Any dog owner knows how problematic it can be for his dog to have fleas. They are quite pesky insects, brownish red and come with sharp mouths that are used to draw blood from canine hosts. Flea bites will cause your dog to scratch and the exact reaction is different from one breed to the other although any dog can even have an allergic reaction to flea bites. Also, fleas can transmit diseases from dogs to humans, although the possibility is small. These insects will live until the ground freezes but can live a lot longer in the climate of your home, something that is to be avoided.



The best thing that you should do if you suspect that your dog has fleas is to take him to a veterinarian. He can then recommend treatment in the event that you are right although the best solution is to go for preventive treatment. It is much easier to prevent getting fleas than treating the situation. On the other hand, a lot of people try to treat this flea problem alone. This is where we can help with some advice.

First off, there are a lot of commercial products available. One idea is to use a flea comb regularly. Petroleum jelly can be utilized in order to aid in making fleas stick to the comb. Rubbing your dog with alcohol is another idea that is utilized and it aids through slowing down fleas, thus making them easier to catch. You can even go for the natural approach, which uses Brewers Yeast and Garlic added to the dog's food as supplementation. The only bad news is that such natural treatments do not have proof of working yet.

Over the Counter flea treatments are also a solution but you need to be aware that most of them contain pyrethrins. These are natural insecticides and can come with harmful side effects. Threat of toxicity is a reality and it can affect your dog, humans and other animals as well. You will need to make sure that you correctly use the product and respect the indications on the directions to the letter. The good news is that there are safer products available but most of them are not over the counter and can only be purchased if your veterinarian agrees to it.

Keep in mind that it is a lot easier to prevent fleas than treat them when the pet actually suffers from these insects. Follow the advice of your veterinarian and do research whenever you do not know something. It is a lot easier than you might believe.