Fleas are always a problem for which dog owners need to be on the lookout. Indoors or outdoors, any time of year, they can infest your pet. Here’s what you need to do to prevent these little carpetbaggers from hitching a ride on your dog.
- Check out your pet.
These little pests are alive all year, and so even in winter you need to examine your dog for the insects or their eggs. There is a special comb with fine teeth you can use to inspect your animal for flea droppings. These droppings look like tiny black, brown or even white particles that cluster at the base of the dog’s fur.
If you find these little flecks on the dog’s coat, he is infested, and you need to take care of the situation before taking the dog outside. The good news is that there are a number of products on the market that can take care of the problem immediately. Talk to your vet. He or she can prescribe pills that will kill all of the adult fleas on your dog within 24 hours. There is also a shampoo specially designed to kill flea eggs and larvae.
- Where does your pet go?
There are a lot of different flea repellents to choose from, and it can be a real chore deciding on the right one. To get a better idea which to choose, consider where you animal likes to go when outdoors. For example, does your dog like to roam around in the woods? Does he like the water?
- Consider the choices.
For most people, the choice comes down to two types of repellents – the flea collar or flea drops. The collar goes around the animal’s neck, and can work in several ways. One type gives off a gas that repels the fleas, while another type secretes a medication that is absorbed into the animal’s skin and kills the fleas.
Drops are applied to the animal’s skin between the shoulder blades, killing fleas and their eggs. The collar works for several months, while the drops work for only about one month.
Fleas can also attack your pet indoors. There are plenty of places for the little pests to hide, and the eggs can remain dormant in carpet or upholstery for several months. The way to get rid of fleas indoors is by vacuuming. It should be done at least once each week. Research has shown that vacuuming gets rid of almost 100 percent of fleas.
When heading out of town for a few hours or several days, board your dog at Barney’s Ranch.
Contact us at (469) 273-1661 for more information about our dog boarding services.