How to Prevent Fleas in 4 Steps

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How to Prevent Fleas in 4 Steps

Staff Writer · Oct 13, 2009

Learning how to prevent fleas should be a health priority for you and your dog. You don’t want fleas biting your dogs and you don’t want them coming into contact with you or your children. There are certain measures you can take to prevent fleas.

1. Natural Repellents

The first step and an alternative to medications is a natural repellent. You can make one yourself. One homemade recipe to try is a lemon based repellent.

Cut lemon squares and let them soak in hot water for 8 or more hours. Put the juice in a spray bottle and spray behind your dog’s ears, all over its tail and in between the shoulders. The fleas won’t want anything to do with your dog as long as that lemon scent and acidic environment is around. Feeding your dog a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic daily can also repel fleas. You can increase the amount as you see fit, but be careful because large amounts of garlic can cause health problems for your dog (too much garlic can destroy red blood cells in dogs). You can also try adding 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to his water to prevent fleas.

2. Flea Collars

If the natural repellents don’t work at all, use a flea collar. You can use a flea collar regularly to prevent fleas. They can destroy the growth of any flea eggs and kill adult fleas. It’s important to note that some flea collars absorb medication into your dog’s skin, and others release gas that will repel the fleas. Dogs can also be allergic to flea collars. You have to check for any reaction the first couple of days after you put the collar on. If you find that a flea collar isn’t working, try a skin medication.

3. Skin Medications

There are many skin medications that you can apply between your dog’s shoulders to kill existing fleas, or to help prevent future fleas from jumping on your dog. Popular skin medications are sold by Frontline and Advantage. These are safe for your dog and work quickly to kill the fleas at any stage of growth. However, if these don’t kill the fleas on all of your dog’s body, you should give oral medications a try.

4. Oral Medications

These work like skin medications except that your dog takes them orally. Your dog can take it monthly in foods, and it will act to kill fleas quickly and discourage other fleas from biting. Using oral medication is a safe strategy when it comes to flea control for dogs. The medicine travels throughout the body to kill or repel threatening fleas anywhere they land. It’s still best to consult with your veterinarian as to which product to choose.

Be sure to ask your veterinarian at your dog’s next appointment what they recommend on how to prevent fleas. Share any concerns you have about using natural methods versus medications. They can take your particular breed of dog into account and help you come up with a solution that works for you.

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