Did you know that fleas can jump up to 13 inches? Pets don't have to come in direct contact with fleas for one to latch onto their coat and start multiplying.
When your dog has fleas, it can be hard to know exactly what to do about it. Some dogs will live with fleas as if nothing was wrong, while others will scratch and bite themselves to relieve their discomfort from the flea bites.
In either case, the question remains—what should you do if your dog has fleas? This article will help you understand why your dog might have fleas, what treatments are available, and how to prevent future infestations of this common household pest.
How to Check Your Dog for Fleas
To tell if your dog has fleas, look closely at its skin and fur. Look for common signs of fleas, like flea eggs or larvae on the skin, excessive scratching and biting, and red patches.
One of the best tips for pet owners is to keep a flea comb handy. Flea combs are a type of dog brush designed to tackle flea infestations.
For dogs with long, thick coats, fine-toothed flea combs might be the only way you'll ever be able to find fleas or signs of fleas. As you run the flea comb through your pet's coat, look for eggs and flea dirt. Eggs are small, oval-shaped white masses with a brown center. The flea dirt will look like black or dark brown specks.
The definitive sign that your dog has fleas is if you manage to pull a bug from his coat. If you find any of these indicators, your dog likely has fleas and needs immediate treatment.
My Dog Has Fleas, What Now?
Finding fleas on your dog is only half the battle-- getting rid of fleas takes more effort. It's essential to irradicate them before they start laying eggs. Otherwise, you'll find yourself in the never-ending battle of battling waves of flea infestations.
Before you begin the flea treatment, ensure your pet is adequately groomed, so it's easier to see and treat flea bites or signs of flea activity. Then, you may begin getting rid of fleas from your pet, house, and lawn.
Treating Your Pets for Fleas
Treating your pet for fleas is a simple 3-step process: bathe, comb, and protect. First, use flea shampoo or dawn dish soap for bathing your pet. If your pet has sensitive skin or skin allergies, be careful about which soap you use in this step.
Before washing your pet, create a ring of soap around its neck. This keeps fleas from escaping your dog's head when you begin the bath. After that, give them a good, thorough scrub and rinse.
After you're done with the bath, pick out any still-living fleas and eggs from your pet's coats using a flea comb. Have a glass of hot, soapy water to dunk the living fleas in. They cannot jump from the water and will either drown or die from its heat.
Finally, when your pet fully dries, it's time to apply a topical flea treatment (like Frontline Plus) to kill any more potential pests that could make themselves at home in your house. Follow the flea treatment directions according to the box for the best results.
Treating Your Home for Fleas
If you have a flea infestation in your home, you must take swift and immediate action to eliminate them. The most important thing is to wash all the clothes, bedding, and furniture exposed to fleas using the following tips:
- Vacuum all the carpets and upholstery in your home
- Wash the entire house, top-to-bottom
- Apply Borax around doorways and windowsills to discourage fleas from entering
- Plant natural flea-repellants (like cedar chips or bay leaves) near doorways and windows
- Throw away any unwashable, porous objects OR
- Sequester unwashable objects in garbage bags for 10 months
This process should eradicate all fleas, larvae, and eggs from your home. You should complete this process every time you find fleas on your pets or in your home.
An alternative solution is using a "flea bomb" to gas the creatures out. However, these devices fill your house with chemicals, rendering it uninhabitable for some time.
Treating Your Yard for Fleas
Since you probably let your dog play and do his business outside, your yard likely has fleas too. The yard may have even been ground zero for the infestation. So, no flea treatment is complete without treating your lawn as well.
To kill fleas on your grass, use a pesticide labeled safe on ornamental turfgrass, such as insecticide concentrate or granular products. Other options are available if you prefer not to treat your lawn with pesticides. Organic solutions like neem oil can be sprayed onto the grass or used in a fogger-type sprayer.
How to Prevent Future Flea Infestations
The key to flea prevention is upkeep in all infestation-sensitive areas. Start by taking care of your pets. Give your dog regular flea treatments and follow a proper grooming schedule.
Next, remember to regularly vacuum your home and steam-clean carpets. Keep pets off furniture and do not allow them on beds, pillows, and other soft furnishings where you sleep to reduce the spread of fleas if another infestation occurs.
To protect your lawn, pick up anything that could attract fleas, such as leaves, pine needles, fallen fruit, and trash. Keep grass cut short, and do not leave food out for any time.
Finally, when outside with your dog, wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt; keep the pet leashed close to you. Use permethrin products when treating the yard for ticks (permethrin kills ticks on contact).
Healthy Pet, Happy You: Keep Your Dog Fresh and Flea-Free
When your dog has fleas, everything is more complicated. You're worried about their pain while you scramble to get rid of the fleas before they multiply. Once you finish treating the fleas, you never want to deal with them again.
That's why creating a regular grooming routine is essential post-flea infestation. While traditional groomers are costly and always booked, a self-service grooming salon cuts out the middleman.
With self-service grooming, you get all the necessary pooch-pampering materials at a fraction of the cost. Make a self-service bath reservation on the Bubbly Paw website today!