Friday, November 2, 2012

Good Dog Grooming for Flea Control

By Allyson Westcot


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

Look when you clean and brush your dog. Look for "flea dirt," which looks like fine, dark dirt on your dog. This is the flea waste that's left on the skin. Glance at the bathwater, as well. Fleas can easily jump off the outside of clean water. But water with a little soap in it makes it nearly impossible for them to gain traction, drowning them.

If you see dead fleas after a dog's bath, plan to groom your dog with a flea comb daily. Keep a small container of water close by into which you have 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 are working tirelessly to prevent one, take a look at your dog right after each walk or session spent outside. It can usually help to flea comb your pet before bringing her inside, particularly if you're already struggling with a flea problem.

While a collar can permit you to comb more of your dog's fur better than a dog harness, the harness might be a wiser choice for an intensive outdoor combing. Fleas often gather around the neck area where a collar sits.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment