However, many misconceptions on treating dog fleas are very mistaken. In fact, they’re downright dangerous! The following are 5 big fallacies of killing dog fleas, and facts to clear up any confusions.

Fiction: If I just focus on killing fleas, I’ll eventually get rid of them.

Truth: Your dog and home will never be without fleas if your success is based on the number of dead fleas. A crude body count is useless to your goal of eliminating your flea infestation.

To succeed at killing dog fleas for good, you should remove the ability of reproducing rather than mindlessly firing at the soldiers currently on the battlefield. One way is by the use of Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs). This will render them incapable of reproducing, allowing you to carry on the war without the worry of reinforcements.

Fiction: Natural treatments aren’t effective. Chemical weapons are the bomb.

Truth: As effective as chemical-based insecticides are in treating dog fleas, natural treatments also have a place in your arsenal. Not only are they as good eliminating your dog’s fleas as many off-the-shelf flea-treatments, they even offer some benefits that chemical artillery can’t: They are safe for your wallet and they are safe for you.

Fiction: My dog is finally flea-free. I can stop worrying now.

Truth: Don’t exhale just yet. Just when you think you are done… If you have not taken the necessary steps to remove the fleas in your dog’s immediate living space, then he’s still in danger of flea infestation. If there are still fleas in the house and yard, then your dog will be flea-ridden again sooner than you might think.

Fiction: I have nothing to bother with now that I’ve removed most of the fleas.

Truth: One flea can start an massive infestation by itself. Remember, fleas reproduce at an extremely fast rate. If one flea lays up to 50 eggs in a day and they hatch within one or two weeks, you’ve already got a major problem on your hands. Now if each of those offspring also lay another 50 eggs and those eggs hatch as well, you’ll be faced with an entire army.

Are you getting the idea? When killing dog fleas, you must be sure you get every last one, otherwise risk another big infestation. Using IGRs couldn’t hurt.

Fiction: Fleas are only on dogs.

Truth: Wrong, they also prey on you. All the more reason to be hard at work to keep you and your dog and your home free of fleas.

As you can see, even the most trivial misconceptions on killing dog fleas can lead to massive repercussions. So get educated now. If you would like more information, please visit my blog at http://Dog-and-Puppy-Training-and-Care.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harvard_Kinkead

Learning how to treat a dog for fleas will be the number one objective for many dog owners this spring. Fleas are, without a doubt, the most common external parasite that affects our dogs. Chances are good your dog has fleas, even if you can’t see them!

They live off our dogs blood and have a rapidly changing life cycle, from egg to adult. At the adult stage a flea may lay hundreds of eggs per day so even a couple of fleas will become a major problem in no time at all!

You can tell if your dog has fleas because the symptoms are unmistakable. The constant scratching, especially the ears, belly and that soft spot between their thigh and belly. These are the favorite areas for fleas to infest. If you suspect your dog has fleas give him a close inspection. Even if you don’t actually see fleas you may see what looks like finely ground black pepper on his skin. Believe it or not, that is flea poop!

So, how do we treat this problem? We first have to understand that the fleas only spend a small amount of time on our dogs. They spend the rest of their time hopping through our house, laying eggs and feeding on our own human blood! This is starting to sound like a good horror flick! The best medicine is prevention. Make sure your dog is on a year round treatment plan prescribed by your vet. Off the shelf treatments are not a good idea as different dogs need different care. Your vet will recommend what’s best for your dog.

If you already have a flea infestation there are still options. You can use a fogger to “bomb” your house and yard with pesticide. These are very effective in killing fleas and their eggs but, they are also extremely toxic to humans, pets and even the environment. Even though this is probably the quickest and most effective means of dealing with an existing flea problem, if you have any one in the house with allergies or any other health condition I would think twice before “bombing”.

Instead, try asking your vet for a good topical anti flea solution (there are many good ones) and thoroughly clean your house until the flea problem is gone. This may mean you’ll need to vacuum each room in your house every day for a week or so. Put a flea collar in the vacuum bag to kill any fleas or eggs you will suck up. Most importantly, wash all human and pet bedding in hot water at least every other day, if not every day until the problem is cleared up.

You’ll be able to tell when the fleas are gone when your dog is scratching himself crazy. Inspect his coat and his skin should be clean and free of flea poop! It may take a couple of weeks to clear up the problem, but it will be well worth it for your dog.

Steve Kettle is a freelance writer and publisher of a pet website. For more tips and advice on this and many more pet related topics, and to get a free newsletter, visit http://www.pawspawspaws.com

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Dog fleas are an unwanted nuisance to both the dog, and their owner. Fleas will cause irritation to your dogs skin, and to you. To prevent your dog from getting fleas there are a few different things you can do.

