Fleas are irritating and are a nuisance, not only to your puppy but to you also. They are small parasites that feed on blood from your dog, cat or any other pet in your house.
Fleas infest all types and ages of a dog, whether it is a young puppy of a few weeks old or a senior dog. Once they find a source of food, that is your dog’s blood, they will move in, start to reproduce and form their own families.
Fleas are the most common skin parasite for dogs and cats, and they should be your number one enemy.
Puppies can collect fleas when they are out playing in the field, during evening or morning walks in the neighbourhood or when they go out in the backyard for a nature call.
When a puppy is infested by fleas, then, you need to take action as soon as possible. Fleas can cause your puppy to become lethargic or anaemic. You can tell if your puppy is infested by fleas by observing the following signs;
- Poor eating and drinking habits
- A form of lethargy, no interest to play or be active as puppies are by nature
- Weight loss
- Vigorous scratching, licking or biting their skin
- Fur loss
- Black dirt on the puppy’s skin
- Pale gums
- Dark parasites seen on the puppy’s skin
While treating your puppy’s fleas, you will need to do it differently compared to how you would treat an adult or an over 12 weeks of age dog. A 12-weeks-old or younger puppy may be severely affected by chemicals and treatments that you normally would use on adult dog. However, there are safer ways to treat fleas on a puppy. Below are five easy steps;
1. Clean the Puppy
This is not the normal general grooming for your puppy but it is cleaning off fleas from your pup’s skin. To clean the puppy, add warm water in a bathtub or sink, depending on the size of your puppy.
Make sure the water is not too hot or too cold because you will immerse the puppy in water for at least fifteen minutes. Put the puppy in the warm water and submerge him completely, leaving only the head. This will drown the fleas causing them to die.
You will note red tint on the puppy’s skin when you add warm water. This is no cause for alarm. Fleas feed on blood and therefore they excrete blood as well. These dark fleas excrete will turn red when they come into contact with water.
2. Use Flea Shampoo
Puppies are fragile, therefore using topical fleas’ treatments can have immense effects on them. The second step after immersing your puppy in water is to use a flea shampoo. Make sure the shampoo is safe for use on puppies.
Some shampoos are made of harsh chemicals that are not recommended for a puppy. Apply a good amount of the shampoo on your puppy’s skin to form lather. Massage gently the puppy’s skin as you rub in the shampoo.
Remember to clean every part of your puppy’s skin, starting with behind the ears, under the neck, to the body, belly and legs. You may see the fleas trying to jump off to the part of the skin with no lather, especially the face, so remember to rub the face as well and drown all the fleas.
After a thorough cleaning, rinse off the shampoo from your puppy’s skin with warm water. Continue pouring warm water on the puppy for a few minutes even after the shampoo is rinsed off so as to drown any remaining fleas. If your puppy’s skin is damaged or irritated by the fleas, use shampoo that contains oatmeal to soothe their skin.
3. Dry off the Puppy Using a Towel
Now your puppy is clean and free from fleas. Take them from the bathtub and use a towel to dry him or her. You can also blow dry your puppy to make sure they are not chill or cold.
After drying the puppy, use a fleas comb to remove any remaining fleas. Rinse the comb after each stroke of combing to make sure you do not put back any fleas.
4. Apply Fleas Powder
At this step, your puppy is feeling relaxed and his or her skin is well treated. To keep the fleas away, apply fleas powder on your puppy’s skin. Make sure to get a powder that is safe for use on puppies that are under the age of 12 weeks. Remember to read and follow the instructions on the powder.
5. Use a Flea Collar
Finally, to make sure your puppy does not get a reinfestation of the fleas, use a flea collar that is safe for puppies’ that are 12 weeks or younger. A flea collar works in two major ways. One, they discharge lethal gases that destroys or prevents fleas, and secondly, the collar releases an ingredient that dissolves and spreads all over the puppy’s skin to kill any fleas on the skin.
After cleaning and treating your puppy, you may also need to treat all your other pets in the compound if you have any. Cats and older dogs may also be a breeding site for fleas. To keep your home fleas free, treat them as well using medications that are prescribed by a veterinarian.
You may also need to treat your environment. Although fleas live on your pets’ skin, they lay eggs that fall off on couches or the ground. Therefore, vacuum your carpets, hardwood floors and couches, then clean them using the recommended treatments to kill all fleas and their eggs.
With fleas, just like any other parasites, prevention is better than cure. Choose a safe environmental flea control that you will continuously use on a monthly basis or as need arises. If you are in doubt on how to treat the fleas, then call an expert. Seek help from a veterinarian on how you can get rid of fleas on your puppy.