Note: That Mutt as well as 1-800-PetMeds® have partnered to bring you this post.
Is it risk-free to put flea prevention on a puppy?
The short response is, yes, there are a number of choices of flea prevention products you can select from for puppies as young as 4 weeks old.
Longer response … everything depends upon your special situation, the age of your puppy as well as comfort level.
I utilize a topical flea prevention on my weimaraner puppy, although I desire he didn’t requirement any type of flea prevention.
I brought Remy house when he was 8 weeks old, as well as I provided him a dose of topical flea prevention when he was 10 weeks. We selected a product our vet made a decision was okay for a puppy of Remy’s age.
Flea prevention is one of those topics where every pet dog owner has to comprise her own mind about what is finest for her own puppy. What is finest for MY puppy is not necessarily finest for somebody else’s puppy.
Which kinds of flea prevention products are risk-free for puppies?
Obviously all of us want to limit the amount of chemicals we put on our own bodies as well as on our pets, however puppies are particularly difficult since they are smaller, a lot more sensitive as well as still developing.
Most flea prevention products do not need a prescription, however I suggest you go over with your puppy’s vet what is the most proper as well as risk-free flea prevention choice based on your puppy’s age, the time of year as well as the danger of fleas in your area.
Ideally your puppy won’t requirement any type of flea & tick prevention! however unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Natural choices for flea prevention on puppies
Before you put any type of potentially toxic chemicals on your puppy, I suggest you look into some natural options. They may be all you need.
Not only are these normally safer for your puppy however they’re normally less costly too.
Natural anti-flea sprays & shampoos for puppies as well as dogs
Natural anti-flea sprays as well as shampoos can be utilized for stopping fleas in the very first place, however you might likewise utilize them if your puppy already has fleas.
Some anti-flea sprays as well as shampoos are risk-free for puppies, however you’ll want to inspect the minimum age as well as weight suggestion on the certain product you choose. (Each product is different.)
1-800-PetMeds® brings the Natural Chemistry natural Flea & Tick Spray, which can be utilized on puppies. According to PetMeds, the product kills fleas as well as ticks on get in touch with for as much as seven days. Just ask your vet before utilizing it on puppies under 4 weeks old.
Another choice is natural Chemistry’s natural flea & tick shampoo. This product likewise kills fleas on contact. Plus, giving your puppy a gentle bath assists with flea control in general because (ideally anyway) a lot of of the fleas will drown in the bath water.
A flea comb
A flea comb is the very best choice for getting rid of fleas on newborn pups under 4 weeks of age, according to PetMeds.
There are no dangers or prospective side impacts with utilizing a flea comb as you are just utilizing it to carefully comb the fleas off of your puppy’s coat. See: How to utilize a flea comb.
It’s unlikely puppies this young will have fleas unless you foster a litter from a shelter or take in a stray mom pet dog who transfers fleas to her pups. If that’s the case, ask your vet about the very best method to treat the mom pet dog for fleas if she is likewise in your care. Do any type of of you have any type of experience with this? I’d like to hear about what you did to handle the fleas.
You can likewise try utilizing a flea comb on older puppies or adult dogs, particularly if you already see fleas (or “signs” of them) on your pet. A flea comb can be utilized with other flea prevention products as well as you might utilize the comb every day.
Food grade diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth is a compound made of crushed fossils of freshwater organisms as well as marine life, according to Dogs naturally Magazine. It is deadly to insects yet harmless to animals. It obviously works by dehydrating the insect or parasite.
I gotten some DE for my puppy to put on his bed linen as well as in his food in the hope that it would work as a natural de-wormer as well as flea prevention.
I didn’t utilize it consistently sufficient to state whether it made a difference. After I saw one flea on my puppy, I panicked as well as gotten a chemical, topical flea prevention product.
“Spot on” topical flea prevention products
There are some natural “spot on” flea prevention products you can look into in addition to the natural choices I pointed out above.
Unfortunately, often natural products don’t work, as well as to manage fleas in your house you may requirement to think about utilizing some spot-on products that do consist of chemicals.
Here are some examples of topical flea-prevention products thought about risk-free for puppies, according to 1-800-PetMeds®. You would want to inspect with your puppy’s vet to be sure since each product has its own minimum age + weight recommendation. all of these products are offered with 1-800-PetMeds®.
Spot on topical flea-prevention products for puppies:
K9 Advantix II: For pups 7 weeks+
Frontline Plus: For pups 8 weeks+
Chewable flea-prevention tablets for puppies:
Trifexis: For pups 8 weeks+ (Prescription required)
NexGard: For pups 8 weeks+ (Prescription required)
There are other examples. These are just a few!
I use chemical flea prevention products on my animals, including my puppy, because:
1. We can’t use natural topical flea prevention products at our home because of allergies.
2. We kept having flea infestations up until I put ALL my family pets on topical flea-prevention products.
3. My senior pet dog has a severe skin condition as well as I can’t danger him getting flea bites on top of that.
While it’s general “safe” to utilize spot-on flea prevention with puppies of the proper age, I believe there are prospective long-lasting dangers of putting chemicals on a dog’s body.
As with anything else, it’s all about weighing the pros as well as cons as well as making the very best options for your own family. likewise keep in mind that just since a product is “natural” does not indicate it won’t cause an allergic reaction or other health and wellness issues.
When chemical “spot on” treatments are your only option
Since I utilize flea prevention products that consist of chemicals, I do what I can to try to keep the amount of chemicals to a minimum. right here are a couple of tricks that work for me personally, however keep in mind this is going against the product’s label for maximum effectiveness.
1. I treat them every 5 to 7 weeks instead of every 4. Especially in the winter. You may be able to avoid flea prevention entirely in the winter, depending upon where you live.
2. I buy the dose below my pet’s weight. I don’t do this for my pet dog Ace, however I do this with my cats. They are both at least 9 pounds however I buy the “small cat” dose of flea prevention for cats 6 to 9 pounds. It still works.
(The above is what I do personally, as well as not a suggestion from 1-800-PetMeds or veterinarians.)
Note: Flea prevention must be discussed with your pet’s veterinarian. This publish is meant for informational or academic functions only, as well as is meant to be a supplement to, as well as not a substitute for, the expertise as well as expert judgment of your pet’s vet. If your pet is in requirement of urgent or emergency care, get in touch with your pet’s vet immediately.
What do you do for flea prevention at your house? Do you have a puppy or kitten?
In the comments, let me understand what works for you as well as what doesn’t!
1-800-PetMeds® supplies resources on a large range of pet health and wellness topics. I commonly seek advice from the site for info on medications as well as supplements for my pets.
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