The Best Flea Protection for Dogs

Non-Chemical Flea Protection Methods

• Non-chemical flea protection methods for dogs are not as successful as chemical flea protection, but practiced diligently and thoroughly, they can be effective. The first step is bathing the dog thoroughly. Any shampoo or liquid detergent that makes lather will kill fleas, the trick is leaving it on long enough to be effective. For dogs that don't love water, this may be difficult because you will need to bathe the dog for five to 10 minutes for the fleas to drown. After the dog is bathed, using a fine-tooth flea comb will remove the dead fleas from the dog's fur. This is just the beginning of the battle though. This exercise will need to be repeated frequently to kill fleas hatched from eggs that could not be disposed of and again for any remaining eggs that hatch. A vacuum cleaner is another tool in your flea-control arsenal. A vacuum cleaner will pick up fleas, larvae and eggs, especially from flea hiding spots -- under the edges of furniture, the creases of sofas and other furniture surfaces. When doing an involved flea vacuuming of a house, the bag should be removed and disposed of afterward to prevent maturing fleas from escaping.

Veterinary Prescription Chemical Protection Methods

• K9 Advantix, Frontline, Advantage and Revolution are spot-on flea control medications recommended by veterinarians. All of these brands use prescription strengths of newer generation insecticides, including imidacloprid, arylheterocycles or insect growth regulators such as lufenuron or diflubenzuron. Spot-on flea control chemicals are applied to the dog's fur down the length of its spine. You will see dead fleas usually by the second day. The good thing about spot-on treatments is that they are longer lasting than those spot-on treatments found at the drugstore, such as Hartz, Scratchex and other names. They are also more effective. Most last for a a minimum of a month before needing to be re-applied. There is also a prescription oral pill that can be provided by veterinarian. Capstar or Program come in tablets and contain active insecticide, such a nitenpyram and lefurnon. Oral tablets may be used whenever fleas are seen on a dog. They can become part of the dogs feeding routine, and given to him every day for Capstar and once per month for Program. These oral pills kill fleas immediately and last for about 24 hours.

Herbal and Chemical Flea Collars

• Flea collars do not have a proven track record for eradicating fleas, regardless of whether they are herbal or chemical. Herbal flea collars for dogs are usually purchased in health food stores. They contain natural aromas and spices, such as, eucalyptus, citronella, cedar and rue. While they are mildly effective, the collars would have to be combined with another natural method, like bathing and flea combing to make much of a difference in the flea population. The same is true with chemical flea collars. Over-the-counter flea collars include products from Hartz, Scratchex and Bio-Spot. The chemicals in these collars repel fleas from the area that the collar covers, but don't necessarily kill the fleas. There are dangers in flea collars. The dog could inadvertently get it in his mouth, ingesting the chemicals in the collar as it tries to free itself. There is also some risk to humans who must handle the collar to place it on the dog.

Doing Your Homework Before Purchasing Chemical Based Products

• It is necessary when making decisions for a member of your family, be it a dog, cat or child, that you look into all facts before choosing a product. Using flea control of any type is not recommended on puppies under a certain age. It is also not okay to use products made specifically for dogs on the family cat. Some chemicals that do not upset dogs have been known to be toxic to cats. Before using a spot-on flea protection product, think about how the animal is interacted with by children. There is a risk of transfer of the chemical to the child during play. This is true of flea collars as well. The best method to try first is the method that is the least invasive, meaning soap and water. If that is not working, it is time to try something else, but be sure to read all the information you can on the products before deciding which one is for you.