Fleas can be hazardous to a young puppies' health. The smaller the puppy, the fewer fleas it takes to cause enough blood loss to be fatal. Fleas multiply so fast, that a few fleas, if left attended can be a serious problem. Because of a puppy's age and size standard flea treatments are often not an option. There are alternative methods to getting rid of fleas on puppies that one should take immediately upon realizing they've got a flea problem.
Things You'll Need
- Dawn dish soap (regular)
- Fine toothed flea comb
- Cedar shavings
- Flea comb
- Bleach
- Lavender baby shampoo
Instructions
Bathe your puppy in a warm bath using Dawn dish soap. The Dawn dish soap will kill any live fleas on the puppy. Be sure to rinse the puppy well. Because the dish soap can dry the puppy's skin out, it should not be used more than once a week. Dawn dish soap has been tried and tested by many animal professionals to work, while other brands do not seem to have the same result. Make sure you don't use the Dawn dish soap with extra added bleach, just the regular, original Dawn dish soap is best.
Comb out the puppy's fur well with a fine toothed flea comb. This will help catch any fleas. Keep a cup of bleach nearby and if you find any live fleas, fling them into the bleach to kill them instantly. Because fleas hop instead of walk, they can get away easily.
Keep the puppy in a playpen, or enclosed crate, filled with cedar chips. Cedar repels fleas and will help kill fleas that were missed or that are newly hatched.
A day after using the Dawn dish soap method, wash the puppy in a lavender baby shampoo. Lavender is a natural flea repellent and will also help your puppy smell nice. The baby shampoo will also be soothing to his skin, which may be irritated from the fleas.
Use a home flea spray for any areas where your puppy has been. If you don't do this, the puppy will become reinfested. Spray in the corners, carpets, dog beds and areas the puppy frequented. A young puppy cannot be treated with preventative medicine until 12 weeks of age, so you must be proactive to keep the fleas away.