Flea Medicines For Dogs May Not Be Safe For Puppies

Though only an itchy irritant to most adult dogs, fleas can be a deadly threat to small puppies. Even a moderate flea population can create life threatening anemia for a tiny pup. Pale gums are a sign of anemia cause by the blood-sucking parasites. Small pups cannot remain healthy if they are infested with fleas.

Most flea products commercially available caution purchasers the product should not be used on puppies of less than seven or eight weeks of age. The one time treatment offered by Capstar may provide relief for pups as it can be used on dogs as young as four weeks. Capstar will kill the adult fleas on your puppy quickly and flea eggs can be eliminated with frequent bathing until the pup is old enough to use flea medicines for dogs.

Bathing is the best flea control for very young puppies. A small amount of Dawn dish liquid or any other mild soap will kill fleas. It is not necessary nor recommended that commercial flea shampoos be used on very young dogs.

For a very small puppy even a few fleas can cause a health risk. If you bathe the dog and then comb with a flea comb you can remove the fleas. However, you need to also treat the area where you keep the puppy and his mother to avoid reinfestation. If necessary, bathe the puppy frequently until he is old enough for you to apply flea drops to his back. Fleas can survive being submersed briefly in water but the dish soap allows the water to penetrate the flea’s defenses and they quickly drown.

Mixing 50% water with 50% Dawn liquid is the preferred method for keeping puppies flea free. Apply first on the dog’s neck all the way around the neckline to keep fleas from fleeing to the puppy’s face and ears. Then apply the mixture along the dog’s spine and wet the animal with a gentle spray of warm water to create a lather. Massage gently for a few minutes and then rinse thoroughly.

The trick to bathing a puppy to kill fleas is to avoid wetting the animal before you apply the soap mix. Applying the water/soap mixture doesn’t give fleas time to react to protect themselves.

At about two months of age you can use flea medicine for dogs to being a lifetime regimen to keep your dog free of fleas. Topical flea drops disrupt the flea life cycle and also kill fleas that may jump on your dog when he is outside. Cleaning his bedding and treating your home also keeps fleas at bay.

Fleas multiply rapidly and are amazingly adaptive. They create new generations of fleas so rapidly that in a years time it’s possible for fleas in your location to become resistant to the flea drops you are using. By changing brands from Advantage to Frontline Plus to Revolution or k9 Advantix once a year you will keep the fleas confused and they won’t have a chance to fight back against your flea medicine for dogs.

Find Capstar flea medicine at http://www.petscriptsdirect.com . Buy direct from a veterinarian at low prices for flea medicines for dogs that can be safely used on young puppies.