If you’re reading this article about keeping fleas off your dog, there can be two possible scenarios. First, maybe your dog is already suffering from one, or you just want to keep those buggers far far away from your dog so that your dog does not catch the infestation.
Whatever the problem is, here are some solid methods and tips to keep fleas off your dog.
Flea Infestation on Dogs
Fleas require a warm environment and a host with a coat to hide under, thicker the better. Dogs have a thick furry coat which can serve the fleas. Generally, fleas infect many animals as well as humans and pass from one host to another.
In addition to that, fleas live longer without the host compared to most of the parasites. The fleas can stay alive for almost a week or more without a host. Additionally, fleas can live as long as three weeks.
Hence, the fleas can easily travel from one host to another within that course of time. And, as soon as they get in contact with the new host the process of biting and laying eggs continues.
Although the fleas would stay on any inanimate tangible object they can lay eggs once they have had their first meal.
So, there is not much of a chance the fleas will die of themselves. In fact, looking at their average rate of laying eggs to be 27 eggs per day, killing is the only option left.
However, fleas are not the only external parasites capable of dwelling on dogs. You can see more of the external and internal parasites in the next section. Those parasites are also very common for dogs.
Infestations Common on Dogs
This section contains most of the parasitic infestation dogs generally have to suffer. Fleas, of course, is one of the parasitic infestations which have kept the dogs scratching themselves to worsen the inflammation eventually.
We are talking about the ticks, lice, mites, heartworms, threadworms, mosquitoes etc.
Ticks
Ticks are parasites similar to fleas with a bigger body structure. The ticks can grow as long as a centimeter from a millimeter of length of the infants.
The ticks will not only settle on dogs but also all the animals preferably more on furry ones. Generally, the ticks will settle on the dog just like the fleas and reproduce at a rapid rate.
Additionally, the situation will be controllable as far as the ticks are not infected with other diseases. Moreover, the ticks can contain infection from an infected host and spread it further by biting.
Not to mention, the ticks can spread the Lyme disease and Babesiosis from an infected host to the healthy. Furthermore, both Lyme and Babesiosis are the bacterial infections which will make the tick infestation worse.
Lyme disease will lead to severe weakness, swollen lymph nodes, and inflammation at the joints. As the matter of fact, when the dog is suffering from tick infestation probably deficiency of red blood cells and then having further intricacies are unimaginable.
Mites
The mites are similar to the flea and tick infestation i.e. having eight legs and feeding off the dog’s blood in our case. However, the mites have a different method of infestation. The mites will enter below the skin layer of the host.
The narrow burrows and paths created by the mites can cause severe skin irritation. Although the mites will eventually thrive on to finding the bloodstream and feasting on it.
Moreover, the mites will eventually lead to the causing scabs if left untreated. Also, the mites will play a vital role in spreading infections from one host to another. Hence, more or less the mites are one of the parasites which will do much of damage to your dog from inside.
Mosquitoes
Coming to the most deadly parasite our Earth has seen. Mosquitoes are undoubtedly the most active and indestructible parasites we could think of. Because adult mosquitoes can lay eggs almost anywhere.
In fact, the mosquitoes reproduction will keep on increasing during monsoon and winter. These parasites thrive on water bodies too.
However, the mosquitoes play a huge role in spreading many diseases to the hosts. Also, they can infect the healthy hosts with heartworm infestation. You can read more about the heartworm in the next section.
Heartworms
Heartworms in dogs are just as common as any other infestation. However, heartworms spread by the mosquito bite and lead to serious outbreaks after reaching the internal organs.
The heartworms will affect the heart, lungs, and adjacent blood vessels within a short span of time after the mosquito bite. In fact, these parasites can instantly start reproducing after reaching these organs.
Methods to Save a Dog from Infestations
There are a few methods to save a dog from flea infestation. We can divide them on basis of its use i.e. preventive and cure.
Firstly, we will start with the methods of curing the flea infestation. The flea control pills, flea repellent sprays, and topical flea treatment for dogs are useful in such case.
Flea spray and topical flea treatment act externally against the infestation. Both the medicines will eliminate fleas once they get in contact with it. These methods are useful when the infestation has caused at least visible skin redness or irritated patches.
On the other hand, you can use the flea control pills when the infestation is mild. Because it neither has a harsh effect nor the efficiency to eliminate all the parasites at once.
Additionally, you shall use the preventative measure after getting the fleas off the dog. This includes, not only getting the fleas off the dog but also getting them off from your house.
Generally, fleas can dwell on the furniture, carpets, curtains, clothes, garden, yard, lawn, etc. Hence, when you are treating the flea infestation treating these areas are necessary.
To begin with the flea treatment, you can sprinkle flea repellent spray inside your home as well as on your lawn and garden. It will primarily keep the fleas away from the perimeter of your home.
Whereas you can go for the professional flea and tick treatment solutions if you live near the infested area. Other than that, going with the methods we have described will not only cost you less but also gets the fleas off the dog easily.
The EndNote
Lastly, taking care of the flea infestation is not that difficult if you take necessary precautions in time. However, cure of flea treatment can involve all the flea control process right from the beginning.
Therefore, prefer going don’t leave any loose ends for taking precautions.