Fleas can make a dog’s life miserable. It’s estimated that a single flea can bite into a dog’s skin hundreds of times per day, drawing blood while subsequently triggering an allergic reaction that’s characterized by pain, swelling, itching and redness. Given the fact that most infestations contain thousands of these parasitic pests, the danger they pose to man’s best friend is clear. Thankfully, owners can protect their dogs from these menacing pests by using a premium flea medicine.
Avoid Flea Collars and ‘Spot’ Treatment Sprays
There’s a reason why most flea collars and spot treatment sprays sell for as little as $5 (sometimes even less); it’s because they don’t work. Products such as these may offer some initial protection against fleas, but it’s usually short-lived. To make matters worse, there are several flea collars and spot treatment sprays that are known to contain highly toxic chemicals, placing the dog’s health in jeopardy.
Change Your Dog’s Flea Medicine From Year-To-Year
A good rule of thumb is to change your dog’s flea medicine on a yearly basis. It’s not uncommon for fleas to develop an immunity to certain medicines, making the product less effective that it originally was. So even if a particular flea medicine was effectively keeping these blood-sucking parasites off your dog, it may lose its effectiveness over time. If you use FrontLine Plus on your dog this year, for instance, try switching to Advantage next year.
Don’t Bathe Your Dog After Applying Flea Medicine
One of the most common mistakes dog owners make is bathing their pup within 24 hours of applying flea medicine. Conventional wisdom should tell you that bathing your dog will wash off some (if not all) of the medicine, negating its benefits. Ideally, you should wait at least 3-4 days after applying a topical flea medicine before bathing your dog. This will allow the medicine to soak into your dog’s skin.
Compliment Flea Medicine By Treating The Environment
Remember, up to 90% of a typical flea infestation is found in areas outside the host; therefore, it’s crucial that owners treat both their dog and the environment. There are several ways to discourage fleas from inhabiting your home, such as vacuuming, lowering the thermostat (fleas prefer warm environments), lowering the humidity, and washing your pet’s bedding with hot water and liquid detergent.
Have any other tips you’d like to share with our readers? Be sure to leave them in the comments section below?