How to fight fleas and parasites in a dog?

Even a well-groomed pet, which is mainly at home, may suffer from fleas and other parasites. Sometimes a moment of inattention on the walk or playing with other dogs is enough. It's hard to keep your dog safe from insects and parasites, so it's worth knowing how to handle when these uninvited guests do show up.

Prevention is crucial

An animal that is regularly bathed, combed and inspected for fleas, ticks and other parasites is much less likely to require the use of strong anti-parasite agents. Instead of curing, it is better to prevent and this rule also applies to the prevention of fleas and internal parasites.

If in the past it was quite common for a dog to come back from a flea walk, it is worth considering preventive use of a flea collar when going out into the same area. This type of collar effectively deters and fights both fleas and ticks, and the substances it contains are in no way harmful to the dog.

Another preventive measure worth taking is regular baths. We don't have to wash your dog every time with a flea shampoo - this specificity should be used when necessary. A classic dog shampoo will definitely suffice for your dog on a daily basis and will be matched to his coat. Even in an ordinary bath with basic detergent, there is a good chance that we will rinse the first fleas out of the dog's coat if they have appeared and we will not have to reach for stronger agents.

And don't forget that fleas and ticks are the easiest to find when combing, especially for dogs with longer hair. Pupilo.pl expert advises you to comb your pet regularly in a well-lit room and pay attention to combed hair and dog skin. This allows us to detect parasites at an early stage, when they are not so numerous yet.

It's worth deworming your dog

There are two approaches to deworming among dog owners and veterinarians. The first is regular administration of deworming agents and this can be considered as a preventive measure. The second option is to regularly check the blood, urine and faeces of the animal to detect parasites and only administer medicines when necessary. Both solutions have their strengths and weaknesses, but deworming a dog is an activity that we will not miss. A wormed animal is ill, its organism is weakened, its health and condition deteriorates. It is worth to carry out preventive deworming or after examination of the dog from time to time - the frequency depends on the specific animal, living conditions and should be determined with the veterinarian.

Once the fleas and ticks appear

Sometimes, despite efforts and prophylaxis, flea infestations can occur. An animal can also catch a tick or even a few ticks, and then you need to know how to act to get rid of the problem. When it comes to combating fleas, and especially their relatively large population, it is worth starting with a flea shampoo bath. It is worth pouring a lot of water into the bath so that the animal is submerged at least in half (if the dog is not afraid of bathing, you can pour enough water to cover the entire body of the dog). A lot of fleas don't have time to escape up and drown. Many fleas will jump off the dog or head towards the dog, where they can be combed out and caught. After the bath it is worth to dry and comb out the dog - this is a chance to get rid of more fleas. We can also use drops on the neck (but not before the bath), which will fight the remaining fleas.

Removing ticks is a little easier if you can see them on your dog's skin. Most often they are visible when they are already full, because they increase their size many times over. Ticks should be removed with the help of special tweezers found in pet shops and pharmacies - these tick removal kits can be useful both for removing ticks from your pet's skin and when ticks attack one of your household members.