Fleas are an annoying pest that affect not just your pet but oftentimes will bite you as well. Thankfully many remedies that kill all life stages of the flea are available through your veterinarian. Regular use of these products will prevent flea infestations.
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The Dog
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Preventing fleas on your dog requires regular use of flea products. The use of topical medications will prevent any fleas from feeding on your dog and entering your home. If you see just one flea, there are hundreds more in the environment. Thankfully there are many products available for prevention.
Capstar will instantly kill every adult flea on the dog within 30 minutes of the dog ingesting the tablet. Capstar can be taken every 24 hours safely. For large flea populations, several doses may be necessary along with other forms of treatment. Bathing the dog will also help remove flea dirt and the use of a medicated shampoo will help to calm and heal any irritated skin.
Next, the use of a topical flea medication like Frontline or Revolution will kill other life stages of the fleas in the dog's environment. The manufacturer typically recommends these products be used once monthly but can safely be used up to every 2 weeks in the case of a serious flea load. Frontline is best applied a day or two after a bath in order for it to have an oil layer in the skin to adhere to while Revolution is absorbed and then secreted in the sebaceous cells making it effective to apply right after a bath.
The Home
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Even after you have treated the dog there are still fleas in the dog's home, which means you may have to treat the environment. Foggers and carpet treatments are available that kill all the life stages except flea eggs. If a fogger or carpet treatment is used in conjunction with the dog's treatments it is often sufficient to eradicate the flea population. Re-treating in a week or two is necessary to kill the hatching eggs that were not killed by the first round of treatment.
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