All dogs are at risk for a flea infestation, and if your dog spends time outside, she is particularly susceptible to getting flea bites. Why? Many adult fleas live outside and on wildlife hosts until they find a happy home on your pet. Indoor dogs also are at risk because they can pick up fleas when they go outside to exercise or eliminate.
How recognize fleas on your dog:
- flea feces, or pepper-like specks, in your pet’s coat or on his bedding
- flea eggs, or light-colored specks, in your pet’s coat or on his bedding
- itchy skin (scratching)
- biting at his fur or legs
- patchy hair loss, especially near the tail or neck
- lethargy (especially in severe cases)
- tiny, dark brown insects scurrying around on your pet.
Products that can protect your dog from fleas:
Several products kill adult fleas on your pet, while others upset the flea life cycle. Some common prescription products include:
Program. This monthly flea preventive comes in a tablet for dogs. Program uses an insect growth inhibitor to prevent development of eggs and larvae, but it doesn’t kill adult fleas.
Sentinel. This product, available only for use in dogs, contains the same active ingredient for flea prevention as Program but also includes a heartworm preventive and intestinal dewormer.
Advantage and Frontline. These topical liquid products for dogs kill adult fleas, thereby disrupting the egg-laying stage. You simply apply a small amount of liquid on the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades. Frontline also kills ticks.
Revolution. This topical product for dogs kills adult fleas, prevents flea eggs from hatching, and treats or controls several other parasites, including heartworm.
You can purchase other flea-control products—powders, sprays, collars, and dips—over-the-counter, but veterinarian-prescribed treatment methods are safer, more effective, and easier to use.
How to protect your home from dog fleas
Once fleas invade your home, you must treat both your pet and the environment. You can try environmental foggers, which release insect growth inhibitors to control eggs, larvae, and adults, but you must repeat the treatment about three weeks later to kill any newly hatched adults that beat the bomb. Never use environmental treatments on your pet.
Don’t skimp on this stage! You’ll only set yourself up for failure. The most effective but also most costly option: professional exterminators. It’s easy - no labor on your part - and most exterminators offer a guarantee.
Treating Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) isn’t life-threatening, but it can be very uncomfortable and can cause severe biting, chewing, and licking. FAD usually manifests on the back half of the body, but some pets develop sensitivity on their front legs. All this scratching and chewing can cause sores and patchy hair loss - giving your formerly fluffy pet a rundown appearance.
Your veterinarian can prescribe steroids to relieve the itch. Treatment often starts with an injection followed by daily tablets for a few weeks. Your veterinarian will reduce the dosage slowly to prevent adverse effects from abrupt withdrawal.
Steroid side effects include increased thirst, which means increased urine output as well. Occasionally pets may urinate in the house, but these side effects will decrease as the steroid dosage decreases. Call your veterinarian if you have any concerns about side effects.
Secondary skin infections can develop from all that scratching. Your veterinarian will prescribe appropriate antibiotic therapy. Once antibiotic treatment begins and the intense itching stops, the secondary infection quickly resolves and your pet’s coat grows back fairly quickly.
Learn more about Flea Allergy Dermatitis.
Prognosis
FAD symptoms improve with steroid treatment, but they can recur if you don’t permanently eliminate fleas from your pet and home environment. Most pets who suffer flea bite anemia will recover without side effects if treated promptly. If your pet has fleas, ask your veterinarian about the risk of tapeworms.
You can avoid the hassle of treatment and discomfort - and stop fleas in their tracks - with an aggressive flea control program. Talk to your veterinarian about which products are right for you.
