Owning a beautiful long-haired dog like an Lhasa Apso comes with unique challenges and responsibilities. These animals need extra grooming time and attention to make sure their coats stay healthy. One important aspect of this is watching for signs of fleas and knowing the best flea treatment if your pet does catch them. Learning about the symptoms of fleas and possible treatment plans will help proactively keep your dog healthy and happy members of your family.
Before you say, “my dog has fleas”, here are a few flea signs to look for:
– Droppings in a dog’s fur (also called “flea dirt”)
– Hair loss
– Excessive biting, scratching or licking at their fur
– Pale gums
Fleas are hearty little buggers. These pests can live anywhere from days to months on an animal so getting rid of them upon first notice will be an important first step to protecting your pet. And they are excellent jumpers—they can easily hop between animals and environments to get to a new host. They also generally thrive in warm and humid climates as well. If your pet is an outside animal in an environment with warm temperatures, they are more susceptible to fleas.
Once you know that your dog has fleas, there are numerous flea killers or flea shampoo options to treat your pet, to ensure it gets the best flea treatment available. It is important to remember that while there are many flea treatment options available in a store, checking with your veterinarian is a wise step. They will be able to confirm a flea diagnosis and consult with you on the appropriate treatment option for your pet.
One popular flea repellent option is topical treatments that are applied to the back of a dog’s neck. These are generally considered the best flea treatment because they can be used proactively to prevent fleas from choosing your pet as their host. Liquid treatments are available from reputable companies like K9 Advantix, Frontline Plus and Advantage. They are available in any big box store or pet shop and in a variety of strengths and packages.
When choosing these options, pay careful attention to what package you pick up. The treatments vary in strengths based on the size or your pet. Giving a heavier dose, meant for a German Shepherd for example, will be detrimental or hard on the health of your Lhasa Apso and may have adverse effects. Also, liquid treatments may not be the best flea treatment choice as they can vary in whether they only protect against adult fleas or all fleas. Because of the wide variety of medicines available, a consultation with your vet would be advisable.
A similar method of flea treatment available is a flea killer tablet. You can crush a tablet, mix it into your dog’s food and within hours you should notice a significant difference in your dog’s comfort and fleas. Similar to the liquid treatment above, the flea killer tablets work by getting into your pet’s bloodstream; this is what fleas feed upon. The medicine can be extremely effective but the dosage should be watched to make sure your pet receives appropriate quantities.
Another flea treatment option for your afflicted pet is a flea shampoo. These are more natural means of treating your dog’s fleas. Rather than getting into the blood stream, the fleas are attacked from the outside. There are numerous herbal shampoos that contain ingredients that fleas just hate. Garlic, rosemary, lavender, citronella and other herbs in the shampoo combine to kill the fleas. In order for a herbal shampoo to be effective, you should leave the shampoo, completely covering your animal’s fur, to sit for up to 15 minutes before rinsing.
A flea infestation can be a very painful or uncomfortable experience for your furry friend but they can be treated through medicinal or natural means. Before starting treatment for the first time, talk to a vet to see what they recommend as the best flea treatment for your pet.
