Fleas on your dog

I can handle ticks and mosquitoes, but what am I supposed to do about fleas?
Every time I think I’m rid of them, they come back! How are they getting on my dog and what can I do about them? Ugh. That’s certainly the definition of a face only a mother could love. While that’s actually a human flea, animal fleas are very similar in appearance and modus operandi.

As insects, fleas have a body segmented into three portions, each of which has a set of very strong legs to power their infamous jumping. If the fact that they live off your dog’s blood and skin flakes wasn’t lovely enough, consider the fact that, for each little bugger you find on your dog, there are probably 100 more on her coat, in your house, or just outside your door waiting to be hatched, grown, and matured into biting machines in their own right.

If you comb through your pup’s coat and find what looks like salt and pepper, you’ve got a flea problem. Ideally, you should apply a flea and tick repellant recommended by your vet to your dog’s coat on a monthly basis. If you haven’t been doing so and notice fleas, you’re in for a full-house treatment. Without treating the house and surrounding areas, your dog (and any other pets) will easily attract a new batch of blood-suckers once his dip or powder wears off.

Begin by bathing your dog with a flea preventative, then apply the flea repellant recommended by your vet.

Treat your carpets with an approved flea treatment, then continue to treat furniture, flowerbeds adjacent to your house, and any areas of your yard frequented by your dog. Any household cats should also be treated, but do not use the same chemicals you used on your dog.

Speak with your vet about appropriate feline flea treatments, as chemicals suitable for dogs can be fatal for cats.