Places where you can get fleas
The main source of infection is the street. Fleas have excellent jumping ability and can easily move from one animal to another.
In the warm season, especially in dry, hot weather, it is possible to find fleas in residential areas. In search of food, these parasites leave their breeding places (usually attics and basements of houses) and enter apartments, where they immediately settle in animal fur.
The main source of flea infestation is the street
Why fleas are dangerous for Chihuahuas
For small breeds of dogs, such as Chihuahuas, fleas pose a particular danger, since small pets only need a few bites from the parasites to become ill.
An allergic reaction to flea bites is especially common. The animal becomes lethargic, inactive, mobility and appetite disappear. When the first symptoms of an allergy appear, you must contact a veterinarian and provide medical assistance to the animal.
Chihuahuas often have an allergic reaction to flea bites
Another consequence of flea infestation is the infection of Chihuahuas with tapeworms. Adult parasites carry helminth eggs; the dog, biting the fleas, swallows the insects and thus becomes infected.
Symptoms and external signs
If your puppy is itching, this does not always indicate fleas. The cause of itching may be a subcutaneous mite or an allergic reaction. You can suspect an allergy if the parasites themselves and traces of their vital activity are not visible. In order to make sure that your puppy has fleas, you can carry out simple express methods.
In the first case, you can wash your pet. Fleas do not like water, so they begin to actively run away, moving away from the water. In the second case, to detect parasites, you need to carefully comb the puppy's fur. It is recommended to use a special comb with thick teeth. Fleas reproduce quickly, so it is easy to see one or more fleas on an affected pet. Sometimes adult parasites are not visible, but traces of their vital activity are noticeable.
The owner must analyze how the puppy became infected with fleas. Very young pets become infected with parasites from their mother. But treatment of a female is allowed only after consultation with a veterinarian.
A specialist will help you choose an insecticide that has minimal harmful effects on the body of a lactating female. If the source of fleas is on another pet, comprehensive treatment is necessary.
Before you start removing fleas from your puppy, you need to take care of preparing the surrounding area. It is important to treat the sleeping area, all carpets and sofas with which the puppy has been in contact. Next, the insecticide is thoroughly washed off, preventing the possibility of poisoning the puppy. When treating the mother, she will also need to be isolated from the puppies for a while to prevent the puppies from licking off toxic substances.
How to determine if a Chihuahua has fleas
often impossible to visually determine whether a Chihuahua baby has fleas, since these parasites are very mobile and do not sit still. The main sign of the appearance of blood-sucking parasites in a dog is a change in the animal’s behavior.
Even the presence of one or two parasites on a Chihuahua can ruin your pet's life. The dog becomes nervous, constantly itches, and tries to bite fleas out of its fur with its teeth. Often the bite sites become inflamed, hair falls out and ulcers appear.
Often the bite sites become inflamed, hair falls out and ulcers appear.
If you suspect that your Chihuahua has fleas, you need to carefully examine the animal's fur and skin. The main sign of flea infection is the presence of traces of parasite activity in the form of small black dots on the dog’s body.
How to rid a Chihuahua of fleas
There are many ways you can help rid your pet of fleas:
Special pet shampoos
There are a huge number of different anti-flea shampoos for dogs on sale. For Chihuahuas, you need to choose a product designed specifically for small breeds of dogs, since such shampoo contains a limited amount of toxic substances that will not harm the pet when used.
For Chihuahuas, you need to choose a product designed specifically for small breeds of dogs.
Zoo shampoos contain special additives that quickly rid the animal of parasites. As a rule, one bathing procedure is enough for fleas to disappear. To prevent re-infestation with fleas, it is recommended to bathe your dog again after 10-12 days.
Flea drops
If your pet does not tolerate water procedures adequately, then you should not bathe it again. In this case, special drops can be used to combat fleas. They are applied to the dog’s withers and distributed evenly throughout the spine. This remedy begins to act within 24 hours , when the medicine is absorbed into the skin and spread throughout the body. During this period, you should try not to pet the dog and protect it from getting water on its fur. The duration of the drug is several weeks.
