Gfpuppyhousekennels: July 2009

Yes, I always have fleas & ticks problem on my own dogs. I've gone through the bad, the ugly and the worst. There's once my house is infested until those little criminals went creeping through my neighbors' houses. I can hear my neighbor's aunty screaming top of her lung to avoid her precious grandkids playing near the infected area. I feel so ashamed and bad at this problem.

First of all, let me guide through you about fleas & ticks.

Taken from http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-health/~/media/All%20PHZ%20Images/Article%20images/27flea.ashx
Fleas

Taken from http://blog.ecosmart.com/wp-content/ticks.jpg

Taken from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Ticks_1.jpg
Ticks

We have to know fleas birth cycle in order to understand more.

Fleas go through three cycle of life; larva, pupa, and imago (adult).
The flea life cycle begins when the female lays egg after feeding on blood. Eggs are laid in batches of up to 20 or so, usually on the host itself, which easily roll onto the ground. As such, areas where the host rests and sleeps become one of the primary habitats of eggs and developing fleas. The eggs take around two days to two weeks to hatch.

Flea larvae emerge from the eggs to feed on any available organic material such as dead insects, feces, and vegetable matter. They are blind and avoid sunlight, keeping to dark places like sand, cracks and crevices, and bedding. I found a lot of them hiding between the black lines of ceramic tiles. After another week or two, the adult flea is fully developed and ready to emerge from the cocoon. They may however remain resting during this period until they receive a signal that a host is near - vibrations (including sound), heat, and carbon dioxide are all stimuli indicating the probable presence of a host. I saw wave of fleas run/jump towards my dog's direction in fast speed when my dog enters my living room.

Once the flea reaches adulthood its primary goal is to find blood in order to reproduce. Adult fleas only have around a week to find food once they emerge, though they can survive two months to a year between meals. A flea population is unevenly distributed, with 50 percent eggs, 35 percent larvae, 10 percent pupae, and 5 percent adults. Their total life cycle can take as little as two weeks, but may be lengthened to many months if conditions are favorable. Female fleas can lay 500 or more eggs over their life.

Taken from http://www.sapestcontrol.com/PestLibPics/Fleas.jpg

Once you understand these, the only way to get rid of the fleas, is to break their life cycle.

More details info can be read at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea

Okay, now we know we need to get rid of these pesky fleas & ticks.

What's the best way or solution?

I used specific shampoo for flea & tick to treat these kind of matters.
Often the shampoo's label wrote lather up all the fur with shampoo and leave it on them for at least 5 mins, avoid the eyes and the ears area of your dog. The shampoo can't be reapply after 2 weeks later.

Using these kind of shampoo really does help a lot. Still, it's not perfect as it say can't be use near the area of eyes and ears. All the fleas & ticks hide toward the non shampooed area. Bathing with this shampoo doesn't kill the fleas in one time use. To wait for 2 weeks to reapply products just doesn't break the life cycle of the fleas & ticks. HOWEVER, I still recommend to bath them with flea & tick shampoo as one of the step to get rid of them.

What's next?

I know what I'm going to say next going to be a troublesome ways for most of the dogs' owner. I use flea comb to find the flea from starting of my dog's nose till the end of the tail. Search at the nook & cranny area like armpits, butt, paws, ears, below the mouth area, etc. Best is to check through every furry place. My crocker doesn't let me use the flea comb around his face especially eyes area, so I need to have use my fingernail to pluck those fleas & ticks out. For the first time, they might not as willing to let u go so near their eyes. But after a while, the comfort of having no biting/pains caused by fleas & ticks, they are mostly happy to let you to do this kind of action.

Ears have a good type of ear lotion to get rid of the fleas & ticks. You have to apply for few many times till none of them left inside.

How do you kill the fleas & ticks after using the comb to get them out from the dog?

This is a way teach by Nicole. I found it very effective, easy and safe.

Prepare a bucket with at least one quarter or half of water. Just drop the fleas & ticks inside of the bucket, watch them drown while struggling.

I scared just water might not be enough, so I added the water with Dettol solution.

It does kill them faster. Do not throw the bucket of water immediately, at least let it sit in for a day or so.

Sometimes, when the fleas & ticks is too hard to find especially when dog have very thick fur, I shaved them first. I think shaving make it easier to spot the fleas & ticks and can see the skin disease your dog have caused from the bites.

My dog after shaved

Flea Collar for prevention?

Yes, flea collar is very useful and effective. I have tried this solution before but because I have two dogs, my milinois love to bites on crocker's neck for fun. The flea collar contains toxic material so it's not good for dog to lick them. Flea collar is best for dog that spend of their time in cage or doesn't have two dogs love biting each other neck. LoL. Please wash your hand after you put on the flea collar on dogs too.

Is there any easy way?

Yes, using flea & tick drop is quick and easy. It is effective too.

Advantix

Frontline

Frontline combo even kills the egg.

What about the environment?

Bayticol

Bayticol is a super strong solvent and very effective. It need to mix 5ml to 1000ml of water. Just spray to dog's fur, or bath the dog using the water solution to kill the fleas & ticks. Spraying the environment with this bayticol really works. Attention, please handle with care when mixing the solvent and water.

pressure sprayer sample can be bought at most supermarket.

Flea Powder is also a choice opt by many users.

I personally never use any dog flea's powder on my dog because my dogs like to lick each other. I remember my father used dog flea powder on the once used to be my puppy before, it works wonder.

Fleas & ticks problem is an issue to be taken seriously. Because it makes your dog sick, have skin diseases, looses fur and health worsen.

Love your dog, kill the ticks!

Post by Bethamy

I'm sharing own my opinion based on my own experiences with the usage of the products. If you found my ways are not helpful, you can look up more ways or read the links below.

http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/fleas-ticks.html

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_InsectPrevention.php

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