Bathing is an important part of keeping our dog’s Uno coat and skin healthy. Besides helping to maintain his fur clean and free of dirt and parasites, bathing also makes our pooch more pleasant to be around. A few weeks ago when I was giving Uno a relaxing bath, I noticed a tiny black-brown dot on his belly. And then another. At first, I thought it was just dirt or dust in his coat, but then I realized that dirt doesn’t jump.

As a dog owner, I was aware of the fact that I might have to deal with fleas at some point. Fleas are the most common parasites found in dogs and sometimes, even regular grooming can’t prevent them. Here are the steps I took to get rid of these unwelcomed parasites.

Get to Understand the Flea Life Cycle

The first thing I did was research some facts about our enemy. What I’ve learned is that fleas go through four life cycle stage: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The adults are what lives on animals, where they lay their eggs. These eggs spread throughout our home and yard every time the dog scratches or lies down. Then, they hatch into larvae in the comfort of our sofa, carpet or bed. The larvae form cocoon during the pupa stage, where they hatch and become adults that infest their animal hosts (our dog). By that point in my research, I was literally freaking out!!! The reason why I’m sharing this information with you is that you can find different flea products at dog supplies stores to treat different parts of the fleas’ life cycle. So, when buying, it is extremely important to read the label of a certain flea product to find out if it is suitable for your needs.

Treat Your Dog

Treating your pet’s fleas is something you should do as soon as possible. The longer you let fleas go untreated, the worse problems they might cause for your dog. Advantage by Bayer is the most common medication used to treat fleas in dogs. It can be found in several variations and can be easily found in dog supplies stores online and offline. You can choose between different application methods like liquid, spray, or shampoo. All of them are simple to use with our dogs and they are highly effective as well. Aside from using this product on our pets, we can also use it in our house. On a dog supplies store, I’ve found a carpet and upholstery spray, a household fogger, and a yard spray that I’ve been using to get rid of fleas around the house. This medication is effective at getting rid of fleas and flea larvae and egg as well as chewing lice. All we have to do is apply it on and our pets get set for an entire month. Plus, it starts working in just 12 hours. What I like the most about this product is that there is no fragrance and it’s entirely waterproof, so I don’t have to worry about Uno getting wet right after I use it. This product can be bought over the counter without having to see a vet at any time. That means, we can pick it up wherever we buy our normal dog supplies.

Get Fleas Out of Your Home

Treating our dogs was just one part of the problem. We also needed to get the fleas out of our home, and this required patience. There are cases where it takes 3 to 4 mounts to get rid of an infestation, as it takes this long for all of the fleas in a home to go through their life stages. In order to eradicate fleas in our home I’ve washed all bedding in the hot cycle, vacuumed all carpets and hardwood and vinyl floors and throw away the vacuum bag, and I’ve applied an environmental flea control. I’ve also sprayed a non-toxic treatment in our yard and I will continue to treat Uno with a monthly preventative.

If you’ve found out that your dog has fleas and you aren’t sure what to do, ask your veterinarian about how to get rid of fleas on dogs. Veterinarians are always up-to-date on the latest flea treatments and preventatives and can help you find the best and safest treatment option for you and your dog.

How to Check Your Dog for Fleas?

Fleas aren’t always easy to find. One of the best ways for checking your dog for fleas is to look for flea dirt (flea feces) in your dog’s coat. To check for flea dirt, briskly comb or rub a section of the hair on your dog’s back while your dog is sitting or lying on a white piece of paper. If your dog has fleas, black flecks will fall onto the paper. Repeatedly scratches and chews are also common effects of fleas on your dog.