One thing you can do is talk to your vet and see what they suggest you use. There are many products available, so your vet will probably have a better idea of what will work best for you. The age of your dog will also affect what type of flea prevention you can use. Puppies cannot use the same type of flea protection as older dogs can use.

One method you can try is the dog flea spray. You can get this spray at the store, or through your vet. You will spray your dog so that it kills the fleas, and prevents them from multiplying. You do need to make sure you follow the instructions on how much, and how often you dog will need to be sprayed.

Another method is the flea collar. You can find the collars at the store as well as the vet, by putting the collar on your dog it is supposed to kill any flea that bites him. If your dog does not like collars you can also try flea drops with the drops you just put the correct amount on your dogs neck. You will need to use the correct amount for the size of dog you have. Read the instructions so that you get the right size, and so that you know how often to apply the drops.

Another way to prevent fleas is to use flea shampoo. The shampoo will kill any fleas that are already on your dog. You will need to make sure you bath your dog frequently to ensure the fleas do not come back. When bathing your dog you should keep him in the warm water for about fifteen minutes. The water will drown the fleas off of your dog. You should use a cooled mixture of boiled water with rosemary for the areas of your dog that were not submerged in water, this is also a great way to keep your dog smelling good.

If these methods do not seem to be working you can also take your dog to the vet and have them do a flea dip. This may cost more, but will be worth it if you keep your dog and house free of dog fleas.

With all these methods you will want to watch out for skin irritation. Some of these products can cause skin irritation, especially in younger dogs and much older dogs. You will also want to make sure you keep up on the treatment you have chosen, and keep checking to make sure there are no fleas. As soon as spring hits start your dog on his flea treatment.

Kelly Marshall writes for Oh My Dog Supplies, an online pet store specializing in wrought iron dog feeders and orthopedic dog beds.

For more articles by Kelly, see this piece on the Pomeranian Breed.

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One of the unwise acts on part of the dog owners will be ignoring the skin lesions of any kind. Animals especially the dogs and the cats tend to play host to a series of unwanted guests such as fleas, lice, mites and ticks, thereby creating a menace to the overall health of the pet. The little demons the fleas affect the dogs skin and the coats to a great extent and eventually results in excessive discomfort that usually drives your little pooch to make more damages due to excessive scratching, trying to get rid of this nightmares.

As a matter of fact there are four distinctive kinds of fleas that attack our cute canine members. These are, however, human fleas, stick-tight fleas, dog fleas and cat fleas. While the human fleas, dog fleas and the cat fleas can attack the dogs at any point of time if care is not taken properly, the stick-tight fleas are usually found during when the climate tends to be warmer. All these categories of fleas are the external parasites that feed on the dogs blood and expose the dog to the risk of severe anemia.

The fleas generally produce a large number of eggs, which they tend to drop off the host dogs. These eggs then turn into larvae that feed on the organic matter especially the dry skins of the dogs and tend to grow very fast. With the passage of the days they turn to be more inclined on sucking blood from the hosts body that eventually blows up into a highly serious issue.

Whenever a flea bites a dog, it injects the saliva, which stops the blood coagulation process and makes the blood flow out continuously, thereby facilitating the little monsters to suck the blood at ease. As a matter of fact the rate of blood loss in the process is usually higher as compared to the rate of the formation of new blood. This makes the dogs weaker and a significant loss of vitality, vigour and energy is experienced.

A dog that is heavily infested with these dangerous little demons becomes feeble day by day and the story may end up with the pathetic ending up of his journey.

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Fleas are the most annoying and troublesome insects for both humans and their pets. While we can use various products to rid ourselves of fleas, old-fashioned, preventative home remedies relieve us of ever having to have them in the first place.

Various techniques and products are available in the market to get rid of these fleas, but we dont often get the expected results. Even if we do manage to rid ourselves of the scourge of fleas, this is often not long-lasting or accompanied by side-effects. For example, the use of prednisone and corticosteroid drugs helps to give relief from flea bites, but at the same time, weakens the immune system. Similarly, chemicals containing poisons are often successful in killing fleas, but they are unsafe on pets in the long term. Keeping all these factors in mind, it is best to use home remedies to get rid of these annoying creatures.

To prevent fleas, keep your home clean, indoors and outdoors! All the carpets and floors, and all the corners of the house should be thoroughly vacuumed regularly. The kitchen should be cleaned properly, cleaning up food spills and covering all food stuff. A clean home is an unattractive one to fleas! Water is also a breeding place for fleas, so all the leaky pipes should be promptly repaired. In case you need to use pesticides, the natural, less harmful ones, should be used. Placing herbs like bay leaves, coriander, dill, lemon peel, or clove in pantry shelves, or in stored grain has proved to be effective in keeping fleas away.

