Battling a Flea Infestation

You will need to get rid of the fleas on both your dog and in your home.  Treating one and not the other will create an unending vicious cycle of infestation.    To get rid of an active flea infestation on your puppy, there are a wide variety of commercial products available, including shampoos, flea powders, flea dips, flea sprays, and flea baths.  If the flea problem is really severe, you might want to consult your vet to see what they recommend.

The next step is to prevent future flea infestations by using some sort of flea repellant.  Again, there is a wide variety of options on the market today.  Beyond the flea collars of yesteryear, now there are also oral treatments and topical flea treatments as well.  The topical treatments, such as Frontline and Advantage, are very popular due to the fact that they only have to be applied once a month and that the treatment can also be purchased with combined heartworm preventatives.

There are two parts of the flea infestation in your home, the eggs or larva and the adult fleas.  Flea sprays and foggers can be used to quickly kill adult fleas.  However, the process will most likely have to be repeated for several weeks in a row to kill the hatching larva.  Be vigilant about vacuuming on a regular basis when you have a puppy in the house as this will help control the flea population.  Also make sure to empty the vacuum as soon as you are finished as they can become a perfect habitat for hatching fleas.

Natural Flea Remedies

Some dog owners wanting to stay away from chemical options turn to natural home remedies to treat and prevent fleas on dogs.  Some favorites are:

• Feeding a dog one tablespoon of powered yeast daily.
• Adding garlic to the dog’s normal food.
• Adding a tablespoon of salt to the dog’s bath water.

A few home remedies for natural fleas on dogs prevention are:

• Steeping lemon and water overnight and then sponging the puppy’s coat with it.
• Rubbing the dog’s coat with a strong smelling herb such as tansy, fennel, basil, mint or pennyroyal.
• Using a eucalyptus wool wash for a dog shampoo.
• Making a natural homemade flea collar by using ¼ cup of citronella essential oil, 2 tablespoons of peppermint oil, 2 tablespoons of white cedar essential oil, ½ cup of rosemary essential oil, and 2 tablespoons of eucalyptus essential oil.  Soak a rope made of natural fiber in the solution and let dry.  Finally, tie the rope around the dog’s neck.

To get rid of flea infestations in carpet, for a natural option sprinkle Borax on the carpet, leave for 48 hours, and then vacuum up.  Clean the vacuum bag or canister immediately. Or soak newspaper with oil of cedar and lay on the ground in problem areas.  The fleas on dogs will be drawn to the paper.  Pick up the papers the next day and dispose of them.

While fleas on dogs can be a serious problem if allowed to get out of control, if monitored and preventative steps are taken, keeping fleas away from your pet will take minimal effort.

Where to Get Puppy Vet Recommendations

While you can always get names and numbers of veterinarians from the Yellow Pages or an internet directory, those sources will not usually provide you with information on whether the vet is good or not.  Instead, look for recommendations from people who have a pet such as friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers.

Some dog breeds have a propensity for certain genetic defects.  If your puppy is purebred, another good source is checking with breed associations, club members for your dog’s breed, or dog show attendees.   Another good resource for finding quality and economical vet care is by asking for referrals from local rescue groups.

Types of Veterinarians

As with medical doctors, veterinary practices widely vary.  Some veterinarians have general practices.  If it is an animal, they will treat it.  Others specialize either in treating certain types of animals or areas of practice.  For example, some may only treat small animals and others only certain types of pets.  There are also veterinary urgent care clinics as well as mobile vet clinics.

What to Ask Your Veterinarian

Once you have narrowed down the veterinarians to those that meet your criteria, the next step is to find out more in detail information about their practice.  A few questions to ask are:

• What are your office hours?
• How many people are on staff?
• What are office visit fees?
• What forms of payment are accepted?
• Do they accept pet insurance?
• Are you open on evenings and weekends?
• Do you have a call line for questions?
• How long does it normally take to get in for an appointment?
• What types of services are available?  Do they offer general exams, surgery, dentistry,  lab tests, nutritional counseling, behavioral recommendations,  or any other specialized services?

As you are talking to the veterinarian’s office, take note of the following:

• How quickly was your phone call answered?
• Does the staff seem courteous?
• Were you given a choice of doctor?
• Were all of your questions answered satisfactorily?

While screening veterinarians for your puppy may take some time, the time spent is an investment into your dog’s well being.  Your puppy vet will be your partner in maintaining your dog’s health for his lifetime.