't look small on him.
Don't skimp on them. Low cost flea protection can harm your pet.

To keep animals free from fleas and ticks, you can also use special drops. Perhaps this method will suit you even better. There are many types of drops. Some can help for a couple of days, while others can help for a couple of months. It depends on what purpose you are purchasing them for. If you need to go out into nature for a couple of days, then you don’t need a large amount of the drug. And if the road is long, then it is better to take drops with a strong effect.

Dog after a tick bite: symptoms of disease

For 2 to 3 weeks after you remove the tick from your dog, monitor your dog closely for changes in behavior. The first symptoms may appear within a week, but sometimes the disease lurks for 15–20 days.

Nadezhda Martyanova veterinarian
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For piroplasmosis, the incubation period lasts seven days. Therefore, after a bite, you need to monitor the animal and if even slight lethargy appears, immediately consult a doctor, take a clinical blood test and do a test for infection. In any case, I advise you not to panic or self-medicate under any circumstances.

Alarming symptoms may also include:

weakness in hind limbs
refusal to eat
diarrhea
yellowness and pallor of mucous membranes
shortness of breath or rapid breathing
temperature rise to 40–42 degrees
dark, brown, orange urine
pain when moving, arthritis

If you notice at least some of the symptoms, you should see a veterinarian. The longer a dog goes without veterinary care, the worse the prognosis.

How to accustom a puppy to a collar

To begin with, in order to accustom a dog to a flea headband, he must get used to a regular product.

When the puppy is still small, it is very easy to accustom him to wearing protection. As for an already adult dog, there may be problems with this. If the dog hasn't worn it since he was a little girl, then of course he won't like it. At first she will not be comfortable in it. She will fidget, itch, and run away.

It is best to let the dog get to know him first. When you have dressed him, distract the dog with a game or some kind of treat. It’s better to put it on before eating, since she won’t notice anything other than a bowl of food. If you teach your dog to put on a collar before eating, he will quickly get used to it and will look forward to this moment.

Put it on for ten minutes, several times a day. If you see that your pet has started wearing it, gradually increase the time. Then you can wear it whenever you feel comfortable.

Where does a puppy get fleas?

In fact, if you have a “domestic” dog that lives primarily indoors, where can parasites come from? Unfortunately, flea infestation is much easier than we would like.

From another animal.
While walking. By the way, a tick can get in here. If some breeds (Spitz) can do without walks, then the popular shepherd dogs, Labradors or huskies cannot.
Cubs can get fleas from their mother. Infection occurs in the form of transmission of larvae, which at first do not show themselves in any way and are difficult to detect. It is even more difficult to get rid of them on a newborn dog.
In premises where there are many animals or where other pets live, but no sanitary measures are taken.

You can determine that your pet is attacked by parasites by the fact that he begins to scratch and snort a lot. In addition, insects can be noticed visually if you often pick it up. Flea treatment should be done immediately, without delay.

When is the best time to wear

As for service dogs, for them the collar is practically part of the body; they wear it constantly. But for hunting dogs, on the contrary, it will be superfluous. During the hunt, it will only disturb them; the dog can get caught on a branch and get stuck.

For pets, it is needed to fasten a leash, hang a tag on it with the dog’s name and, of course, to protect it from fleas and ticks. A flea collar for puppies is worn before going for a walk. While the animal is walking, it may pick up parasites, which in turn can infect it with various diseases.

If your pet is clean and does not have fleas, put a collar on it or give it drops for prevention. Decide for yourself what is better to buy drops or a collar. And if you can’t decide, then you need the help of a specialist. So that the animal does not get sick later, and is always in a good mood.