Also, giving the pets diets rich in essential fatty acids (EFA) strengthens their immune system and makes them less attractive to fleas. It is important to keep pets and their bedding clean by washing them regularly. Following these simple steps can easily free us from the trouble of fleas.

Fleas provides detailed information about fleas defined, cat fleas, dog fleas, flea bites and more. Fleas is the sister site of Pitbulls Info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan

There are several ways to kill or get rid of fleas that love our dogs and cats. Home (indoors and outdoors) and pets must be treated simultaneously. There are synthetic chemical approaches as well as chemicals that are considered natural, but no one method is totally effective. A combination of different methods is required to get rid of dog fleas.

Dog fleas are found in the bottom mesh in carpeting, pet bedding, under furniture or in dark crevices where they shed twice before maturing. Here they grow undetected on their way to pupae (life stages of fleas undergoing transformation). In cocoon stage, fleas are invulnerable to insecticide and freezing temperatures; emerging only requires warmth and a host. That is why they reappear when you think you solved the problem.

How to get rid of dog fleas depends on the individual situation.

You won’t get rid of dog fleas by simply sprinkling flea powder on your dog. Thoroughly vacuuming the home and placing a flea collar on your pet will not do the job of getting rid of dog, cat and animal fleas.

Getting rid of dog fleas requires a diligent, systematic approach.

Flea collars work moderately well but these collars have harsh and potentially dangerous chemicals, especially if improperly used or mixed with other toxic agents.

Cedar repels many insects including fleas. Cedar shampoo, cedar oil and cedar-filled beds are available.

Topical treatments can be effective. A few carefully placed drops, according to the canine’s size and weight, on the skin between the shoulder blades keeps your pet from ingesting it, but allows the application to interact with skin oils.

Your veterinarian can prescribe oral medications that render the larvae feeding off the host unable to reproduce, which ends the life cycle.

Flea shampoos and dip baths are part of the combinations used in getting rid of dog fleas. “Dips” usually sting when applied to open irritations. Some dogs are bothered more by the use of pesticides than they are by fleas. Flea collars, sprays, powders, and shampoos are all loaded with pesticides. Spraying or dipping with a residual pesticide to rid your dog of fleas has little or no lasting effect. Flea shampoos often only help in getting rid of fleas from your dog’s fur. Find a shampoo that KILLS the fleas while shampooing your dog; otherwise, if live fleas are in the bath water they can re-infest your pet with a simple splash.

A gentler approach is to wash the dog with a brand name dishwashing liquid. The less caustic chemicals will kill fleas on contact and act as repellent.

Foggers or “bombs” you find at your local stores are often used to rid the house of fleas. Foggers are considered safe, but these products are toxic and should be used as a last resort. They don’t effectively reach under furniture; are commonly activated in the center of a room, missing outlying areas. And foggers require everyone to vacate for at least 4-6 hours.

A sensible option to get rid of dog fleas is hire an exterminator who uses non-toxic products to fog or spray the carpets and furniture. These companies usually guarantee a flea-free home for one year.

After treatment, place the cut-off end of a flea collar or moth balls/crystals in your vacuum cleaner bag to kill any vacuumed fleas. Vacuum floors, carpets, furniture and pet bedding more often. Place towels wherever your pets lie and wash those towels weekly in hot water.

Vacuum the dog if it allows you. Groom the dog daily with a flea comb that you dip in water with liquid dish soap. Don’t be surprised if you occasionally find a flea on the dog. It comes from outside. You cannot get rid of dog fleas, you only control them. If your pet is outdoors a lot, you may also need to treat areas of the yard. To determine if the yard is infested, walk around it wearing white athletic socks pulled to the knee. If fleas are around they will show up on the white socks. It’s seldom necessary to treat areas exposed to full sun. Focus on where your pet rests and plays, under decks, along fences and near the foundation.

Diatomaceous Earth is natural, ecologically safe and non-poisonous to man and animal.

DE represents another method to rid fleas from our dogs and pets and protect them against infestation. If you’ve eaten anything made with flour, you’ve eaten DE. It’s used in commercial grain storage as natural, poison-free insect control. When lightly rubbed into your pet’s coat, DE is effective against fleas, ticks, lice, and other pests. It’s also an organic wormer and kills worms or parasites the pets may have.

Note that the DE we are describing is NOT the DE sold for pool filters. That DE has been chemically treated and is dangerous to humans and animals.

