Dog fleas are very common but in families who take care of their pets dogs are not. Fleas infest dogs because their fur is an ideal place for them to stay. Fleas can live on a dog as long as they are alive and procreate. They feed on dogs’ blood and transmit diseases and allergies. We can say that fleas have a parasitic relationship with dogs. Fleas do not have any wings but can jump to a long distance. Fleas infest animals especially wild ones. Cats, dogs, and bears are susceptible to fleas. Dog fleas are very lethal as they can cause Dipylidium caninum.
What is Meant by Fleas?
Fleas are insects that can be present in different animals. They are scientifically known as Ctenocephalides canis. The major effect of their presence is that they will suck out the blood from the animal like dogs. The result is weakness in dogs. They are very small creations. They are approximately equal to one eight inches in size and have a specialty of jumping long distances. One thing to note is that they jump without wings. The range of jumps is almost 150 times greater than their actual size.
How Long Do Fleas Live?
These itty-bitty little parasites can live a long time. You can guess their life span by knowing that they can survive up to 4 months without feeding. The male flea can hold its hunger for up to 4 months. But the females need to feed in between. Since females lay around 4000 eggs they require a meal or two before.
A single egg goes into 4 stages of the cycle. The egg grows up to embryo, larva, pupa, and imago. Imago is known as the complete adult. The life stages of an egg from embryo to Imago compete in 3 weeks. The temperatures and environment can affect and delay the process.
Can Fleas Fly
Dog Fleas are very small mobile insects and they lack wings. Despite their mobility, they can jump very high. Fleas have long muscular body structures. The hind legs are very strong and act as a strong spring which allows them to jump higher. They can jump about 50 times their body length. Also, fleas possess lightweight and streamlined bodies that are adapted to jump higher and longer distances.
Symptoms of Fleas on Dogs
If your dog is constantly scratching its body or biting its body, dog licking the body, especially the backside. It only means your dog is facing flea issues. It is very challenging to see a live flea. They are very small and move in fur very quickly and jump fast. The easy method is to spot the flea dirt on your dog. The flea dirt is flea poop. It is the residue waste of blood. It looks like specks of pepper. The presence of the dirt means fleas have infested your dog and you need to take action.
Some Common signs of fleas on dogs include loss of hair, inappropriate behavior, allergies, infection on the skin, and dark and red spots on specific areas. You will find your dog scratching itself and biting continuously to itself. Fleas make your pet irritated and force him to do unfamiliar behavior. Dogs get a lot of pain from the fleas by sucking their blood which gives them itchy.
Health Issues Associated With Fleas
As fleas are small in size, their impact on animals is large as well as on humans. And can cause dangerous issues. Some major chances of health issues associated with fleas are anemia, tapeworms, bartonellosis, plague, murine typhus, histoplasmosis, zoonotic risk, etc.
As fleas suck the blood of dogs, this reduces the quantity of red blood cells rendering the dog weak. This becomes the reason for anemia in dogs.
If we talk about the bartonellosis disease, fleas spread this bacteria to the dogs and make them ill. In such cases, your dog shows symptoms like fever, lameness, joint pain, and enlarged lymph nodes.
Also Read: Why Do Dogs Lick You? Tips To Control Excess Licking
How To Get Rid of Dogs Fleas
Whenever you find your dog facing issues with fleas, you have to take action immediately. What are the steps to be taken immediately for the treatment of fleas?
Firstly, you have to isolate your dog quickly so that your dog stays away from dust and external bacteria that can harm the allergy. By isolating, you preserve your dog and make yourself safe from major issues due to fleas.
Now the main point is how to get rid of dogs with fleas. What kills fleas instantly?
Topical Fleas Treatment
There is one treatment known as topical flea treatment which kills the fleas instantly. This treatment is a spot-on treatment in which we put the medicine including some special ingredients to the skin of the dog. This works in different ways. Some topical treatment ingredients stop the growth of the fleas or kill them fleas after they come in contact with the medicine. Such kind of treatment is easy to apply and can be used once a month.
Using Collar Flea
If we want the most reliable method to prevent dogs from fleas then a flea collar will be a better choice. It is a reliable technique to kill fleas. How does collar flea work? Collar fleas contain a special chemical that is used to keep away the flews. But if a flea comes in contact with the collar, it kills the flea.
We will not be wrong, if we say that collar fleas are long-lasting and economically friendly. This has multiple advantages because it not only kills fleas but also other bacteria that are harmful to dogs as lice.
By Use of a Flea Comb
The most simple method to reduce the number of fleas is by using a flea comb. It is a special kind of comb with fine teeth. This will take out the maximum number of fleas from the dog’s body. And make them free from the flea. But it is not a permanent method. Temporarily, the dog will get free from the itching or irritation. But after some time dog will again start to feel irritation when the number of fleas increases.
Nitenpyram
A lot of chemicals are now available in the market which helps in the removal of fleas. Nitenpyram is one of them. But there is one drawback this will only kill adults. It will affect the eggs or younger fleas. It will instantly or quickly kill all the adult fleas. The fast process makes it very useful for instant relief. But keep it away from the younger pets. It will harm them.
Give a Bath With Antiflea Shampoo
Also, there exist shampoos in the market, that can be used to wash the dogs during baths. These shampoos contain special elements that can kill fleas easily. These types of shampoos are easily available.
Tips To Eliminate Fleas From House
- Use flea sprays to keep the house free from fleas’ presence.
- Make a habit of washing the whole house daily.
- Keep cleaning the dog’s waste from the house.
- Wash toys or the bed of the dog.
- Keep your bed clean if the dog sits on it.
Conclusion
There are many ways for the treatment of the removal of fleas. But some methods will temporarily remove the fleas and some will remove some quantity of fleas permanently. So experts use a combination of treatments for the proper treatment and removal of fleas. Fleas will affect your pet’s health very badly so it is important to remove them.
