How to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog

Fleas are the #1 parasite to invade your dog’s body, and those little suckers don’t like when we chase them away. Well, as dog parents, it’s your job to get rid of those pesky little bugs.

I’m sure you don’t like seeing your dog in any pain or discomfort, and that’s precisely what fleas do to your dog: Cause pain and discomfort. Once they start sucking your dog’s blood they won’t stop; in fact, they’ll reproduce, start a family, and set up shop on your dog’s skin and fur. The sooner you get rid of them, the better!

Let’s talk a little about fleas and how you can get them as far away from your dog as physically possible. Here we go!

How Do You Know If Your Dog Has Fleas?

Before you start blaming yourself for your dog getting fleas, stop. Those nasty little flies sneak up on you when you least expect it, like during a walk, while your dog is going to the bathroom in the backyard, and even when they’re being pet. Once they start to reproduce and irritate your dog, though, is when you’ll notice their presence.

Some of the signs of a flea infestation are as follows:

–    Severe Scratching
–    Intense Licking
–    Increased Biting
–    Loss of Fur
–    Black Pepper Looking Fur
–    Pale Gums
–    Red Bumps/Scabs
–    Behavior Changes

How Do I Treat My Dog?

If you’ve come to the conclusion that your dog has fleas, you’ll want to start treatment immediately. Do all of the following to ensure that your beloved pet is flea-free:

–    Purchase an oral flea treatment and administer it immediately.
–    Use a flea comb, dipping the comb in dish soap and water to kill the fleas present on the comb.

–    Bathe your dog with a flea shampoo.
–    Treat your dog with a flea spray.
–    Use some flea preventative year-round. Talk to your vet if you need extra assistance on the matter.
–    Continue to inspect and comb your dog regularly to make sure the fleas do not come back.

In addition to treating your dog for fleas, you’ll also want to treat the other pets in the household along with your immediate environment. That means you’ll want to start treatment on your other pets just to make sure the fleas haven’t hopped over to them. You’ll also want to do some additional research to clean any furniture in your home thoroughly. Dogs run around the house all day and jump on beds and couches regularly. This, in turn, means that carpets and fabrics can pick up any flea eggs, and once they hatch, the flea infestation will spread once again. Clean everything that you’re questioning just to be safe.

Fleas are not a permanent problem. However, they can stick around for weeks, sometimes months, if you leave them unattended. Conducting weekly inspections will limit the amount of time you’ll spend in the future trying to get rid of the little pests.

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