To combat fleas, you can use special drops
Flea drops are a rather toxic drug, so it is not recommended to use them often.
Aerosols from various parasites
Products in cans are intended for short-term protection of dogs from parasites. The duration of the drug ranges from several days to several weeks. The aerosol is applied to the dog’s fur and distributed evenly over the entire body of the animal using a protective glove.
It is advisable to use such a remedy before a trip to nature in order to protect your pet from attack by parasites.
Flea collar for dogs
A flea collar is a tape impregnated with a special substance, which, upon contact with the animal’s skin, penetrates and spreads throughout the dog’s body. A flea, biting the skin of a victim, is poisoned and dies instantly.
The collar is valid for several months , and the animal must wear it constantly, and not periodically during walks. The collar should fit snugly to the animal's skin, so long-haired Chihuahuas need to have the hair on the neck trimmed. Dogs with short hair can wear the collar without cutting it.
For small Chihuahuas, you need to choose short collars made specifically for small breeds. If it is not possible to purchase such a sample, then you can use a standard collar, shortening it to the desired length.
A flea collar is a tape impregnated with a special substance, which, upon contact with the animal’s skin, penetrates inside and spreads throughout the dog’s body.
The collar is usually used for preventive purposes.
You can also learn how to get rid of fleas on your Yorkshire Terrier.
Drops for older puppies
From 2 months, when the puppies have already been weaned from the bitch, drops are used for antiparasitic treatment. They are applied to the skin, and not to the fur, in those places and folds where the pet will not lick them off (from the back of the head to the withers). The liquid product is produced in the format of disposable pipettes, the contents of which protect the puppy from pests for up to 3 months.
According to reviews from dog owners, the following products show instant results in getting rid of parasites:
- Celandine. A combination of fipronil insecticide and natural repellents.
- Advocate. The product is applied only to the animal’s dry skin, after which the pet cannot be bathed for 5 days. Suitable for puppies from 7 weeks of age. The standard dosage is 0.1 ml per kilogram of animal weight.
- Blokhnet. The line of products even includes products for puppies prone to allergic reactions. The active ingredients are insecticides dimethyl phthalate and fipronil.
- Frontline spot. Suitable for large breed pets weighing from 2 to 10 kg. It has a comprehensive effect, protecting against fleas, lice and lice.
When choosing a product, avoid products containing permethrin. This insecticide causes neurological disorders in young dogs whose functional systems are not fully developed.
Rules for the use of special means
- It is not recommended to use only one flea control product for a long time, as insects develop immunity to the drug.
- All products used must be appropriate for the breed and size of the dog. Preparations developed specifically for small breeds of dogs contain the optimal amount of toxic substances that effectively fight fleas without harming the animal.
Preventive measures to combat fleas
After treatment procedures, you need to regularly carry out preventive measures to prevent re-infection of your pet with fleas.
- First of all, it is necessary to regularly wash and treat the dog’s bedding with special products. This will help prevent flea nesting sites from appearing there.
- Regular checkups with your veterinarian will help identify the early stages of parasite infestation. The treatment provided to the animal will be more effective, and the harm caused by flea bites to the baby Chihuahua will be minimized.
- If the family, in addition to the Chihuahua, has other pets or birds, then they also need to be regularly treated for fleas.
How to handle puppies?
The most important thing in prevention for puppies is treating their mother for parasites. In the first weeks of life, the health and well-being of babies depends entirely on her. Please note that Stronghold flea drops can be used on pregnant and lactating dogs. The safety of the drug has been proven, and the drops will not harm either the mother or the puppies.
