Fleas are among the worst parasites for pets, and puppies are particularly prone to them. Even mild infestations of fleas can result in intense chewing, scratching and licking behavior which may even lead to anemia in anemia-prone dogs.
Treatments vary, with some targeting adult fleas while others target eggs and larvae of fleas to break their life cycle. Your vet may provide recommendations based on what’s common in your area as well as any risk to which your pup could be exposed.
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Bathing
At bath time, use all-natural soap such as organic peppermint or rose soap – these gentle products can still kill adult fleas while simultaneously killing larvae and eggs – to make bath time an easy process for both you and your puppy! Rinse him off afterward before towel-drying for maximum efficiency. Alternatively, an all-natural oil containing essential oils like eucalyptus, lemon eucalyptus, Atlas cedar needles, geranium bay laurel or myrrh can repel fleas while soothing irritation in skin while helping relax both you and your pup when bathed!
If the problem persists, consult with your veterinarian about FDA-approved flea prevention products. Topical treatments like Capstar(r), which begins killing fleas in half an hour but won’t prevent long-term flea control, are the ideal solution. Oral medications like Simparica TRIO(r) offer 30-day protection from ticks, chewing lice, ear mites and mange. However, certain breeds can have drug sensitivities so check with your veterinarian first to avoid adverse effects.
Picking up fleas
Puppies are especially vulnerable to flea infestation, and even mild infestation can cause them to chew excessively and scratch, leading to tapeworms, hot spots and anemia – the latter is especially pronounced due to less-developed physiologies and smaller bodies compared with adult dogs.
Puppies should be bathed using a specially formulated puppy-safe shampoo like Advantage Multi that contains imidacloprid and moxidectin to kill fleas without biting, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, heartworms and mange mites – effectively combatting them all!
After a thorough bath with soapy water, make sure to carefully wash and dry your puppy afterward. Remember to carefully comb out any live fleas you find and check for rice-like dried segments of tapeworm in the rectum area. Additionally, don’t forget to decontaminate your home by disposing of bedding the dog has been sleeping on as well as vacuuming furniture, rugs and curtains before using an insecticide spray outside or around your yard if applicable, Hance recommends.
Insecticide
Puppies can pick up fleas while out and about on walks, from other pets, wildlife or in their environment, and they’re at risk for internal parasites like roundworms and hookworms that are transmissible to people zoonotically (transmitted through contact). Prescription medication can help eliminate these internal parasites.
Flea treatments that work on eggs and larvae such as Advantage Multi, with imidacloprid and moxidectin as active ingredients, such as imidacloprid and moxidectin as insect growth regulators (IGRs), are particularly helpful at thwarting flea populations from ever reaching adulthood, according to Collins. Such measures are known as insect growth regulators (IGRs).
Capstar, an over-the-counter oral medication available at most drugstores, can kill fleas within 30 minutes, but won’t prevent fleas long term – yet is safe enough for use daily on puppies.
Puppies should also receive regular doses of Revolution’s topical flea medication containing selamectin to protect them from fleas and ticks as well as kill ticks and ear mites while keeping heartworm disease under control. You should start giving this pill at 6 weeks to ensure maximum protection. Not only will this pill prevent fleas but it will also kill ticks, kill mites and maintain heartworm health in their early stages.
Prevention
Puppies are extremely susceptible to internal parasites and fleas can infest them as early as two weeks old. Puppies gain these parasites from both their mother’s placenta and milk; so prevention measures should be prioritized for young puppies.
Flea infestation in puppies can result in intense chewing, scratching and licking that leads to hot spots or irritated skin known as dermatitis and, in extreme cases, blood loss leading to anemia and lethargy in your pet, says New Jersey holistic veterinarian Judy Morgan. Other symptoms may include lethargy and pale gums.
Puppies typically live inside their own home, but when going outside for potty breaks they may encounter fleas and ticks from other animals and humans. Your vet can recommend an effective preventative that meets your puppy’s age and lifestyle needs – oral medications, topical treatments or collars could all work; some OTC products even exist such as Simparica TRIO which offers 30-day protection from fleas, five types of ticks, chewing lice and three worms including heartworms!