Mary Allen
When you ask pet owners what bothers them most about the summer months, the topic that always comes up the most is fleas!
These small, dark brown insects prefer temperatures of 65-80 degrees and humidity levels of 75-85 percent – so in some areas of the country, fleas on dogs are more than just a summer problem. In many areas of the southern United States, fleas can survive year-round and bother your pet.
Dogs often become infected with fleas through contact with other animals or through contact with fleas in the environment. This insect’s powerful hind legs enable it to leap from host to host or from the surrounding area onto the host. (Fleas don’t have wings, so they can’t fly.)
The flea bite can cause itching in the host, which can be very severe in sensitive animals or those who are allergic to fleas. It can lead to excessive scratching and chewing, causing hair loss, inflammation, and secondary skin infections. Some pets are hypersensitive to flea saliva and get itchy all over their bodies from just one flea bite.
How to recognize fleas on dogs
How do you know if fleas are causing the itch (pruritus in vet jargon)? Unlike the burrowing, microscopic demodex or scabies mites, fleas are usually seen scurrying along the surface of the skin.
Fleas are dark copper in color and about the size of a pinhead. They don’t like light, so the best chance of spotting fleas on a dog is to look in the hairy areas, abdomen, and inner thighs.
“Flea dirt” can also be an indication of fleas on a dog. Flea feces look like dark pepper spots scattered on the skin’s surface. If you see flea feces — which is actually flea feces made up of digested blood — take some of it off the animal and place it on a damp paper towel. If after a few minutes the tiny spots spread like a small bloodstain, it’s definitely flea dirt and your pet has fleas.
What is the best way to get rid of fleas on a dog?
Once you’ve determined your dog has fleas, there are a few things you can do to help your pet.
Oral and topical flea control
Fleas are annoying and persistent. However, dog flea and tick pills and other spot-on dog treatments have proven to be one of the fastest ways to rid your pet of fleas.
Some remedies only work against adult fleas, others against flea eggs, larvae, and adult fleas, so it’s important to buy the right remedy. Others combine flea control and heartworm prevention in one treatment. You will find that some require a prescription while others do not.
So what is the best oral flea treatment for dogs? That depends on the individual needs of your dog. Talk to your vet about which option is best for your animal.
Prescription flea medication
There are a variety of flea control products on the market today, but the newer prescription flea and tick control products are finally making flea control less frustrating with popular and highly effective brands.
Talk to your vet about flea and tick preventatives for dogs, as many of these require a prescription. Prescription remedies are one of the best ways to kill fleas quickly.
Bravecto (Fluralaner) kills fleas in two hours and lasts for three months, while products containing Spinosad (Comfortis, Trifexis) work in 30 minutes and last for a month.
Some of these flea treatments do not harm the adult flea, but rather prevent its eggs from hatching, thereby interrupting the flea’s life cycle. Since the flea cannot reproduce, the flea population will eventually disappear unless the pet comes into constant contact with new fleas.
In warm climates, prescription flea and tick treatment for dogs is typically a year-round endeavor, but in other climates, treatment should begin in early spring, before flea season begins.
Over-the-counter medication to treat fleas on dogs
There are also many other products that will kill fleas on the pet that do not require a prescription. However, the downside is that these products may be less effective than the prescription products.
These over-the-counter flea remedies include flea shampoos, flea powders, flea sprays, flea collars, oral flea treatment, and spot-on products. Many veterinarians report that their patients still have fleas after using these over-the-counter products, but there are also good reviews from pet owners for some of these products.
For example, Capstar is a tablet that kills adult fleas and is taken orally. It starts working within 30 minutes and kills more than 90 percent of all fleas within four hours. It is used to treat flea infestations.
For animals that are allergic to flea saliva (flea bite hypersensitivity), you should choose an agent that is also effective against adult fleas, as these can still bite the animal. For dogs with flea sensitivity, products with a flea repellent (Seresto collar, Vectra 3D) are the best choice to keep fleas from biting.
Dog flea shampoos
There are various flea and tick shampoos for dogs and cats on the market that can be quite effective when used correctly. Dog flea shampoos can contain a number of more or less effective ingredients.
Small puppies should only be bathed in non-toxic dog shampoo. However, you should consider whether your pet can tolerate being wet and lathered for five to ten minutes because that’s how long it takes for the shampoo to soak in.
After a nice warm bath, you will have killed the fleas and can use a flea and tick comb to remove the dead fleas from your dog. However, flea shampoos will not protect your dog from another flea infestation.
WARNING: Tea tree oil is toxic. DO NOT use tea tree oil for flea control on cats or dogs.
Understand the life cycle of fleas
But your quest to get rid of fleas doesn’t end there – you also need to treat the surrounding area. It’s not enough to sprinkle flea powder on your pet; it is not enough to vacuum the apartment thoroughly; putting a flea collar on your pet or applying flea treatment is not enough.
To understand how each treatment option works and why you also need to treat the environment, we first need to understand the life cycle of the flea. The different treatment and prevention products act on different parts of this life cycle.
The flea life cycle includes several stages: egg, larva, pupa (cocoon), and adult flea. How long it takes to go through this cycle depends on environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and the presence of a nutritious host. The life cycle can last from two weeks to a year.