Puppies up to 2 months
Unfortunately, not a single drop is suitable for treating such babies against parasites. All you can do is wash the puppies with flea shampoo. Next, our task is to prevent re-infection with parasites; for this it is necessary to treat the mother of the babies and additionally disinfect all the dogs’ household items. You can use Stronghold drops to treat your mother dog. They have an “umbrella effect”, i.e. kill the flea population not only on the animal, but also indoors. The active ingredient Stronghold destroys adult fleas, their eggs and larvae indoors.
Reviews and comments
0 Alla 07/04/2016 20:27 We preferred drops on the withers, we use Vectrov 3D, we really like it, they start to act quickly, they do not act through a bite, they are not toxic, and they also help protect well not only from ticks but also fleas, mosquitoes, flies Now at least we go out and don’t worry about being bitten.
Quote
0 Varya 07/31/2016 07:01 And the most convenient thing for me is to drip drops of Vectra 3D onto my dog’s withers.
The principle of operation is this: an insect that lands on the treated wool immediately loses coordination and immediately falls off the animal without having time to bite it. But most drugs work through a bite, which, as you understand, can be extremely dangerous for a dog. Quote
Features of treatment for puppies
When choosing a drug that will relieve the problem, you need to take into account the age of the baby. The younger he is, the less aggressive the components in the shampoo or drops should be, so as not to further damage or dry out the baby’s skin. In the first 6-8 weeks of his life, it is better to use simple methods of control; they will not be so effective, but safe for health.
To remove fleas from a puppy, it is important not only to use a special product, but also to clean the room at the same time. If there are other pets in the house, they should also be checked for insects.
Fleas on a 1 month old puppy
For a one-month-old puppy, even the most famous companies do not produce products to combat uninvited guests. You should not buy shampoo for older newborns; it is better to opt for traditional and mechanical methods:
- The first way is to bathe the puppy in a strong decoction of wormwood, tansy, wild rosemary or mint. Be sure to ensure that the drops do not get into the ears, nose and eyes. You need to keep your dog in this bath for at least 15 minutes. If all the offspring are infected, then bathe each puppy separately. After bathing and drying, the coat must be thoroughly combed over white paper or cloth to remove any fallen fleas;
- the second method is similar to the first, only using tar soap, which also has a pungent and repellent odor. First, wet the puppy with water and soap it generously, then freeze in a towel and a warm blanket so that he does not freeze, and hold this “mask” for at least 20 minutes. After this time, thoroughly rinse off the foam along with the dead fleas and do not forget about control combing , as in the previous paragraph;
Active ingredients such as herbs and tar will not harm the baby's skin and will not cause irritation or an allergic reaction, even if the puppy is only 2 weeks old. Therefore, they can be used for two-week-old babies and even newborns. But we must not forget about their mother - the main source of trouble.
Fleas on a 2 month old puppy
At this age, the feeding period has already ended and the offspring already have a more developed immune system, milk teeth and a strong physique. Therefore, it will be easier to exterminate fleas from such a puppy, since long-term preventive measures can be used.
- For this age, companies produce a large number of shampoos, but up to six months it is better to choose drugs with a minimum content of poisons, or better without them at all;
- Now you can buy collars designed for puppies and soaked in essential oils. But such a remedy will be ineffective if there are several puppies in the house due to the fact that they will chew each other’s collars and render them unusable;
- drops on the withers should be used based on the instructions and the age of the baby. Again, this method is suitable for a puppy living separately, since others may get poisoned;
- It is possible to use a spray that allows you to quickly and completely remove parasites, which are again allowed for this age. But, as with other products containing insecticides, they are contraindicated in litter.
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That is, if the baby is one of the animals in the house, then all these means are suitable. But if there are two or more of them, then you should be more careful when choosing a flea treatment method.
Fleas on a 3 month old puppy
For dogs of this age, most insecticidal preparations against parasites, which can be easily found in pet stores, are suitable. You can use shampoos and sprays without fear, but again you need to take into account your age. Collars will not be very effective because the puppy has already increased in size and, perhaps, the coat has become longer and thicker.
