How to Get Rid of Fleas
Your Dog Doesn’t Have to Suffer Flea Bites
Diana was back from a trip and couldn’t wait to get home—she didn’t expect to be covered in flea bites as soon as she got there!
When she opened her door, she realized she was not alone and that she would have to figure how to kill fleas fast—they were biting her legs! She ran from the house, swiping at her pants, and finally took them off behind a bush.
She had a quick idea for how to get rid of fleas. First, she sprayed her own legs with flea spray, then found the remains of a leftover hamburger and used it to lure her cat through the house to the back door, hoping that all the fleas would jump on the hapless cat. At the back door, she fed him the burger, doused him in flea spray, and led him outside.
Not a perfect solution, but it was the best that could be managed twenty years ago.
How to Kill Fleas Today
You can learn how to get rid of fleas much more easily these days. Flea remedies have changed, especially in the last decade. You may remember the days of soaking your dog or cat, house, and yard in smelly poisons. The time and expense added up, and the fleas bites continued as the fleas just kept on partying.
Today’s products have a higher initial purchase price, but end up being cheaper in the long run because they are so effective. In most circumstances, they need only be reapplied once a month or so. Most of these products are available only through your veterinarian, who can advise how to get rid of fleas best for your situation.
Remember, some discount products advertise that they work just as well, but while they may look similar, they are actually different products. Look for a product with one of the following ingredients:
- Nitenpyram: If your pet is covered in fleas and flea bites and you want them off immediately, reach for this product. It’s an oral medication that will make fleas kick off of your dog within two minutes of giving it. Every flea will be dead within four hours. The drawback? It has almost no residual activity, so it’s mostly a quick fix for heavily infested pets. It’s safe for dogs and cats over four weeks of age and two pounds in weight.
- Imidacloprid: Apply this chemical between the shoulder blades. It will distribute itself all over the pet’s body within a day, and kills fleas for a month. Your pet can get wet, but repeated baths will wash it off. It’s safe for use on dogs over seven weeks of age and cats over eight weeks of age.
- Fipronil: Are ticks also a concern? Use this as a spray or as drops applied between the shoulder blades. This chemical collects in the hair follicles and gradually disperses over the skin surface over time. It kills fleas for up to three months and ticks for a shorter time, and is also resistant to bathing. It’s safe for use on dogs and cats over eight weeks of age.
- Selamectin: Want something that does it all? This chemical takes care of fleas for one month, plus ear mites and several internal parasites, and also acts as a heartworm preventive. Apply a single drop to the back between the shoulder blades. It’s safe for use on dogs over six weeks of age and cats over eight weeks of age.
- Lufenuron and methoprene: Have a flea problem that has spread to the house or yard? These IGRs (insect growth inhibitors) render fleas sterile. Lufenuron tablets are safe for both dogs and cats six weeks of age or older; an injectable form is safe for cats, but not dogs. Methoprene is safe for use on dogs and cats over eight weeks of age.
- Permethrin: Just have a couple of fleas? If fleas aren’t a big problem for you, this old stand-by is a safe quick fix for dogs, but it has almost no residual action. In addition, it can be highly toxic to cats, especially if owners mistakenly use the canine spot application.
Even though these remedies are effective, there’s one problem—fleas are starting to develop resistance to some of them. That’s why you should always use them at the strength and interval directed by your veterinarian. Trying to skimp gives those few semi-resistant fleas a foothold, and in time you may create your own population of “super fleas.” Also, if you want to pull out all the tactics for how to kill fleas, alternate between chemicals each month so that you can catch any fleas resistant to one treatment.
In between treatments, use a flea comb to check for fleas and flea dirt—black granules of flea excrement. Fleas especially like the underside and rump area, but can live anywhere on the pet. Fleas can take over your pet, your home, and your life. Declare war, and take no prisoners! Flea bites don’t have to rule your life.
Caroline Coile, PhD, is an award-winning author of 26 books about dogs. Her own dogs have been top ranked in show, obedience, agility, and coursing competitions, but she most enjoys the time she shares with them at home.