A flea infestation on your dog can cause serious health problems, not just frequent itching and skin rashes. Dogs can develop flea allergy dermatitis from flea saliva injected into the skin. This allergy causes hair loss, redness, scaling and a bacterial infection. A dog that has fleas will naturally bite at its hair and skin, swallowing adult fleas. This can lead to tapeworms, which can cause malnutrition and digestion problems in dogs.
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Insect Growth Regulators
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Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are a way to control fleas by interrupting the development of colonies. Lufenuron (Program®) medication inhibits flea development within the insect egg, which prevents the egg from maturing into a flea adult. The Program is a monthly combination of Lufenuron and Sentinel, which helps prevent both fleas and heartworms. Lufenuron also is available as a six-month injection.
On Spot Treatment
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The most common on-spot flea treatment prescribed by veterinarians is Frontline. Frontline is applied to your dog's skin between the shoulders, and is repeated monthly. The flea prevention medication is absorbed into the skin and distributed throughout the body. On-spot treatments also can be purchased at pet stores without veterinarian visits. Some on-spot medications can help prevent both ticks and fleas.
Flea Prevention Collars
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Flea prevention collars are a good option for active dogs or those that spend a lot of time outdoors. A flea collar is fast acting, and can provide protection for several months. They are available in most pet stores, and can be combined with other flea prevention options. A flea collar is even effective when wet, and also can protect against ticks.
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