Dog Flea Bites: Home Remedies for Your Dog’s Relief

Author: Brandon Roe

Dogs love to play and explore their surroundings, especially when there are other dog playmates around the neighborhood.  But when left unattended, especially in areas where all kinds of filth can be found, some dogs suffer from what is popularly known as “fleas” or “dog flea bites”.  If you’re dog was once a happy and enthusiastic playmate and is now suffering from hair loss and incessant scratching, this could be a case of dog flea bites and should be treated immediately before it becomes worse. 

To be able to understand how dogs suffer from these bites, it is important that you know what really happens when fleas crawl up into the dog’s body and start to bite all over.  Basically when a flea bites, it excretes saliva and other irritating substances that usually cause an allergic reaction in some dogs, making them scratch all over until hair falls off and sores begin to develop.  Such skin eruption is usually characterized by red spots surrounded by a reddened circle or halo, so if you see these kinds of spots on your dog, which is usually either on the lower back or tail, abdomen, and thigh areas, it’s most likely a case of dog flea bites.  If left untreated, the skin disorder will become severe, causing the skin to thicken and darken and hot spots to start developing, which normally appear as red painful sores, which are extremely uncomfortable for your dog. 

Solutions

The good thing about dog flea bites is that there are home remedies which can stop the itching and rid your dog of these parasites.  Here are some remedies that you can apply if you’ve discovered that your dog is suffering from nasty flea bites:

• To be able to prevent the alleviation of inflammation, bathe your dog with cold water to stop the itch and keep him or her clean so that secondary infections won’t occur in the future.  Never use warm or hot water as this could stimulate the itching again and increase the pain of the sores at the same time.

• Most veterinarians and experts suggest using fresh aloe vera and other herbal plants to sooth the inflamed skin of the dog.  Aloe vera is especially recommended since it has significant properties meant to heal and sooth the pains of skin infections and disorders, even on humans. 

• You can add foods with fatty acid (ex. Flaxseed oil) in order to supplement your dog’s diet with foods that have anti-inflammatory effects.  This will be very helpful as it will increase your dog’s chances of healing faster from flea bites. 

If none of these home remedies work for your dog and the condition becomes chronic in nature, it would be best to visit your local vet for observation and stronger medication, which could be in the form of steroid creams or injections.  This will promote faster relief for your dog as well as healing. 

I also strongly recommend you check out natural products that specialize in treating dog flea bites. There are a variety out there but one of the most effective ones I've ever seen contains the Mayan traditional herb Tepezcohuite.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-flea-bites-home-remedies-for-your-dogs-relief-1335143.html

About the Author

Brandon Roe is the author of “The Official Dog Coat and Skin Care Guide”, a comprehensive guide to help you dog maintain a beautiful and healthy coat and clear skin. Get your FREE copy today at http://www.k9klearup.com/guide.

He is also the developer of K9 KlearUp, the worlds only pet balm that helps clear up the 17 most common canine skin and coat problems... Guaranteed or your money back.

Dog Flea Control

Author: Alberto Benatuil

Most dog-owners find that fleas can be quite a problem in summer. Your dog will inevitably bring some home from time to time because fleas are all over the place and contact with them is unavoidable. If your dog has just one or two fleas he will probably not be too bothered with them and you may not even realise he has them. But if there is a larger number of fleas, your house can get infested and that’s when you need to know about dog flea treatment.

Fleas are unpleasant parasites that bite and suck blood, causing itchiness and discomfort. They can also spread other parasites, such as tapeworms. Dog fleas do not live on humans, but they do jump around and bite people, especially when the dog is not around.

If you observe frequent scratching in your dog, chances are he has an infestation, and you may find fleas on his body or in his bed. Once they invade your carpet and upholstery you are likely to start getting bitten, often around the ankles, and you will need to use dog flea products to get rid of them.

Before getting rid of the fleas in your house, you must first treat your dog. Purchase a flea spray or powder or a dog flea shampoo, and follow the instructions. You will probably need to use a fair amount, but it is important do it in a safe way. Make sure you cover your dog’s eyes, nose and mouth when you use the dog flea product, as it can cause irritation to these areas. It might be wise to protect yourself too, so read the label to see if this is advised.

It is easier to apply a dog flea remedy if you have another person to help you. One of you should hold the dog’s head while the other one applies the product. You should take your time over this to make sure you do a thorough job. Begin at the head and work your way down to the tail and legs. To make sure it gets in under the hairs it is best to apply the product against the grain of the coat.

If you find you are not able to do away with all your dog’s fleas, your best course of action is to take him to a groomer for treatment. They will most likely use a bath treatment on your dog, which is probably suitable for home use too.

Fleas reproduce by creating a place to breed (not on the dog). They particularly favour the dog’s bed, so you have to treat it thoroughly with a spray, as well as any other place he may sleep. If your carpeting and furniture is infested you should spray it or buy an insecticide bomb at a hardware store and fumigate the entire house. This involves leaving the house for a few hours so if you should use that method, you must make sure you don’t leave any food out. It should all be stored in sealed containers. Be sure to read the instructions carefully to check whether the product you bought could be harmful to any other pets you may have, for example pet fish, which may need to be removed during the fumigation.

Once you have tackled the live fleas, you have to get rid of the eggs they have left. There are products available to keep these from hatching. Also remember to repeat the treatment on the dog and his bed again after a few days.

You may not be able to avoid fleas altogether, but remember that they are always treatable. And the best treatment is of course prevention, so it is a good idea to get a dog flea collar and have him wear it when you take him outside. You can remove it when he is in the house, and must be sure to take it off if ever it gets wet, to avoid irritation to the dog’s skin.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-flea-control-507601.html

About the Author

Alberto grew up in the Argentinean countryside where he was always in close contact with animals, especially dogs, cats and horses. He spent a lot of time with the local veterinarian, first out of curiosity, and later on as an occasional assistant. Check out his Web site where you will find valuable information that will help you give your pet the best care. http://www.trainingyourpet.net