Fleas are a major problem for all dog owners. You can control your own home environment but what about when your dog is out and about? It is essential that you learn about how to deal with dog fleas effectively and as with most things, prevention is much better than cure!

If your dog contracts fleas then you have 2 big problems on your hands:

•     Dealing with the fleas that have infested the dog

•     Dealing with flea infestation in his environment ie house, bedding, kennels etc..

Fleas spread by laying eggs which lay dormant for approximately 30 days before the next generation of fleas are born and the cycle begins again. So, if your dog catches fleas you will have a big job involved not just in dealing with the fleas on your dog but on de fleaing the house again until the flea life cycle is broken! Remember, a flea infestation is 5% on your dog, 95% in the environment. So prevention is much much better than cure!

There are a number of preventative steps that you can take to stop your dog from catching fleas and to prevent any infection from spreading.

	Brushing for fleas You should use a good dog flea comb with fine teeth to detangle your dog’s hair and check for fleas. Do this once a week and you will catch any infestation in its early stages as well as getting a great general overview of your dog’s health. It is recommended that you use brushing as the primary method of flea control for pregnant dogs and puppies under 12 weeks of age.
	Flea cleansing shampoo You should use a flea cleansing dog shampoo as part of your normal care and hygiene routine. A good flea shampoo will kill any infestation and should also be suitable for regular use.
	Spot On Flea Treatments Spot on dog flea treatments are an easy to apply solution to dealing with fleas. You simply ‘spot’ on the droplets  of the mixture and this will kill any fleas that are affecting the area being treated. It is effective for up to a month and acts to break the flea’s lifecycle.
	Flea Collar A flea collar is a good preventative measure that gives long term protection against fleas but should not be relied upon by itself to protect your dog, make sure to carry out other regular checks and routines alongside flea collar use.

     

As we said earlier dealing with fleas is 95% environment, 5% pet. If worst comes to worst and you have a flea infestation on your dog you will need to look at treating his environment.

	Room Fogger A room fogger is necessary when you have an infestation in a room that your dog has a high level of contact with eg a room with bedding etc where bedding and carpets may be infested. You simply place the defogger in the infested room, prime it and leave the room. The defogger sends out a spray that kills fleas and their eggs.
	Use a Household Flea Spray A household flea spray can be applied to soft furnishings to kill fleas and prevent larvae from hatching. A good flea spray will last for up to 6 months and will kill infestation in highly infested areas.
	Wash all infected items at a high temperature Just because you’ve killed fleas on your dog there may be eggs in the environment including bedding. You need to wash all items that your dog has had contact with at a high temperature to kill any infestation.
	Hoover and dust the house thoroughly You need to clean your house thoroughly, paying particular attention to dusting and vacuuming nooks and crannies that may harbour  fleas infestation. You can also use household flea spray on cushions, curtains etc.. that your dog may have had contact with, this will protect for up to 6 months
	Repeat after 30 days Remember the flea life cycle is approximately 30 days so you may need to repeat these steps  to keep your house flea free.

   



   

   

  

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