How to get rid of fleas
The most common question asked when you have checked for fleas and you know your puppy or dog does have them is how to get rid of fleas.
If your puppy is younger than six weeks, bathe him in your sink in warm water with a dishwasher detergent added to it. Make sure the water is warm not hot. A popular detergent recommended by dog breeders is called Dawn.
Place your puppy in the water and make sure the water covers him up to his neck. Wet his face with a face cloth.
Lift him out and massage the detergent in to his body; the fleas will run up to his head so be extra diligent around his neck, ears, face and under his chin.
When you have finished his massage, place him back into the water for a rinse. Hold him so the water covers him including his face but be quick so your puppy does not become too stressed and then wrap him up in a towel. Rub him dry so he does not get cold.
While your puppy’s fur is damp use a flea comb to kill off the fleas. If you are having trouble taking the fleas off with the comb use your finger and thumbnail. Drop the fleas into a cup of boiling hot water as they can jump out of cold water.
One tip is to put a little bit of Vaseline on the teeth of the flea comb to stop fleas escaping. If your puppy is over six weeks old then use a flea treatment for dogs such as Frontline.
There are many flea treatments, flea collars and flea rinses on the market. Check the labels as some chemicals in flea treatments can be dangerous to a puppy if it is less than six weeks old.
[…] you have a puppy or dog that had fleas and you have treated him for fleas then the next positive action is to start getting rid of the fleas in your home. This must be the […]
You can actually just do a water dip without and detergent. It is better to use oatmeal shampoo instead of a harsh detergent.
The soap actually breaks down the external part of the flea so that they drown.
I am glad you suggested non-toxic ways to address this issue–most people are not aware that adult fleas make up only 5% of a flea infestation so it is important to make sure that you also clean up the environment (both inside and out) to eradicate the fleas.