While you may love your dogs, so do those small pesky brown bugs known as fleas. Whether you have a puppy or a doggy senior citizen, their risk of getting fleas is the same. Fleas feed on the blood of your canine friend, reproduce, and create more little brown bugs to torment your dog. 

Fleas become a nuisance quickly as they bite its host, causing itching and sensitive skin that can become quite severe. It can also lead to bigger problems such as inflammation, hair loss, and secondary skin infection.

The following is a comprehensive guide for getting rid of fleas completely from your pets and home. 

How to Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

Your pets get fleas when they come in contact with the outside environment and other animals. The flea’s anatomy makes it easy for many of them to jump from host to host thanks to their strong back legs. 

These small parasites that feast on your pet’s flesh usually appear in warm climates, with temperatures between 65-80 degrees. The humidity levels tend to be in the 75-85 percent range. 

There are many different reasons your dog can be itching. If you suspect that your dog may have fleas then it can be hard to diagnose but not impossible. They’re small and dislike daylight, meaning that they hide in the thickest patches of fur on your pets. Your best chance of spotting these pesky brown bugs is to look at their furrier areas, as well as their belly and inner thighs.  

You can also tell if your furry friend has fleas or not by looking for what is called “flea dirt." Flea dirt appears as specks of pepper on your dog’s skin and in your dog’s fur; it’s actually flea feces. You can easily see if it’s something present in your dog’s fur by running a wet paper towel across the surface. Other telltale signs include: 

• Red bumps or scabs on the skin
• Increased licking, scratching, and biting
• Pale gums
• Loss of fur
• Nervousness or restlessness 

Treat Your Dog

Trying to get rid of fleas can be a hassle, both physically and emotionally for your dog. These small bugs are stubborn, annoying, and persistent. Since they are so tough to get rid of, it’s important to treat existing fleas first. Simple actions on your part can quickly get rid of fleas the first time and keep them gone.  

To get rid of your dog’s fleas easily:

1. Treat
2. Bathe
3. Comb
4. Protect

You can treat your dog utilizing a range of products, from topical medicine to flea collars to oral treatments. Treating your dog before combing through its fur makes the process simpler. Dead fleas get caught in the comb gaps much easier.

To exterminate any extra living fleas, dip the pet comb into a mixture of dish soap and water. After that, bathe your pup in the best dog flea shampoo that works. Continue this process until you’ve treated the rest of your home.

Treat All Your Pets

If you have any other pets, more dogs or a family cat, then you want to treat the rest of them too. These preventative measures will help keep the infestation from spreading and reduce the risk of these pesky parasites from returning. 

Treat Your Environment

While fleas make their primary home on your pet, they also find their way into many of the nooks and crannies in your home. They lay eggs on your furry friend which then fall off wherever your dog lays down.

Protect your house by:

• Vacuuming
• Deep cleaning
• Treating with specially formulated flea products.

Wrap-Up

The key to protecting your dogs from fleas is to remain vigilant. If your pet and home do experience a flea infestation, expect it to take up to 3 months of continuous protection and prevention to fully clear out your home and keep your furry friend happy.