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 Summer is fast approaching. It is once again that time of the year to have some outdoor with your pets; from playing catch in the sunny fields and sandy beaches to swimming in the warm ocean. Sadly, the same season comes with your pet's worst pest: the dog flea. The warm weather facilitates their breeding and infestation of pests.
Soon dogs will be going into scratching frenzies, damaging their skin and leaving a trail of fur on your carpets and floors. Such infestations call for effective interventions to get rid of dog fleas. It needs a holistic approach that incorporates the use of dog flea medicine and treatments aimed at preventing re-infestation. Below are some of the best pest flea treatments for dogs:

Pest control for dog fleas is a broad field, both in the pharmaceutical world and for veterinary practitioners. There's a wide array of medical products designed to get rid of dog fleas. They use chemicals that are strong enough to eliminate pests, but still safe for your pet's health. These methods are listed below:

Best pest flea treatment for dogs

1. Pills.
2. Topical medicine.
3. Chewable oral medicine.
4. Dog flea collars.
5. Flea spray for dogs.
6. Shampoos.

All these are effective pest control methods for dog fleas. They offer different approaches of combating fleas. Below is an in-depth description of each method, with recommendations of some of the best products in each.





Flea pills

This is the go-to method for most pet owners. It is a simple method yet very effective. The pills used contain finopril and s-methoprene. Finopril kills adult stages of various pests including fleas, ticks, and mites, while s-methoprene disrupts the life cycle of the eggs and larvae.

 A full dose regimen often achieves total eradication of fleas from your pet. It also remains active for close to a month, thus preventing your dog from re-infestation. It is currently the best pest flea treatment for dogs and cats.

Frontline Plus is a market brand for this drug. It is of good quality and has proven effective in getting rid of dog fleas.

Administering the pill is not that hard. You simply have to hide it in your dog's favorite treats. Most people use cheese, but whatever snack your dog guzzles up easily should be fine.

It is always advisable to consult your veterinary doctor before starting your dog on this treatment, as it is a pharmaceutical product. 

 Vets are conversant with this problem, as it forms a significant of their consultations in dog flea season. They will be able to recommend the right drug and at the right dosage.

Despite being one of the most effective dogs flea medicines, it still has its shortcomings. The major one is that t is not effective against the egg, and larval stages of the flea. 

 Therefore, it does not achieve complete extermination, and your dog is susceptible to re-infection once the drug wears off.


Topical creams for better result to prevent fleas on your dog

Topical creams are equally effective in attaining pest control for dog fleas. It is a simple treatment that involves the application of the cream on your dog's skin. This is a method preferred by many due to its spot-on nature; you apply it once, and forget about fleas for the next 30days.

If you are looking for a quick way to get rid of dog fleas, then this is the go-to treatment. The cream starts eliminating adult fleas and eggs within 3-5minutes of application, and larvae within 20minutes. 

 This is due to the action of pyriproxyfen which rapidly acts on all the stages of fleas, lice, and mites. After 12hours from the time of application, your dog will be flea free. An example of a good market brand is Advantage Plus II. It works well for dogs, cats, and other pests.

Application of the cream is quite easy: you apply the cream on the skin around your dog shoulders. For smaller dogs, you may need to apply on the back and around the hips too.

It is arguably one of the best pest flea treatment options as its effect lasts for a month, and is effective against all stages in the flea lifecycle. This offers complete protection. The only downside is that it may irritate your pet's skin.

Chewable oral medicine

This unique dog flea medicine works in an unconventional way to keep fleas off your dog's fur. After ingesting the medicine, your dog produces a distinct odor that is repulsive to fleas and other bugs.

The active agents in this drug are fully natural ingredients. They encompass vitamin complexes and essential oils that not only repel fleas but also improve your dog's nutritional profile. Flea Away is an example of a market brand for this product.

Administering this drug is even easier than pills. It comes in a chewable formulation that is flavored to appeal to your dog's taste. You simply have to mix it with your dog's food and watch him chew it down.

The downside of this treatment is that its only preventive. You will need to use other methods to get rid of the fleas that have already infected your dog.

This is a popular flea treatment method. A good number of pet owners spray their dogs routinely throughout the flea season. It is another spot-on treatment method, just like creams, making it one of the best pest flea treatments for dogs.


The active agents in the sprays are often similar to those used in oral pills and topical creams. Frontline Plus is an example of such a spray. It contains finopril, a chemical that kills all adult forms of fleas, lice, mites, and ticks on contact. The spray formulation is also water resistant, thus allowing your pet to play in the water while retaining the active drug. Contrary to some beliefs, the chemicals used in flea sprays for dogs are completely safe for them.



Flea sprays have the advantage of being easy to apply. The formulations are available in solution form, so you simply use a spray can apply it on your dog's shoulder blades and backs. A single thorough spray is often effective enough to protect your dog for a month.



