Monday, November 5, 2012

Good Dog Grooming for Flea Control

By Allyson Westcot


Keeping your dog brushed and keeping her fur clean goes a great distance toward stopping an infestation. By regularly grooming your dog, you'll become mindful of a flea problem before it gets out of control. While it's not unusual to find a single flea or maybe even a couple on your dog after coming in from outside, it also could be a sign that they are already in the house. If you're finding more than the stray flea now and then shortly after coming inside, you may have a problem indoors.

Watch when you wash and brush your dog. Look for "flea dirt," which looks like fine, dark dirt on your dog. This is the flea waste that is left behind. Glance at the bathwater, too. Fleas can easily jump off the outside of fresh water. But water with a little soap in it makes it very difficult for them to gain traction, drowning them.

If you notice dead fleas after a dog's bath, plan to check your dog with a flea comb daily. Keep a tiny container of water close by into which you've squirted a drop or two of dish soap. As you flea comb your pet, dip the comb with the fleas you comb loose into the water to kill them.

When you grab the leash and head on those daily walks, fleas wait in hiding for your pet. If you happen to have got a flea problem or you're working hard to prevent one, take a look at your dog straight after each walk or session spent outside. It can even help to flea comb your pet before bringing her inside, particularly if you are already fighting a flea problem.

While a collar can allow you to comb more of your dog's fur better than a dog harness, the harness could be a smarter choice for a thorough outside combing. Fleas regularly gather around the neck area where a collar sits.




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