Saturday, July 24, 2010

How To Choose The Best Flea Control Medicine For Your Dog

By D. Thurmond, D.V.M.

If you have a dog at some point you will also have fleas. Flea medicine for dogs eliminates the itch and bother for both your dog and for you.

Your dog can be miserable and you may be aggravated by the constant scratching and chewing of your pet. The poor pooch can do nothing to get rid of the fleas crawling on his skin and biting him again and again.

You dog will rub against a fence or the furniture and scratch everywhere he can in an attempt to stop the itching of flea bites. His paws may bleed from chewing them and his back develop bald spots from constant scratching.

Skin infections are common for dogs infested with fleas. The poor animal that is allergic to flea saliva has an even worse problem. Flea allergy dermatitis is problem for such an animal and can lead to serious skin conditions. For a dog allergic to fleas, any bites result in a spot that constantly itches.

The best products for dogs with flea allergy dermatitis are topical spot on dog flea medicine. Placing a few drops on the skin at the top of the animal's neck monthly breaks the flea life cycle and provides quick relief. If you have a large breed dog the drops can be applied on the neck and at the base of the tail. Advantage, Frontline Plus and K9 Advantix are the most popular spot on flea treatments.

Offering the same type of application, Revolution flea medicine provides an all-in-one solution that kills fleas and also prevents heartworms. Spot on topical pet meds are recommended for dogs with flea allergies because they quickly kill fleas before they can bite the dog.

Flea killing medicine in pill form is provided by Program and Sentinel which are available by prescription. These contain insect growth regulators to kill newly hatched fleas but do not kill adult fleas on the animal. The oral meds can be used with topical products if you first use the spot on treatment which kills adult fleas and then switch to pills to kill fleas as they hatch on the dog.

Spot on flea medicines are the most popular choice by far. Most are available without prescription and are widely available. Unfortunately, there are some fake products and outdated products sold by less than trustworthy merchants. Buy online from a reputable site for discount pet meds to get high quality products at the lowest prices.

If you choose a pill form of flea control watch you dog closely for reactions to the medicine. Reactions are rare and usually mild but some dog breeds will develop skin rash from the medication. A new flea prevent product, Comfortis, offers a tasty wafer that has been proven to kill fleas quickly and safely with few side effects.

When using spot on flea medicines for dogs, rotate brands at least once a year. Fleas multiply rapidly and can quickly develop immunity to a particular flea med. By rotating brands every 6-12 months, the different flea killers in the new flea med will keep those fleas confused and vulnerable.

Capstar is a new addition in the field of oral flea medicine for canines. This product is meant to be used for special circumstances as a one time application. A dog with no flea infestation may be fine in his flea controlled home environment but risks picking up fleas at a dog show, when boarded at a kennel or when visiting the dog park. Capstar quickly kills any fleas your pet may have picked up in his travels.

When you treat your pet for fleas, you also need to wash his pet bedding and treat your home, too. If your dogs has fleas - you have fleas in your house. Bug sprays designed to kill fleas continue to kill the pests for 30-90 days and flea powder sprinkled on carpets can be vacuumed a few minutes later along with the dead fleas. Once the pests are eliminated, your home and your dog will be protected by dog flea medicines.

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