Killing Dog Fleas--Difficult To Do But Worth The Effort

Have you every stopped to wonder why killing dog fleas is such a big deal? In general, everyone agrees that fleas should not be allowed to continue feasting on your best friend, but not everyone knows exactly why. Knowing more about the danger that fleas represent to your dog will ensure that you work a little harder at killing dog fleas and improving your dog's health and comfort.

Fleas are notoriously hard to spot. They can jump around so quickly that you may not even be able to locate them. Being able to see much more than a tiny dark speck would require superhuman eyesight. And yet, fleas seem to be built for survival, regardless of their small size.

The flea's ability to survive and thrive is completely unrelated to his size. It's no wonder that some pranksters came up with the idea of a flea circus. They can really perform some amazing acts, like jumping distances as great as 200 times their own length. These world-class long jumpers can hitch a ride on almost any host that wanders by. No invitation is needed, they just hop on.

After they've arrived on their new host (your dog), they have no problem staying hidden in the abundant fur. Your dog may unwittingly hide hundreds of fleas before you even know that they're in town.

Once you've spotted the fleas, it's still only the beginning of the battle. Fleas are very difficult to kill, much more so than your typical insect. It's almost impossible to kill them by crushing or squashing. If you don't follow through totally, they'll be able to hop back on your dog and continue where they left off.

Remember, killing dog fleas is difficult when you only have a few. You may be faced with an infestation of thousands. If not, you will be. Adult fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day. At that rate, it won't take long for a small flea village to mushroom into a full-fledged flea capital. All nestled neatly in the nap of your dog's fur.

Given the difficulty of dealing with these ferocious fleas, why put up a fight at all? Why is it so necessary to evict the fleas from your dog's fur?

In the first place, fleas eat blood. And they're not the least be petite about it. Every single flea bites up to 400 times a day, and takes in their own weight in blood with every bite. That's every single flea. Extend the damage out by whatever number of fleas exist, and you see how quickly things get ugly and uncomfortable.

Your dog's not going to reason this thing through. He's going to scratch, because all he knows is that he's itching and the scratching helps. Thing is, he'll keep scratching until he scratches through his own skin. This kind of damage leads to hair loss, skin disorders, even wounds.

If your dog is allergic to fleas, that could be an even bigger problem. Don't assume because your dog is big, or extra furry or seemingly tolerant of the fleas, that the fleas aren't a problem. As long as fleas are present on your pet, killing dog fleas should be a top priority. They are a daily danger to your dog's health and well-being.

Keep in mind though that a serious flea infestation will be hard to get rid of. You'll need to be committed to your dog's health, educated about the options available for killing dog fleas, and willing to follow through consistently.