I guess you don’t want your beloved dogs to be troubled by fleas, because fleas can cause a series of health problems to dogs and their families. So how do dogs prevent fleas? How to get rid of dog fleas? Next, let’s take a look at how to get rid of dog fleas.
Prevention is the best way. But if you have discovered fleas on your dog, proper treatment can effectively prevent the infection from occurring.
Flea control methods come in many forms. Some of the drugs used are prescription drugs, and some can be purchased directly at pet supply stores. Some flea control medications can also prevent heartworm and intestinal parasitic diseases. Many owners will choose to let their dogs take such an all-in-one drug regularly to achieve a preventive effect.
The following introduces five common flea control methods and their advantages and disadvantages.
1. Oral medications to prevent fleas
Oral medications are mainly in the form of tablets. Some flavored tablets can be chewed directly by dogs, and the drugs will release chemicals into the blood. Some drugs (such as Program and Sentinel) can make flea bites harmless to dogs and will not spread disease; others will directly kill fleas during the bite process (such as Comfortis, Trifexis and Capstar). In order to have a sustained effect, these drugs usually need to be taken once a month. Most oral flea prevention drugs are prescription drugs, and you can only take one at a time, not several at the same time. Certain oral treatments can sometimes be used in conjunction with topical treatments under the guidance of your veterinarian.
2. Local treatment methods
The topical treatment methods include Advantage, Frontline, Revolution and Vectra 3D. These drugs can be applied to certain parts of the dog to kill fleas or make flea bites harmless to the dog and will not spread the disease. Smear-type drugs generally need to be applied once a month. They are generally waterproof, and you can take a normal bath during the application without affecting the effect. There are many drugs of this type, and some of the effects may not be satisfactory. Before using these drugs, you need to communicate with your veterinarian in time to make sure that the drugs you buy are effective drugs. Only use one topical treatment medication at a time. Usually, topical treatment drugs are mainly used together with oral drugs under the guidance of veterinarians.
3. Shampoo and spray
Use shampoo and spray to remove fleas on dogs. Often the fleas disappear just after treatment but return to their original state the next day, which cannot achieve a lasting effect. Shampoos and sprays that are often marketed as flea killers contain toxic chemicals that, while killing fleas, can also be toxic to dogs, especially small or sensitive dogs. In addition, flea-killing shampoos and sprays should not be used at the same time as topical treatments, as the effects of the two drugs may offset or increase toxicity.
4. Anti-flea collar
Anti-flea collar is a relatively ineffective product. It may kill fleas near the collar, but it will have no effect on fleas elsewhere.
5. Non-pharmaceutical home flea control methods
People are also trying to use some home methods to get rid of fleas. While non-pharmaceutical home treatments can be effective for some problems, when it comes to flea control, most attempts prove ineffective. Some people say that adding a little garlic to a dog's diet can prevent fleas. In fact, this method is not only ineffective, but feeding dogs too much garlic can also cause poisoning reactions. Some people will apply some Chinese herbal medicine on the dog's hair or skin to prevent fleas, but with little effect.
If you want to, or are trying, non-drug homemade methods, you need to pay attention to the following two points:
1. Be careful not to poison your pet.
2. Know when to give up. If your dog is infected, you should seek medical treatment in time.
In short, the above are the methods to prevent and control fleas on dogs. It is recommended that you focus on prevention~