Tick, Flea Control for Dogs

Dogs are a favorite host for fleas and ticks. These parasites suck blood from their hosts and are the root cause for the transmission of a number of diseases. This is why controlling tick infection in dogs is so important.

• You should keep your dog out of the woods and other grassy areas as it helps minimize any possible exposure to the parasites.
• Always perform a tick check on your pets, including around the eyes and inside the ears, after they return home from a romp outside. By removing a tick within 24 hours of infestation, you can reduce the chances of disease.
• On a monthly basis apply topical insecticides on your pet’s back. They are easy to use and protect your pet from ticks and fleas. These insecticides kill both adult fleas and larvae. You must consult a veterinarian before using them on sick, aged, pregnant, or nursing animals.
• There are also sprays for flea or tick control which come in pump bottles or aerosol cans. Use the spray in small doses on all the areas of the animal. The sprays repel fleas and ticks and also stop development of flea eggs.
• You can use special shampoos to get rid of ticks. For tick and flea control in dogs you must apply the shampoo all over the dog’s body and allow it to stay on for at least ten minutes prior to rinsing it off. Make sure that the shampoo doesn’t enter the eyes or ears as it may be harmful.
• Medicated collars are also effective for tick control for dogs. You must use the collar properly and ensure that that the dog doesn’t chew the ends. You must use collar in conjunction with other flea and tick products. A good tick collar will kill the ticks in 24 hours or less.
• You may also use special dips which contain permethrin, pyrethrin, or organophosphates. Place cotton balls on your dog’s eyes and ears before using such dips and ensure that you apply them in an area that is well ventilated.
• It is important to confirm that your dog is responding well to the products that you use for tick and flea control. In case you suspect an adverse reaction or observe symptoms such as loss of appetite, elevated body temperature, labored breathing, seizures, and increased excitability you must visit your vet. Meanwhile, bathe your dog with a mild detergent and rinse its body with large amounts of water.
• Apart from using tick control measures on dogs, you must spray the kennel and yard properly to avoid tick and flea attacks. Ticks like leaves, debris, bushes, and long grass, so it is vital that you remove these things from your lawn, and from the areas where your dog plays. Regular use of insect development inhibitors may reduce the risk of fleas becoming established in the indoor and outdoor environment and on your pets.

Dog Flea Control

There may be no single treatment for fleas that could be recommended as the best flea control for dogs, but most products available in medical stores are quite effective. The key to effective treatment is through meticulous observation of the prescribed instructions.

Fleas can be really problematic for dogs. These minute parasites feed on blood, and if you find just one flea on your dog or around the vicinity, you can be sure that there are a whole lot more. A flea infestation can be troublesome and discomforting to any dog, but more so to some dogs. As with humans, some reactions are much greater in some individuals because of greater sensitivity to the trigger. This is also true for some dogs, as it is possible for a dog to be extra sensitive to the saliva of fleas. Under such circumstances, just one flea bite can be enough to trigger intense skin irritation and itching, a condition referred to as flea allergy dermatitis. In severe cases of the condition there may even be thickening of the dog’s skin and hair fall. This occurs as a result of the relentless cycle of itching and scratching. The raw exposed skin is even more problematic because of the increased susceptibility to infections.

Fortunately there are plenty of products that are very effective not just at killing off, but also at repelling fleas. Your veterinarian would however be the best source of information if it is a specific product recommendation that you need. All of these products come with detailed instructions that you need to follow to the tee. Many pet owners are under the mistaken impression the more the powder or shampoo you use the more effective it should be. This is not only untrue, but it is also dangerous to your dog, as all of these products do contain toxins or chemicals of some kind, whether natural or artificial. In other words their use is best restricted to what is deemed necessary.

The most important measure of flea control for dogs would be to take protective measures against flea infestations. When a dog has a flea infestation you need to treat it to kill of the fleas. But this is not adequate, as fleas can survive away from the dog and are capable of traversing great distances. You need to make sure your house and any other pets are also treated for fleas. Make sure that all linen, and clothing is also washed and treated appropriately.