Friday, November 2, 2012

Preventing and Controlling Fleas on Your Dog

By Allyson Westcot


Keeping your dog brushed and keeping her fur clean goes a great distance towards forestalling an invasion. By frequently grooming your dog, you may become aware of a flea problem before it gets out of control. While it's not uncommon to find a single flea or maybe even a couple on your dog after coming in from outside, it also might be a sign that they are already in the house. If you are finding more than the odd flea now and then right after coming in the house, you may have a developing issue indoors.

Watch when you clean and brush your dog. Look for "flea dirt," which looks like fine, dark dirt on your dog. This is the flea waste that is left on the skin. Look at the bathwater, also. Fleas can easily jump off the surface of fresh water. But water with a little soap in it makes it nearly impossible for them to gain traction, drowning them.

If you see dead fleas after a dog's bath, plan to comb your dog with a flea comb daily. Keep a tiny container of water close by into which you have squirted a drop or two of dish soap. As you flea comb your pet, dip the comb with the fleas you comb loose into the water to kill them.

When you grab the leash and head on those daily walks, fleas wait in hiding for your pet. If you have a flea problem or you are working conscientiously to stop one, take a look at your dog straight after each walk or session spent outside. It can often help to flea comb your pet before bringing her in the house, particularly if you're already struggling with a flea problem.

While a collar can permit you to comb more of your dog's fur easier than a dog harness, the harness might be a wiser choice for an intensive out of doors combing. Fleas often gather round the neck area where a collar sits.




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