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There is hardly a shortage of
options in treating dog fleas,
but some may be more effective
on your dog than others. If
you’re new to the game, you
should probably allot some time
for experimentation to find the
method that works best on your
dog.
Q: My
flea treatments don’t seem to
work anymore. What happened?
A: There’s a good chance that
the fleas you’re currently
dealing with have developed some
sort of resistance to the
products you’ve been using,
especially if you’ve been using
them exclusively for some time.
Don’t panic, though. Just
because they have developed an
immunity to a certain treatment
doesn’t mean they are no longer
vulnerable to others.
Mix it up for a while. Try out
some alternative remedies; they
are plenty for you to choose
from. You may even be able to go
back to the old treatment after
some time and notice that it is,
once again, effective.
Q: Are
natural remedies just as
effective as the chemical-based
flea killers out on the market
today?
A: Contrary to popular opinion,
natural remedies may be just as
effective as chemical-based
products in treating dog fleas.
Natural remedies ? which are
sometimes referred to as ?home
remedies? because the materials
needed for them are typically
found at home ? are capable of
killing dog fleas in great
numbers just like their chemical
counterparts, albeit not as
quickly.
Though they oftentimes lack the
the immediate effect of chemical
foggers, sprays, and powders,
they also lack their
considerable health risks,
making them a popular option for
the safety-conscious.
Q: I
finally got rid of the fleas on
my dog, but there’s still a lot
running around the house. How do
I get rid of these pests before
they set up camp on my pooch
again?
A: There’s no better way of
killing dog fleas fast than the
use of chemicals foggers. These
flea killers cover vast areas
all at once, speeding up the
body count exponentially.
Foggers are notorious for
leaving certain areas untreated,
however, so you may want to
follow up with a spray to be
sure. Spray the spots behind and
underneath all furniture, as
well as the far ends of the room
to do away with potential
survivors.
If you’re against using
chemicals, feel free to try this
reliable home remedy: salt.
Surprisingly, table salt does
wonders for flea control.
Sprinkling salt all over the
floors of your house (paying
special attention to areas you
suspect might have an
overabundance of fleas) should
keep the number of fleas at a
minimum.
Q: I kill more and
more fleas everyday, but they still keep
coming. Why is that and how do I make them
stop?
A: The reproduction rate of fleas would
truly be something to behold if we didn’t
have to suffer as a result of it. Just
think: one flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day,
and up to 2000 in its lifetime. Add this to
the fact that eggs can hatch in a a matter
of days under adequate conditions, and
you’ll have an idea why they keep coming in
even greater numbers than before.
The trick is not to focus on killing dog
fleas, but breaking their life cycle. Many
chemical products act as Insect Growth
Regulators (IGRs) which render live fleas
incapable of reproduction. Making use of
these should assure you that you won’t be
treating dog fleas a month after you’ve
killed off your current batch of
bloodsuckers.
Q: Do I have to buy
IGRs separately from the other chemical
products I use for treating dog fleas?
A: Not necessarily. There are actually some
products that act as both adulticides and
IGRs, saving you money, time, and effort.
Adulticides, as their name implies, do away
with dog fleas, while the IGRs make sure
that any survivors won’t be able to
reproduce and spawn entire armies of fleas
to once again stage an invasion.
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