How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs

Fleas on dogs is a common phenomenon, but also a cause of concern due to very many reasons including allergic reactions, infections, anemia, etc. Scratching is the first sign of fleas bites on dogs. If your dog has been scratching too much lately, it’s time you must take immediate action on: How to get rid of fleas on dogs?^{1}

In case you are waiting and thinking that these pests will just go away on their own then you are wrong. They only multiply in number and some action must be taken to get rid of them. Before we start with more details, let’s understand a few basics about fleas:^{1}

• Fleas thrive in warm and humid conditions everywhere in the world.
• Many pet owners struggle with this flea problem all year round. 
• Vets can help you find out the flea populations in your area to figure out effective ways of maintaining this problem. 
• You may not find fleas on your dog visually, but if inspected carefully fleas can be visible along with flea dirt.

Flea dirt is small black flakes made up of flea feces and blood. You may check for any possible flea dirt by running a flea comb through your dog’s fur. If you get black pepper-like dirt residue out through combing, your dog has flea dirt.^{2}

What Do Fleas Look Like

An adult dog flea is around 0.12 inch long and wingless. They can jump upto a distance of 50 times their body length with the help of their hind legs. In order to understand flea eradication better, you must understand the flea’s life cycle:

Eggs: The warm and moist environment helps in starting the egg cycle with a very small egg. 

Larvae: Later, this egg turns into the larvae and grows further. 

Cocoon: It turns into a cocoon and develops into a pupa, which stays there and thrives for months while waiting for more heat, carbon dioxide, and vibrations.

Adult: As soon as the adult flea emerges out of pupa, it jumps and finds out the suitable place to settle it. This jumping keeps going on from one host to another to continue the bloodsucking till the end of life. Without a host, an adult flea will starve to death. If fleas get a perfect host and environmental situation, they can wildly multiply within just 14 days.^{1}

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs

You must have seen several products to get rid of fleas such as shampoos, pills, collars, etc. There could be some problems if you directly start using these products. Your dog’s health might not agree with all the ingredients of these products. Also, in some cases, fleas become tolerant of these anti-flea products, so they become ineffective. In order to cope with the fleas on your dog, it is advisable to visit the vet. Your vet will be able to analyse the severity of the situation better and figure out the right medicines for your dog keeping other health concerns in mind. There are a few general things that you can do to stay away from fleas:

• Vacuum clean your house regularly, especially carpets and rugs. Immediately after empty the vacuum carefully. 
• Steam clean your carpets and furniture every month.
• Regularly groom your dog with the flea comb.
• Bathe your dog regularly. 
• Wash everything such as the dog bed and blanket, your linen, etc on the hot setting; also dry them hot.

Some home remedies for fleas on dogs are:

Flea repellent spray made of 4 liters of vinegar, 2 liters of water, 500 ml of lemon juice, and 250 ml of witch hazel.

Flea repelling plants such as thyme, basil, lavender, rosemary, mint, or any plant with a very strong smell.^{1}

There are many other helpful ways, but a vet will be the right person to recommend those according to the health of all family members. 

Signs of Fleas on Dogs

In addition to extreme itching and scratching, there are some other symptoms as well that can tell you about the existence of fleas on dogs, such as:^{1}

• Biting and chewing of skin 
• Redness and irritation in skin 
• Scabs 
• Hair loss 
• Visible flea dirt^{1}

Health Issues Related to Fleas 

1. Fleas are also the major cause of tapeworms in your dog’s intestines. Fleas may carry tapeworm’s larvae or babies. Your dog may swallow these fleas accidentally, and these tapeworm larvae may turn adult in the intestines.^{3} 
2. In some pets, if flea infestation is not taken care of in the early stages, it may turn into FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis).^{1}
3. As fleas keep sucking your dog’s blood, it may result into anemia.^{1}
4. Fleas may result in bacterial infections as well.^{1}

Fleas on dogs is a common phenomenon, so there is nothing to be too worried about. But yes, this should not be ignored and you must take the necessary precautions. It’s okay if your dog got some fleas, it’s not your fault. You will do just fine by taking the necessary precautions. In case you want to find out if your efforts are reducing fleas in your dog, try our mobile app with the feature of records and notes. 

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FAQs

Sources

1. https://www.smartypawshealth.com/blogs/all/how-to-get-rid-of-fleas-on-your-dog 
2. https://www.chipmanroadanimalclinic.com/fleas-vs-allergies#:~:text=Flea%20dirt%20is%20small%20black,is%20positive%20for%20flea%20dirt. 
3. https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-tapeworms-symptoms-treatments#:~:text=There%20are%20different%20kinds%20of,grow%20inside%20your%20dog’s%20intestines.