A dog may be a man's best friend but his tiny little passengers are neverwelcome in anybody's home. Fleas that bite dogs will happily bite a human aswell, leaving both dog and human itchy and miserable. Happily, there are a number of flea treatments for dogs that can put an end to the misery.
The spread of fleas
Many dog owners enjoy taking their pets on their family excursions, such as todog-friendly pubs, to the beach or for walks in the countryside as well as forvisits to friends or family. If a dog has fleas, there is a high probabilitythat some of them will leave the dog and set up home in the car, making itnecessary to treat the car as wellas the dog , its bedding and anyareas of the home where the dog has been, as detailed in a very informativearticle on Wikipedia.org. Furthermore, the dog may subsequently cause aninfestation to spread to those places it visits with its owner, which is notsomething that a responsible pet owner would want to do.
How to spot an infestation
The symptoms of a flea infestation are easy to spot, with dogs scratchingfrequently, which can lead to painful skin inflammation and loss of fur.Additionally, humans who have been bitten by dog fleas tend to develop itchyrashes in the areas preferred by fleas, such as elbows, knees and ankles. Fleascan even cause dogs to contract diseases or to become infected with otherparasites, such as tapeworm, and their bites can cause anaemia and serious skininfections in humans. Clearly, these are consequences that should be avoidedwherever possible.
Dealing with an infestation
There are several types of treatment available and it is often necessary tocombine them to deal with an infestation. A website containing a wealth ofinformation for owners, yourdog.co.uk, details ways in which fleas can be eliminated as well as further occurrences prevented. Some of the suggestionsinclude the use of insecticidal agents on collars, in shampoos as well as in'spot-on' treatments - concentrated liquid insecticides which are applied tothe skin of the animal - and sprays. Flea treatments for dogs can be effectivefor a range of periods, from a day to three months, although some strongsprays, intended for furniture, carpets and the dog's bedding, can continue towork for up to a year.
Since nobody would want their beloved pet to go through the discomfort of aflea infestation, a combination of a regimen of preventative measures and fasttreatment if any fleas are detected should be carried out. In the long run bothdog and human will be likely to remain in far better health if these simpleprecautions are observed.
