February 22, 2012
Posted in Flea & Tick Preventatives, How to, Pet Health, Pet Meds

Young puppies are susceptible to many conditions, as they haven't gotten many vaccinations and their immune systems are still gaining strength. If your puppy gets fleas, it is important to know how to tackle the problem based on its age – not all flea treatments are created equal.

Puppies younger than 4 weeks old should not be treated with flea preventatives or other pet products designed to kill fleas. Instead, you should bath the pooch in warm water, then manually remove the insects with tweezers or a flea comb such as the Resco Pro-Series Flea Comb.

Puppies that are older than 12 weeks can be treated for fleas like adult dogs, generally. The first step to rid these pooches of the infestation is to use a pet shampoo or spray designed to kill fleas. Try a bath with Be Flea Free Shampoo, and spray the pup with Be Flea Free Spray for relief from the bugs between baths. This step should immediately kill the fleas, completing the first step of your battle against the infestation.

The next step is to give your puppy a flea preventative. You can start your young canine on Sentinel once it is 4 weeks or older, Revolution once it is 6 weeks or older, or Frontline Plus or Pet Armor once it is 8 weeks old. Make sure it has been at least 24 hours since the puppy's last bath before you apply any topical flea treatments.

It is also crucial that you treat other pets in the household for fleas if they are not already on monthly flea, tick and heartworm preventative pet drugs like Comfortis. Otherwise, your puppy's problem could become a full-blown infestation among all of your animals.

The last step is to treat your entire home and yard for fleas. In addition to nestling up in your puppy's fur, fleas get in your carpet, pillows, couches and grass, so sometimes just treating your pup for the problem is not enough. A product like the Virbac Knockout Fogger is effective at killing fleas, flea eggs and other pests for up to seven months. However, if you prefer a more natural approach, try Bio Spot Fogger. It is important to remove your pets from the area while using any of these products, and not allow them back in for about two hours. 

Related posts:

1. How to remove fleas on kittens
2. How fleas can affect your feline
3. Fleas: Not just an indoor problem
4. Keep your puppy flea free
5. How to wean a puppy