The possible disadvantage of flea spray for dogs is that it may irritate your dog's skin or that of anyone who comes into contact with it. So you may need to minimize contact with your dog for the first few hours after application.


Dog flea collars

There are medically treated collars that are effective against fleas. These collars qualify to be listed as dog flea medicine because they contain pharmaceutical grade agents.

The collar is treated with a huge load of insecticides. It then releases the insecticide in small amounts to your dog's skin. The medicine then spreads to the dog's entire skin, killing all fleas on contact. The amount of insecticide on the collar gradually decreases with time and eventually stops offering protection. Most of them last beyond 6months.

A good dog flea collar that is currently available in the market is the Seresto flea and tick collar. It utilizes a combination of two insecticides: flumethrin and imidacloprid. This gives your pet 8 months protection against.

It is one of the easiest ways to control flea infestations. You simply purchase a collar and place it around your dog's collar and forget about fleas until next flea season.



Use Flea shampoo for your dog

This is another popular method of achieving pest control for dog fleas. It involves the use of shampoos containing dog flea medicine. Most pet shampoos contain a minimal amount of insecticides that target fleas, but there are those that are specifically meant for treatment of infestations.

There are two categories of anti-flea shampoos: natural and pharmaceutical. The natural shampoos use ingredients such as lemon, apple cider vinegar oil, and lavender to kill and repel fleas. Pharmaceutical shampoos contain pyrethrins and other topical insecticides.

The pharmaceutical shampoos are more effective in eliminating fleas but may irritate your dog's skin and hands. You have to use gloves when handling such shampoos. The natural shampoos, on the other hand, are more effective in preventing an infestation than treating infected dogs. They are not that effective against the egg and larvae stages.

An advantage of using this treatment method is that it involves a bath. The bath not only eliminates the fleas but also cleans your pets from all other dirt and bugs and improve their grooming. It is also a good way to play and bond with your dog.

We would strongly recommend the use of flea shampoos alongside other treatment methods. It is hygienic and offers an effective way of getting rid of all the fleas from your dog's skin. It should be the first step taken before proceeding to any other treatment.



Pest control for dog fleas requires a multi-angle approach

Total eradication of fleas requires the integration of several treatment options. The use of dog flea medicines takes down only one head of this multi-headed beast. You need to put in additional measures to ensure that your dog is free from fleas. And these methods involve prevention of re-infection.

Get Rid of Fleas in your house


By the time your dog is scratching its neck like it's the end of the world, fleas have already established themselves in your home. They are not only present on your dog's skin, but also on any other surface that serves as a warm hideout. Your carpets, rugs, and staircases are most likely harboring both egg and larval stages of fleas. If your dog sleeps on your bed, then your bed sheets are likely infected too. All these need to be treated in order to achieve pest control for dog fleas.

Vacuuming


Vacuuming is a form of dog flea medicine. You need to vacuum your house on a regular basis. Pay special attention to carpets with dense fabric. These are often great hideouts for flea eggs. Use vacuum cleaners with high suction power. You need to thoroughly work on the section your dog sleeps in as this is most likely the most infested area.

Cleaning with warm water


Bed sheets, rugs, and if possible your carpets, need to be washed with warm water. The ordinary detergent cannot get rid of fleas. Warm water is however very effective. The thermal heat from the water damages all stages of the flea. Set your washing machine to the highest temperature possible, and run the load a bit longer than usual. This will achieve full extermination of the fleas.

Your yard and outdoor spaces


The fleas on your dog's skin always have a source. The most common places for breeding are grasses and warm soil. The warm, humid weather of the summer fosters multiplication of fleas. It also makes them active, and hop from point to point until they land on your dog's skin. These breeding grounds need to be treated.
There are several products available for treating your outdoor spaces. 


These include: Insecticide sprays

Most of these are pyrethrin-based insecticides. They come in liquid form that requires dilution before spraying. They are meant for use in outdoor spaces, or unoccupied indoor spaces. You can use such sprays on your lawn, garden, flower beds, and any other outdoor space. They often achieve full extermination of fleas, ticks, mites and all other insects in your yard.

You, however, need to take safety measures when using these sprays. Wear safety gear while spraying, and ensure children don't play outside for a day or two after using these sprays.
Diatomaceous earth powder and spray

This is a natural way of treating your outdoor space. Diatomaceous earth is an extract from algae. It is toxic to flea eggs, thus preventing their breeding. It offers the advantage of not killing all the insects in your yard, thus maintaining its stable ecosystem.

In conclusion, achieving pest control for dog fleas is a huge challenge that pet owners have to deal with yearly. There's always a wide array of products being sold as dog flea medicine, making it hard to identify the most effective method. The above list summarizes for you the best flea treatment methods for dogs. I would, however, recommend you consult your vet before starting your dog on medication.