Monday, December 10, 2007

Killing Dog Fleas--Difficult To Do But Worth The Effort

Article Title: Killing Dog Fleas--Difficult To Do But Worth The
Effort
Author: Art Turner

Have you every stopped to wonder why killing dog fleas is such
a big deal? In general, everyone agrees that fleas should not be
allowed to continue feasting on your best friend, but not
everyone knows exactly why. Knowing more about the danger that
fleas represent to your dog will ensure that you work a little
harder at killing dog fleas and improving your dog's health and
comfort.

Fleas are notoriously hard to spot. They can jump around so
quickly that you may not even be able to locate them. Being able
to see much more than a tiny dark speck would require superhuman
eyesight. And yet, fleas seem to be built for survival,
regardless of their small size.

The flea's ability to survive and thrive is completely
unrelated to his size. It's no wonder that some pranksters came
up with the idea of a flea circus. They can really perform some
amazing acts, like jumping distances as great as 200 times their
own length. These world-class long jumpers can hitch a ride on
almost any host that wanders by. No invitation is needed, they
just hop on.

After they've arrived on their new host (your dog), they have
no problem staying hidden in the abundant fur. Your dog may
unwittingly hide hundreds of fleas before you even know that
they're in town.

Once you've spotted the fleas, it's still only the beginning of
the battle. Fleas are very difficult to kill, much more so than
your typical insect. It's almost impossible to kill them by
crushing or squashing. If you don't follow through totally,
they'll be able to hop back on your dog and continue where they
left off.

Remember, killing dog fleas is difficult when you only have a
few. You may be faced with an infestation of thousands. If not,
you will be. Adult fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day. At that
rate, it won't take long for a small flea village to mushroom
into a full-fledged flea capital. All nestled neatly in the nap
of your dog's fur.

Given the difficulty of dealing with these ferocious fleas, why
put up a fight at all? Why is it so necessary to evict the fleas
from your dog's fur?

In the first place, fleas eat blood. And they're not the least
be petite about it. Every single flea bites up to 400 times a
day, and takes in their own weight in blood with every bite.
That's every single flea. Extend the damage out by whatever
number of fleas exist, and you see how quickly things get ugly
and uncomfortable.

Your dog's not going to reason this thing through. He's going
to scratch, because all he knows is that he's itching and the
scratching helps. Thing is, he'll keep scratching until he
scratches through his own skin. This kind of damage leads to
hair loss, skin disorders, even wounds.

If your dog is allergic to fleas, that could be an even bigger
problem. Don't assume because your dog is big, or extra furry or
seemingly tolerant of the fleas, that the fleas aren't a
problem. As long as fleas are present on your pet, killing dog
fleas should be a top priority. They are a daily danger to your
dog's health and well-being.

Keep in mind though that a serious flea infestation will be
hard to get rid of. You'll need to be committed to your dog's
health, educated about the options available for killing dog
fleas, and willing to follow through consistently.

About The Author: Killing dog fleas isn't easy. Get help at
http://killingdogfleas.blogspot.com/

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Your information on killing fleas is very accurate and useful.

I have written a complete guide on dog skin parasites including fleas, various types of mites (scabies, ear, demodectic), ticks, and other nasty little bugs that can live on your dogs skin. I hope your readers find it useful:
Dog Skin Parasites - External Parasites and Their Treatments