Flea Prevention for Puppies

Once you have a new puppy, you should start thinking about flea control. Fleas are much easier to prevent than to get rid of, and keeping fleas off your dog can help save you hundreds or thousands in veterinarian bills from flea-borne illnesses. There are several options for keeping fleas off your puppy.

  1. Dangers

    • Fleas present a number of dangers to your puppy. In addition to irritation, fleas can cause your pet to lose hair from scratching, and this is the least of your worries. Tapeworms can be passed on to dogs when they accidentally eat a flea. In puppies, this can cause an upset stomach and should be treated. In the case of young or particularly small puppies, fleas can take so much blood that your dog becomes anemic and requires a blood transfusion. This is a potentially fatal disease for your puppy.

    Flea Collars

    • Flea collars are available at most pet supply stores, and your veterinarian may sell them as well. While this is an easy solution, flea collars tend to be less effective than other measures of flea control. If you have a small breed puppy, you might not even be able to find a flea collar small enough to stay on. If you use a flea collar, consider a secondary method of flea prevention also.

    Medication

    • There are many brands of medication available for flea prevention. These medications can be prescribed by your veterinarian, or they can be bought over the counter at most pet supply stores. The brands available at pet supply stores are generally applied topically, while prescription brands are usually administered orally once a month by the owner. These medications are very effective, but should not be given to young puppies under 6 weeks old.

    Bathing

    • Bathing is a good way to treat fleas immediately to provide your puppy relief. This is also a safe way to help prevent fleas on young puppies. You should bathe your puppy with a shampoo designed specifically for fleas. After the bath, comb your puppy with a flea comb to get rid of any remaining fleas. If you have a flea infestation, this will only be a short-term solution.

    Veterinarian Advice

    • Before beginning any flea treatment, you should always consult your veterinarian for advice. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you of any medical problems that may conflict with your chosen flea prevention treatment, and will also be able to provide breed-specific advice. Your veterinarian is the only one who can give the most informed, accurate information based on your puppy's current condition.