Both the dog owner and the pet will be affected by flea infestation. A dog that is infested with fleas will be beleaguered by the severe itching that is caused by the flea bites and as a result, the excessive scratching can result to secondary skin infections. Fleas have to be exterminated as apart from the discomfort these tiny parasites cause the dog, fleas can also transmit tapeworms to humans.
Aside for the incessant scratching, a dog infested with fleas can suffer from skin inflammation and hair loss. Flea dirt is a telltale signs of infestation. These tiny dark specks that are actually digested blood should spur you to begin the war against these tiny parasites. Many dog owners are not concerned about the fleas that infest the dog as often times dogs only suffer from itching however, blood loss that results from severe infestation can lead to anemia and consequently to the death of the pet.
To completely eradicate the infestation, fleas must be removed not only from the pet but from the environment as well. Fleas can spread easily as they can jump from the host, hide and stay for a while in the carpet, in beddings and in dark corners until another host comes along. Start killing the pests by using a flea bath or a flea shampoo on the infested dog. As a double measure you can run a fine toothed comb thoroughly through the dog’s fur to remove the fleas. Flea baths will kill adult fleas but not the eggs thus the process has to be repeated until the entire flea population is eradicated.
Next in line is eradicating the fleas in the environment. After vacuuming all the carpets and the rooms, be sure to carefully discard the vacuum bag. Adding a strip of flea collar inside the vacuum bag will ensure that the vacuumed fleas will be killed. Wash the dog’s crate, beddings and toys in hot soapy water. Vacuuming will not be sufficient to remove all the fleas. Spray all the room with anti-flea chemicals and insecticides. Bomb the yard with chemicals formulated to kill fleas as well.
Anti flea chemicals are readily available for owners wanting to make the pet flea-free. Dog owners though are warned against excessive use of these anti flea chemicals as they can have dangerous effect on the health of the pet.
At Sarah’s Dogs you can find out more about what to do if your dog has fleas.