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Spring and Summer are two seasons of unalloyed joy. There is the bright, warm sun and you can swim or hike to your heart's content. There is also a dark side, however. This is the return of the fleas. These creepy parasites cause serious diseases. Dog’s flea and tick are extremely troublesome for pet owners who find it excruciatingly difficult to deal with this issue.
Fleas are a pet owner's worst nightmare. Not only do they make your dog uncomfortable but they can also carry diseases. If you want to keep your pooch healthy and bite-free, you must take steps to control the flea population in your home.
Spot-on treatments
Even if it may seem that spot-on medications will work solely on a particular spot they will be applied to, they are in reality extremely effective when it comes to covering the entire body of the animal. These drops are introduced through the translocation process, where the oil glands present in the body will spread the medication. The process remains unaffected by swimming, rain, or bathing. It will destroy and repel fleas for multiple weeks before reapplication. These also function by interrupting the life cycle of the flea while it works. You should carefully read all the labels before you choose a specific spot-on product. You should select the most appropriate one suited for the size and age of your dog.
Oral medications
The usage of oral medications helps to control serious flea infestations. These should be given with spot-on treatments. The flea and tick medicine for dogs must be given once every month to disrupt the flea life cycle. These medications in the form of tablets do not kill any adult fleas on contact. A few oral medications are flavored to make them easy to administer to the pet. When you give your dog oral medication, there is also the added bonus of being unconcerned about small children getting in contact with your dog just after you administer the pill, as in the case with the spot-on treatments.
Flea collars
Another option is to buy collars that repel the fleas and kill them. The effectiveness of the flea collars for dogs is dependent on the manner in which the fleas invade the dog's environment. The collar must make contact with the skin of your dog to transfer chemicals into the skin and fur. When you adjust the collar around the neck, ensure there is sufficient room to fit two of your fingers under the collar. If there is any excess collar length, cut it off. If you do not, your dog will chew on it. Watch out for all the classic discomfort signs like excessive scratching. This will help you to ascertain whether there is an allergic reaction to the collar. Do read all instructions before finalizing a collar. It must be age and size appropriate.
You can also use a seresto flea collar. Seresto is made with two ingredients that help kill pests while being safe on dogs of all sizes, even puppies. The active ingredient in this flea collar is imidacloprid and the second one is flumethrin. Imidacloprid works by getting into the nervous system of the pest and paralyzing it, so they can't move or bite your dog anymore. Flumethrin does what's known as desiccating insects which basically means it dries them out so they die more quickly than traditional insecticides would allow.
Flea shampoos
Buy special medicated shampoos which kill ticks and fleas in contact. It is a cheap but labor-intensive solution to protect your dog all around the year. The process must be frequently repeated, ideally every two weeks.
Flea shampoos for dogs are a great option for your furry friends. They kill fleas by suffocating them, so your dog stays comfortable and healthy. It's also safe and effective, which is especially important for dogs with sensitive skin. If your pet is allergic to flea collars or pills, it's helpful to know that shampoos aren't likely to cause an allergic reaction in your dog either.
There are a few different types of flea shampoo on the market, each with its own sets of benefits and drawbacks. Some contain pyrethrin, while others contain pyrethroids. Some contain both. Flea shampoos can be made for dogs or cats, depending on the size of your animal and what you’re most comfortable using.
The most common type of flea shampoo contains pyrethrin or pyrethroids. These are natural insecticides that are made from a type of chrysanthemum flower. These chemicals prevent the development of the flea’s exoskeleton, which eventually kills it by dehydration.
How Does Flea Medication Work?
Treating your dog for fleas, and keeping them away from flea infestations can be a little confusing thanks to all the different dog flea medicine and their different working methods available on the market. At times, it can become difficult to choose the right method of flea and tick prevention for dogs. Flea and tick treatment for dogs includes dog flea pills or flea chews for dogs, flea comb, flea shampoo for dogs, and other preventive measures.
Pyrethroids / Pyrethrins
Certain varieties of the chrysanthemum have been used for centuries as repellants and insecticides. The chemicals that are obtained from them are referred to as pyrethrins. They are one of the most commonly used ingredients in tick and flea control products for dogs and cats. Pyrethrins disrupt the insect’s nerve cell function and make it fire non-stop impulses, which eventually causes the death of the insect. Their toxicity is low and they are safe for use on mammals. They are directly applied to the hair or skin to control ticks, fleas, mites, lice, and mosquitoes.
However, they cannot stand extended exposure to air, light, or moisture. Because of their unstable nature, they are combined with chemicals that will keep them from breaking down. Pyrethroids are the synthetic counterparts of pyrethrins. They work similarly, but are much more stable, and also a little more toxic. They tend to last for quite some time and are usually the main component of tropical products that are meant to cover the body of the animal. You can also find them in flea sprays which are used to treat households for insects. You cannot use them on kittens or cats.
Other plant-based extracts
Some of the other flea deterrents that are derived from plants include D-limonene, rotenone, and linalool. Rotenone is extracted from subtropical and tropical plants, and it works by paralyzing the insect and preventing the uptake of oxygen to the cells. It is safe to use in small quantities on mammals. Linalool and D-limonene are obtained from the pulp of citrus fruits. They soften the outer shell of the insects and cause them to dry up. Citrus products are used in flea dips and shampoos. You must exercise care when treating a cat, as they can be really sensitive to citrus oils. Citrus also helps in repelling fleas, but might not be good for a full-on flea infestation in your home and your pet. In the case of an infestation, you need to use citrus along with more powerful chemicals to launch an attack on a scale big enough to eradicate all the insects. Don’t forget that all drugs come with a small amount of risk. No matter what product you use for controlling the infestation of parasites, read the label from top to bottom carefully and consult the vet if your pet is very old or young, is debilitated, or is sick. Additionally, if your pet has behavioral or mood changes after being given medication, or if he becomes ill, contact the vet immediately.
