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Prevention saves costs and suffering: Fleas are small blood-sucking parasites. How to detect and treat unwanted guests on your dog.
In addition to severe itching at the bites, a flea infestation can have other health consequences. A major problem is that the parasites do not reproduce on the animals themselves, but in the environment: They lay their eggs in the home, and within a few days hundreds of new fleas hatch, which in turn go in search of food. To get rid of them again, besides the dog on the environment must be treated effectively. The treatment may have to be repeated several times, as many parasiticides only fight the hatched fleas, but not the eggs. Especially the environmental treatment is associated with a lot of effort. Regular deworming in dogs is, therefore, the more sensible solution - also for the sake of the dog's health.
How does flea infestation occur and what are the consequences?
inziger flea is rarely noticeable in the dog. But if it lays eggs in the living space, the four-legged friend is plagued by hundreds more within a short time. These are not only annoying for the dog but can also transmit diseases and above all: The offspring also continues to multiply rapidly. The ailments that a flea infestation can cause include:
- severe itching
- Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD); an allergic reaction that causes skin irritation with inflammation and hair loss
- Weight loss and weakness
- Tapeworm infestation; fleas are intermediate hosts for tapeworm eggs
- Lyme disease; an infectious disease with nonspecific symptoms that tends to cause immune escape
The risks for consequences increase the more severe the flea infestation is and affect not only the dog but also people in the vicinity if the parasites are passed on to them. Early detection and treatment, including the surrounding area, is therefore important. Prevention is even better, to prevent infestation and spread in the living environment in the first place.
Discover fleas in time
Since a single flea is not initially noticeable to any significant degree and can only cause a minor itch on its own, an infestation is often not noticed until more serious consequences develop and the fleas are already busily reproducing. The parasites are visible to the naked eye but are difficult to see in dogs with dark or thick coats. They are often found on the belly and the inside of the legs as well as on the back.
It is advisable to subject the dog to regular checks, which also makes sense about a possible tick infestation. A special, close-meshed comb is used to detect flea excretions remaining in the coat. The comb is pulled through the coat against the direction of growth and then beaten out on a kitchen towel. What falls off there can be normal residues of the dirt from on the way, but also flea excrement. This is recognizable when a reddish-brown discoloration appears after crushing.
Measures in case of flea infestation
Home remedies are not very effective for flea infestations - an effective remedy from the vet is the only sensible solution. For the treatment of the dog the following means are usual:
- Shampoo
- Spray
- Powder
- Vermin collar
- Spot-on preparation
Which one is suitable depends on the size and coat of the dog, the severity of the infestation, and any intolerances. A veterinarian can provide detailed advice on this.
Sprays are also available for treating the environment - here the application should be repeated according to the manufacturer's instructions for the preparation. In addition, the living space should be thoroughly cleaned. This applies in particular to the dog's resting places and places where it stays. Textiles can be washed at a temperature of at least 60 °C - the high temperature destroys the flea eggs. The environmental treatment can last for several weeks and this is also how long the dog must be protected from a new infestation of freshly hatched fleas so that the cycle is effectively interrupted.
Prophylaxis is the best protection against flea infestation
The fact that a dog occasionally comes into contact with fleas cannot be avoided. Once the parasites have settled on the dog, rapid multiplication quickly follows. The suffering for the dog increases as does the spread of the fleas throughout the environment. If it has come so far, the fight is complex and lengthy. Health consequences for the dog are not excluded and also humans are not safe from a flea infestation. An antiparasitic agent from the vet, however, can be effectively prevented, so that it does not even come to an infestation of the dog and spread in the living space.