We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs, the dogs that have been a part of our life, and the passing of one dog in particular, Rusty, that inspired the creation of http://www.CalloftheDog.com and http://www.CalloftheDogShop.com — created to provide the things your dogs and pets need. Visit us for great information and quality dog supplies! Be sure to see our About Us page as well.

The two sites are dedicated to the dogs we have loved so deeply, and who have given us so much love in return. Purebreds and mixed breeds, but mostly rescues in need of a home. We educated them, but each one has had something to teach us in exchange.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Jacovitz

Fleas are the most frequently encountered and most troublesome pests that attack humans and their pets. Preventative measures are the best way to reduce the problems caused by them.

Fleas can be best described as small, annoying, bloodsucking insects of the order Siphonaptera that attack humans, mammals and birds. (The word “flea” can also refer to any bloodsucking insect that is known for its ability to jump rather than fly around.) They are generally very dark, reddish-brown, wingless, and are normally 3 mm long. Because of their fish-shaped flat body, they can move easily via hairs of the host’s body. The flea body is generally very hard, polished, covered with many hairs, and short spines thrust backward. Their sucking mouthparts are well-shaped to enable them to suck blood from a host.

Adult fleas are not only vexatious for human and other mammals, but their bites can often cause medical problems such as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), tapeworms, secondary skin irritations and, in extreme cases, anemia. The irritation caused by a flea bite varies among different individuals and type of flea. There are several species of fleas, like the cat flea, dog fleas, sand fleas, human fleas and stick tight fleas. Thus you see that such a small inset can be a cause of many serious problems. But nothing much can be done to prevent them from breeding. To safeguard ourselves and our houses we must make an effort at sanitation; once they are present, treatments to de-flea pets and homes must be undertaken.

Fleas provides detailed information on fleas defined, cat fleas, dog fleas, flea bites and more. Fleas is affiliated with French Bulldogs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan

Fleas are found throughout the world. They are small, wingless, dark coloured insects that feed on warm blooded animals such as cats, dogs, rats, chickens, pigs and humans etc. There are many different types of flea, around 2000 known varieties, and although there are fleas that are considered specific to each host, these fleas will still bite and feed off other hosts. For example, cat and dog fleas which are particularly common will attack humans, and human fleas will attack pigs, foxes, deer and other animals. Fortunately, the human flea is now relatively rare, in the UK at least, and when it is found, it is usually in pig farms.

Well known types of fleas

- Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis)

- Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis)

- Rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus)

- Human flea (Pulex irritans)

Fleas are extremely well adapted to their environment and their hard outer shell makes them difficult to kill by squashing or swatting alone. They move about very quickly and the anatomical structure of their legs means they can jump particularly high in order to reach an unsuspecting host or to move around ‘obstacles’ on their host such as hairs or feathers.

Any type of flea bite can cause itching, irritation and allergic reactions. The most common place for cat and dog fleas to bite humans is around the ankles and legs and indeed the bites may be the first sign that you have some unwelcome visitors in your home. The bites are usually felt straight away and appear as small red spots or weals, which are intensely itchy, particularly in those who are sensitive to the bites.

Fleas also carry disease so are undesirable in any circumstances. Probably the most famous outbreak of disease that was caused by fleas was the bubonic plague or Black Death which was carried by the rat flea and which terrorized the whole of Europe during part of the 17th Century.

If your dog or cat has fleas, it can very quickly turn into a major problem if not dealt with quickly and effectively. An adult female flea can lay as many as 100 eggs in a matter of days, which of course leads to hundreds of new fleas that are also able to lay hundreds of eggs. It doesn’t take an in-depth knowledge of mathematics to work out that after a relatively short period of time, in the right conditions, you can potentially be dealing with millions of fleas.

How to control fleas in your home

If you have pets then there is every chance that you will have had to treat your pet for fleas at some point. Cats and dogs can pick up fleas whilst outside so there is not much you can do to stop this from happening but you can help prevent them from invading your home.

- Purchase an insecticidal flea spray for your pet and for your home.

- Wash all pet bedding and cloths and the area around where your pet sleeps regularly, as this is most likely where the flea will lay her eggs.

- Flea eggs can lie dormant in cracks and crevices just waiting for vibrations from a passer by to alert the flea to an available host so vacuum all the carpets thoroughly on a regular basis and steam clean the carpets from time to time.

- Brush or comb your cat or dog as often as possible as this will help to dislodge the fleas and eggs from your pets coat. Vacuum the surrounding area immediately afterwards.

