Of course no one wants their pet dog to be infected with parasites, especially parasites like fleas. These small creatures live on the surface of the dog's skin and lay eggs on the hair shaft. Flea infections in dogs are highly undesirable because they can easily spread to other dogs and can make dogs feel very itchy. Fortunately, flea infections in dogs are fairly easy to treat. However, you should try your best, treat all animals that come into contact with infected dogs, and clean up the dog's living environment.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Determining whether a Dog is Infected with Fleas
Step 1. Watch for symptoms
Lice can cause itching. So the first thing you might notice is a dog that is constantly scratching his body. In addition, dandruff may also be more visible on the dog's coat than usual.
Fleas will bite the dog and suck its blood. So, severe flea infection in dogs can cause anemia
Step 2. Find out the shape of the tick
Just like lice on the human head, dog lice are also so small that they are barely visible to the naked eye. Dog fleas have 6 legs, each equipped with a claw that grips. These claws allow the fleas to cling to the dog's fur. The entire life cycle of fleas is spent on the body of the pet.
Dogs can be infected by two types of fleas: the biting tick (Trichodectes canis) which is more common, or the sucker tick (Linognathus setosus) which is less common. Treatment for both types of lice is the same
Step 3. Look for fleas in the dog's fur
Use a flea comb or a fine-toothed comb to look at the base of your dog's hair follicles just above the surface of the skin. The fleas will stick to the dog's hair shaft and appear as shiny spots. You may also see flea eggs sticking to your dog's fur and appearing as tiny, shiny patches.
This parasite is slow to move. So, if your dog is indeed infected with fleas, simply observing with a flea comb can usually help you find the fleas or their eggs on the dog's fur
Part 2 of 2: Treating Fleas
Step 1. Use a flea comb
A fine-toothed comb can physically remove lice. The advantage, this method does not require chemicals, but it takes a long time and must be done manually. This method can be an option for short-haired dogs like Chihuahuas, but is difficult for Bernese Mountain breed dogs.
- A flea comb is best used to help get rid of lice, but shouldn't be used as the only way.
- You must be 100% sure to comb your dog's entire body down to the nooks and crannies. Pay special attention to the dog's armpits, groin, and ears. Fleas can also cling very tightly to a dog's fur. So, you may also not succeed in getting rid of all the fleas on your dog's body even after brushing all of them.
- Repeat combing your dog's coat daily for a few weeks (about 4-6 weeks) to get rid of the young, newly hatched fleas from their eggs.
- Kill any fleas you've managed to get rid of by soaking them in boiling water for a few minutes.
Step 2. Wash your dog with an anti-flea shampoo
Many anti-lice shampoos contain pyrethroids or organophosphorus compounds that are effective against lice when combined with the use of a flea comb right after. However, the effect of the anti-flea shampoo will stop once the dog's fur dries. In addition, this shampoo also cannot penetrate nits. So, young fleas will still hatch within 2-4 weeks. Thus, you should wash your dog once a week for at least 6 weeks.
Follow the instructions for use on the packaging carefully. Knowing how long the product should be left on the dog's skin before rinsing is important. If you do not leave the product for the recommended time, its effectiveness will decrease
Step 3. Use an insecticidal product
No antiparasitic product is licensed to kill fleas in dogs. However, there are some that are known to be effective, including products containing fipronil (Frontline, Effipro), permethrin, fosmet, fention, and lambectin (Revolution US, Advantage UK).
However, please understand that although most of these products are listed in the instructions for use as once a month, it is recommended that you give them once every two weeks. This is due to a decrease in the effectiveness of the product after 2 weeks. Since no product can penetrate the strong nits layer, it is best to keep the drug level high enough to kill the newly hatched lice
Step 4. Treat all dogs in the house
Fleas are highly contagious to other dogs, but can survive on only one dog. Whether you have one or more dogs, they all require the same care. Assume that all the dogs in your household are infected with fleas and treat all of them the same.
Step 5. Quarantine the dog
Due to their highly contagious nature, infected dogs should not be allowed to mix with other dogs (including in day care) during the treatment period. To prevent this annoying infection, it's best if your dog is quarantined for about 4 weeks after treatment.
Step 6. Clean all objects that the dog uses
For example, wash a dog bed in hot water in the washing machine. Repeat all these steps each time a flea treatment is performed so that the dog can sleep in a clean place and not become infected with bed bugs again.
Provide special care and disinfection of dog fur equipment. This equipment is very easy to spread lice. So, disinfect combs and dog hair brushes after use by soaking them in boiling water and letting them sit for 10 minutes
Step 7. Clean the house
Adult fleas are not strong enough and will die with a steam cleaner. This method is a good choice for fine furniture and carpets. However, nits are more difficult to kill. So you have to wait for it to hatch then use a steam cleaner to kill it once it matures.
Alternatively, use an environmental spray insecticide such as Nuvan Staykill, Acclaim, or RIP Fleas, which are designed to kill eggs, larvae, and adult lice. The advantage of this spray product is that the effect can last up to several months so that the newly hatched eggs will also die with just one treatment. The disadvantage is the nature of the chemical is strong so it is not suitable for use in rooms inhabited by birds, reptiles, or fish because it is toxic and can cause death in this animal species
Step 8. Clean the house over and over again
It is difficult to predict when the nits will hatch. Therefore, cleaning the house regularly is the solution. The process of developing nits into adult lice takes between 2-4 weeks. With that in mind, it's best to do a steam cleaning once a week for about 6 weeks. However, it's okay to clean your house more often and for longer.
