Fleas are really small in size but the damage they create is huge. And if you aren’t aware of their presence, they can compromise your dog’s health. Worse, they can even affect the entire family and spread to neighbouring yards and pets.
With that, investing in the best flea treatment for dogs is essential. It’s one of the best ways to prevent infestations, kill existing fleas and ticks, and ensure that they don’t return on your dog’s body and your home.
To help you pick the right one, here are the best products you can use to eradicate fleas on your pets.
Let’s take a closer look at the top products you can use to get rid of your dog’s fleas.
The product is made from 100% natural ingredients. It’s non-greasy and non-toxic, making it easy to apply without compromising your dog’s health or causing problems for the entire family. It works really well in repelling ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, lice, and larvae.
If your dog is really active and does a lot of exercises, you’ll find this flea treatment reliable. It’s water-resistant and swimming, hiking or biking won’t make it less effective.
Wolfwill Waterproof Dog Anti Flea Collar features an easy-tighten buckle and a 25-inch rubber strap. It can fit dogs that are 3 months and older.
One issue you might encounter with this flea treatment is its scent. When you first put it on your dog, you’ll smell its strong citronella scent. This isn’t really an issue for humans but for dogs with sensitive senses, they might find the scent too strong.
Beaphar Uk Ltd Beaphar Dog Plastic Flea & Tick Collar
Compared with most other dog collars, this one is robust and not flimsy. It’s long so you can easily cut it to the right size. In cutting, however, make sure that it won’t be too tight on your dog. You may want to leave an allowance in case you need to adjust it.
In terms of effectiveness, it can last for four months and will show signs of wear if you need to put on a new one on your dog.
It’s fully adjustable and you can cut off any excess. You can keep the spare bits and hide them under your dog’s blanket or under your cushions to make sure no ticks and fleas settle there. Now, if you don’t want to cut your collar, there are different sizes you can choose from.
Its odor is a bit pungent, particularly during the first few weeks. Despite that, the product still offers great value. It works really well for its price.
Since it mainly has citronella, this works best as a deterrent. It may not be as effective in killing ticks and fleas that are already attached to your dog. However, with its strong scent, you’ll find it working as soon as you put it on.
It doesn’t cause irritation either. You can use it on small pets without having to worry about their safety.
STV International Zero In Flea Killer Comb
Instead of using strong scents, this product delivers a harmless electrical charge to the coat of your dog to kill those pests. It has a push-button control which makes it super easy to use. It even has an ergonomic design for your comfort.
As a reminder, however, avoid using this electric comb on wet animal hair or fur. And if you aren’t using it, make sure that it’s turned off.
Cooper and Grace Dog Flea Shampoo
And if your dog is struggling with itchy skin, this product can also provide relief. It has vitamin E to moisturize and restore cracked and damaged skin.
The dog shampoo is hypoallergenic and made with gentle ingredients. The list includes chamomile, coconut, almond, lavender, vanilla, and oatmeal. Every ingredient is completely plant-based and cruelty-free. If you don’t want to give your dog a full shower, take a look at the best dry dog shampoo alternatives.
How Do Dogs Get Fleas?
Dogs are social beings and most of the time, it’s what causes them to acquire fleas and ticks.
For example, if your dog comes in contact with another animal infested with fleas, he’ll likely have the same pest on his skin and coat. This is because fleas don’t have problems jumping from one host to another.
Apart from dogs, the following animals can also carry around fleas:
- Birds
- Skunks
- Rabbits
- Foxes
- Rodents
- Bovine
- Ferrets
- Deer
- Squirrels
Your dog can also get fleas right from your home. The pests can spread through infested plush toys, rugs, beddings, and blankets. So, if you are planning on purchasing those items from second-hand stores or you’ll be receiving one of them as a hand-me-down item, make sure that there are no flea eggs there.
Believe it or not, dogs can also get fleas from doggie daycare centers and groomers. To avoid getting your dog infested, always ask the facilities about the flea control measures they are doing to protect all the animals that walk into their establishments.
Apart from those places, your dog can also get fleas from these areas:
- Dog park
- Kennels
- Neighboring yards
- Dog houses
Signs Your Dog Has Fleas
A flea infestation may not always be so obvious. If you are a new dog owner, you need to be aware of its signs so you can start treatment right away.
Here are some of the signs you need to watch out for:
Hair loss
This can be your dog’s reaction to flea bites. It can also happen as your dog pull some of its hair when biting and licking the affected areas.
Abnormal scratching and biting
Once fleas get on your dog, they set up a habitat in areas that are hard to reach. Your dog, in an attempt to remove them, will lick, bite, and scratch those areas.
Pale gums
Pale gums indicate anemia which can be caused by a serious flea infestation. It simply means that your dog’s body has not enough red blood cells to compensate for the loss of blood extracted by the pests.
Red patches on the skin
For some dogs, a flea bite can trigger an allergic reaction, causing rashes or lesions anywhere on your dog’s body. Now, those rashes don’t necessarily have to be limited to one area. They can develop in several areas where fleas are present.
When to Start Flea Treatment
The answer to this will depend on your location.
In warm-weather months, fleas tend to be the worst. Summer and spring tend to be the heaviest period for ticks.
If you see any sign of pests on your dog, make sure to treat him right away. If there’s none, you can just start treating him at the start of the tick f flea season. If you aren’t sure, you can always ask your vet.
How to Use Flea Control Products
Seeing ticks and fleas on your dog can be overwhelming and stressful, especially if your dog is scratching non-stop. Because of that, you need to know what flea and tick protection to use and when you can start using them.
These days, you don’t really need to use two or more flea products at the same time. Most of today’s products are able to kill adult ticks and fleas while preventing eggs and larvae from developing at the same time. Because of that, you can comfortably use just one product on your dog.
In case you live in a heavily tick-infested region, using more than one product may be more effective. You can use a topical product and a tick collar only if they have different mechanisms.
If you’ll be administering spot-on treatments and pills, don’t forget to check with your vet. This is really important if your dog is sick, old, pregnant, nursing, or consuming other medications.
Read your product’s instructions before administering it and make sure to follow the instructions to a tee. Apply only the required amount for your pet’s size and never double the dose unless prescribed by the vet.
Observe proper hygiene when giving treatment as well. Make sure to wash your hands or apply a pair of gloves. Throw away the gloves and packaging properly.
After giving the flea product, closely observe your dog and keep an eye out for any reactions. Don’t hesitate to call your vet if your dog shows poor appetite, excessive drooling, seizure, depression, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If you see your dog having a really bad skin reaction, bathe him immediately with water and soap and call your vet.
How to Prevent Re-Infestation
After you’ve successfully eliminated all fleas and ticks at home and on your dog, establish a routine to prevent re-infestation.
You can start with your yard. You can consider it as your first line of defense against pests.
Make sure that the shrubs in your yard are properly trimmed and that your grass is mowed. Don’t leave any bowl of dog food outside as that can invite feral pets to your yard.
You should also cut or trim back tall trees that wild animals can use to crawl their way into your home. Check your property for any openings and seal them off.
Now, if you’ll be inviting other pet owners to your home, make sure to politely run a flea comb through their pets’ coat before letting them inside. This is one good way to reduce the number of pests they carry.
Don’t forget to keep your home clean. Vacuum weekly and do it more often if you see fleas.
When vacuuming, pay close attention to the lower areas of your home. This is because fleas don’t like staying in areas where there’s high traffic. Vacuum under the cushions, your furniture, anywhere your pet sleeps.
Change the bags frequently or you can place a reliable flea collar inside your vacuum’s bag to kill any fleas there. And if your pet likes spending time inside your car, vacuum it as well.