- You can also ask your vet for other preparations that may help prevent fleas from settling on your pet in the first place

One of the problems associated with the control of pet fleas is that the fleas have become resistant to many types of flea control. So for example, even if your pet is wearing a flea collar, this alone will not necessarily protect your pet or your home from an infestation of fleas. In order to deal with fleas effectively, you need to treat the flea in its various life cycles, your pet and your home.

If you are experiencing a flea infestation and need flea control products to combat the problem, then please come and visit our site.

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Electronic Flea collars may be the newest weapon in the war on dog fleas. Dogs have been mans companion for thousands of years. Dogs serve mankind in ways that cannot be duplicated by technology. Unfortunately the parasites that our dogs carry have plagued mankind as well. Fleas are a constant irritant to man and dog as well as vector for disease. In the past the best way to get control fleas on your pet was to wash and comb them on a regular basis. The development of pesticides like DDT went a long way in treating our dwellings and animals for many years. However many of these pesticides also had side effects or were damaging to the environment. In addition many of these pesticides were ineffective on fleas.

In the early 1960s time release pesticide technology was married to plastics to make the modern day flea collar. They were hailed as the cure for all flea problems. They did a good job of reducing flea bites on most animals that were under severe and constant attack. They did not solve the problem of flea infestations in homes or kennels. In addition the chemical caused skin irritation or dermatitis on many animals that was worse than the flea bites. Also the collars were most effective only on the front half of the dog causing some people to place a second collar around the dog’s waist and belly. One thing the new collars did was to kill the dreaded ticks. Tick will crawl the highest point on a dog before taking in the blood meal. This mean they will try to crawl past the flea collar on the way to the dogs head placing them in contact with the insecticide. This makes the collar a great way to stop ticks but leaves much to be desired when it comes to controlling fleas. All of which cause many people to consider using an electronic flea collar.

Before you lay out the money for an electronic flea collar you should consult with your dogs Vet. Most Vets will tell you that the most effective method of controlling fleas is through the use of topically applied flea medication. Most dog owners are familiar with Advantage, Frontline and the Program brands of flea medication. They all use a chemical growth regulator methoprene that prevents flea larva from developing into an adult. These medications have been shown to be very affective in solving flea problems. In fact a dog that has the medication on it can literally remove all the fleas in a house over a month long time period. Adults bite the dog and then drop off to lay eggs then die. These eggs hatch and the larva die. So why would you consider using any other method of flea control?

Many dog owners are concerned about the side affects of methoprene on their animals and as a result are looking for flea control alternatives. Electronic pest control devices are divided into several different types. Some use high pitched or ultrasonic sound to repel all insects and spiders while others use devices that produce an electromagnetic field to repel pests. Recently a new technology was developed that using ionic air cleaning. Basically they all claim to drive the pests away from the area that they are placed in. Electronic flea collars use the same technology to achieve to drive the fleas away. The bottom line question is does these device work? Entomologists and other researchers have determined that these electronic flea collars do not perform as claimed. Electronic flea collar manufactures have not, to date, provided any scientific proof that their products perform as claimed. They all use of customer testimonials as a selling point for their products which future makes their claims less than credible. It appears that it is far better to use the topically applied flea medications to protect the health, comfort and well being of your dog. Given the facts I would assert that it is unwise to depend on any electronic flea collar to protect your dog from fleas.

James Kesel, MS is the publisher of Career in Dog Training website. Providing information on electronic flea collars, dog training and dog training career opportunities.

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Dog fleas are quite similar to cat fleas, both in appearance and behavior, and just like cat fleas, dog fleas can also breed in both cats and dogs. Both species are so similar biologically, that for practical purpose they are usually defined and talked about under the same heading. Dog and cat fleas are the most common species of fleas found in and around homes. Most of the time, pets like cats and dogs are infested with fleas without their human owners knowing about it. But if there are large numbers of fleas on the pets, humans cant help but notice, and often suffer the affliction along with their pets!

The female flea is generally 2.5 mm long, with the male flea being slightly smaller. The combs of a dog flea consist of 8 pairs of spines. The larvae of a dog flea is double the length of the adult and it generally feeds on particles of dry blood, excrement, and various organic substances collected in corners of infested premises. The infestation of the dog fleas can be easily identified in the sleeping quarters of the cats and dogs, by the presence of a salt-and-pepper like substance formed of the grayish larvae and white eggs of these fleas. These fleas also feed off many other animals, apart from cats, dogs and humans.

In order to prevent dog fleas from infesting on your pets or in your premises, you have to be careful to maintain the cleanliness of your pets and premises. This can be achieved by regularly using pest control, shampooing the pets, and vacuuming the house thoroughly.

Fleas provides detailed information about fleas defined, cat fleas, dog fleas, flea bites and more. Fleas is the sister site of Pitbulls Info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan