Flea Medicine for Dogs
Dogs are social animals and you can never prevent them from playing and running especially outdoors. However, this can also be a reason for dogs to be infested with fleas. In general, fleas’ causes itching but flea bites can also be a way for dog’s to have other parasites such as tapeworm. Some dogs are also allergic to fleas and severe cases of flea infestation can also be fatal as it can lead to anemia and blood loss. But before it can lead to death, pet owners must consult their veterinarians right away for flea medicines for dogs once fleas are already detected.
Flea Medicine for Dogs Explained
The most powerful flea medicine for dogs out today consists of pills. Some are designed to prevent flea eggs, larvae and
nits from developing and helps eliminate having adult fleas which can give birth to more fleas. There are also pills that are fast acting and are said to kill adult fleas in as short as 30 minutes. This is not a long term medication as its efficacy lasts for only a day. This flea medication for dogs is used especially when owners will travel with their dogs and it is given prior to boarding. Veterinarians also use this before a surgery or when dogs will be brought for grooming.
Another flea medicine for dogs come in topical form and is said to be easier to administer. This is true especially if you have clever dogs who manage to find pills which you carefully hid in their meals. This is also for dogs that have difficulty swallowing pills or vomits them.
Mostly, the topical flea medicine for dogs is applied monthly and contains the active ingredient called permethrin. Permethrin is a synthetic chemical used in insecticides and acts a neurotoxin. Proven to be harmless to most mammals or birds, however, can be very toxic to fishes and cats. This flea medicine for dogs comes in plastic containers that indicate the proper amount of medication. Dosage depends on the size or weight of the dog. Some topical flea medicine for dogs is also proven to be effective to control heartworm.
But when using this kind of flea medicine for dogs, be sure to check your dog’s skin once in a while. Some dogs are proven to have allergic reactions to topical flea treatments. Look at the spot where you placed the topical solution and if the skin area is red, take your dog to your veterinarian immediately. The veterinarian can ensure if the redness of the skin is an allergic reaction to the flea medicine for dogs or is just a simple irritation. After which, your veterinarian can determine if you can still continue applying the topical solution or he may provide you an alternative flea medicine for dogs.
There is also a flea medicine for dogs that comes in a liquid form. This can be simply added to the dog’s water or mixed in the food or if the dog can tolerate it can also be given orally. These products that are in the market are proven safe and can be given even to puppies or pregnant and nursing female dogs. However, this can only really be safe if given in proper dosage. As with other medications, dosage will vary according to the size of the dog. See the attached video for some ideas on flea and tick control for dogs.
In the end, owners are fortunate to have a variety of options of flea medicine for dogs. Just be sure to always consult with your veterinarian for the proper form of treatment and dosage that will suit your dog’s needs.