The flea’s host is a warm-blooded animal such as a dog or cat (or even a human). The different flea stages are quite resistant to freezing temperatures. The adult female flea usually lives on its host for several days to weeks. During this time, it sucks the animal’s blood two to three times and lays 20 to 30 eggs a day. During her lifetime she can lay several hundred eggs. These eggs fall off the pet and end up in the yard, on the bedding, the carpet, and anywhere else the pet is.
The eggs then continue to develop where they landed. Being only about 1/12th the size of adult animals, they can even develop in small cracks in the floor and between carpet crevices. Larvae then hatch from the eggs. These tiny worm-like larvae live between the carpet fibers, in cracks in the floor, and outdoors in the environment. They feed on organic matter, dander, and even the bloody droppings of adult fleas.
The larvae grow, molt twice, and then form a cocoon where they pupate and wait for the right time to hatch into an adult animal. These dolls are very resistant and are protected by their cocoon. They can survive for quite a long time, waiting until environmental conditions and host availability are just right. They then emerge from their cocoon upon sensing warmth, vibrations, and exhaled carbon dioxide, all of which indicate a host is nearby. The newly hatched adult flea can immediately pounce on a nearby host.
Under optimal conditions, the flea can complete its entire life cycle in as little as 14 days. Just think of the tens of thousands of these little rascals that could arise under optimal conditions.
Knowing this life cycle, one understands why it has always been important to treat both the host animal and the indoor and outdoor environment to fully control the flea population.
You also need to treat the apartment and the surrounding area.
How to treat fleas in the area
With any flea treatment, it is necessary to treat all animals in the home for complete success. In addition, you will likely need to treat the interior and exterior as well.
Treatment of the apartment
When treating interiors, it is important to wash all bedding in hot, soapy water. All carpeted floors should be vacuumed thoroughly and the vacuum bag discarded, or the bin emptied and the garbage bag taken outside. Steam cleaning the carpet can also kill some of the larvae. However, remember that vacuuming and shampooing a carpet will still leave a good percentage of live fleas behind, so chemical treatment may be necessary.
The entire house can now be treated for fleas. There are several options, including highly effective nebulizers. Boric acid-based products may be a safer option for homes with young children or other situations where the chemical residue is an issue. The most effective are products that contain both an active ingredient to kill adult fleas and an active ingredient to kill the other life cycle stages. The latter is called an insect growth regulator.
Methoprene is one such growth regulator. In some cases, aerosol misters may not penetrate well enough to kill all of the hidden fleas and larvae. Another indoor control option is a sodium borate product applied to carpeted floors. Contact a local exterminator company for a cost estimate and a guarantee that the procedure will rid your premises of fleas.
Outdoor flea control
Sprays and pelleted insecticides are typically used to control fleas outdoors after dog houses and kennels have been thoroughly cleaned. An insect growth regulator is a good choice here too. Pyriproxyfen is more stable in sunlight and lasts longer outdoors than methoprene.
It is important to note that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the insecticide chlorpyrifos (Dursban). Production ended in December 2000.
Diatomaceous earth, a non-toxic alternative, can be very effective and is safe to use in and around vegetable gardens and children’s outdoor play equipment. When choosing a diatomaceous earth product, look for a food-grade product like DiatomaceousEarth Food Grade Powder that can also be used around pets.
Certain non-toxic nematodes (tiny worms) can also spread into areas of the garden that are warm and humid and frequented by pets and fleas. The nematodes feed on the flea larvae. And once there is a blanket of snow on the ground, much of the main source of fleas is eliminated.
Be sure to consult your veterinarian about the methods and products that work best for you and your pets. Your veterinarian is your best source for up-to-date flea information.
How to treat flea bites on dogs
Effective preparations from the veterinarian are available as flea powder, shampoo, spray, or tablets. They kill existing fleas and make it difficult for them to reproduce. Their effect occurs immediately with the beginning of the treatment, which, however, has to be repeated several times. The vet explains how and how often to use the remedies.
How to soothe or treat flea allergy dermatitis in dogs
Unfortunately, flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) itself cannot be cured – only the veterinarian can alleviate the symptoms. In addition to parasiticides, skin care products, and ointments, there is the option of desensitization.
How to treat fleas on puppies
Therefore, flea protection that is specifically approved for puppies should be used. A flea and tick remedy that has been tried and tested for over 20 years is Frontline Spray, which works immediately after application and is suitable for all ages.
How long after flea treatment can I pet my dog?
You can handle, stroke, and cuddle your pet as usual as soon as the application site is dry. In the meantime, treated animals should not be handled and children should not be allowed to play or sleep with them.
How much is flea treatment for dogs?
New York, NY – $482
Bronx, NY – $396
Brooklyn, NY – $330
Philadelphia, PA – $412
Washington, DC – $357
Atlanta, GA – $323
Miami, FL – $294
Fort Lauderdale, FL – $308
Minneapolis, MN – $361
Chicago, IL – $421
Houston, TX – $434
San Antonio, TX – $291
Austin, TX – $330
Denver, CO – $279
Phoenix, AZ – $294
Las Vegas, NV – $323
Los Angeles, CA – $364
San Diego, CA – $330
San Jose, CA – $399
Seattle, WA – $292
How long does flea treatment take to work on dogs?
Their effect occurs immediately with the beginning of the treatment, which, however, has to be repeated several times. The vet explains how and how often to use the remedies. In addition to flea treatment, a wormer’s treatment against tapeworms that may be transmitted by the fleas is often advisable.