How does my dog keep getting fleas? If your dog is constantly being reinfested with fleas after treatment, it is most likely there is an environmental infestation in or around your house. The adult fleas we see on pets represent only 5% of the total population. The other 95% are immature stages in the environment.
Seeing fleas after treatment isn't really about how long it takes for flea treatment to work or for fleas to die. It's about the number of life stages in the pet's environment that develop into new fleas and jump on a pet.
As eggs hatch and develop, you might find fleas reappearing 10-14 days after treatment - this is quite normal and provided the insecticide remains in place it will kill them. This is why it is important not to carry out cleaning which might remove insecticide.
If after 24 hours your pet still continues to scratch, there could be other things going on. Your pet could be flea-allergic, it could have a skin infection or a hormone imbalance, or other conditions which can lead to itchiness.
The known safe answer is to wait the period of time the product is supposed to work, typically 30 days, before reapplying.
Often even after treating with a suitable flea treatment you will still see flea's on your animal. However, this does not mean that the treatment has not worked or that the fleas are immune – the reasons are fairly simple: Fleas are hatching in your home and re-infecting your pet.
Products to rid fleas on your pet
Control the environment – Adopt control strategies including: Vacuum the carpet 2-3 times a week to remove eggs, wash pets blankets weekly (in the washing machine), spray the house, kennels and yards with an adult flea killer, fog the house to prevent larvae developing.
If your dog is constantly being reinfested with fleas after treatment, it is most likely there is an environmental infestation in or around your house. The adult fleas we see on pets represent only 5% of the total population. The other 95% are immature stages in the environment.
Provided a thorough approach to flea treatment using appropriate products has been undertaken then if your pet continues to scratch there are likely to be other factors contributing. These may include allergies or intolerances to food substances, cleaning products and or an underlying medical condition.
You're Applying the Flea Treatment Incorrectly
Incorrectly applying topical flea prevention is the most common cause for why it's not working. Topical medication should be applied directly to the skin, not to your pet's fur. You must part their hair so you can apply it to the skin.
An oral fast-acting tablet that contains Nitenpyram is the safest way to kill fleas on dogs instantly. You can also bathe your dog in hot soapy water with Dawn to kill adult fleas, but this is not a good long-term solution.
Fleas Can Lay Up to 50 Eggs Per Day
The main reason fleas are so hard to get rid of because they reproduce (lay eggs) like crazy. An adult female flea lays 20-30 eggs on average per day, but they can lay up to 50.
Fleas have a complex life cycle. At some stages of their life cycle they are resistant to insecticides and other flea control products. In order to get rid of fleas in all stages of the life cycle, two or more follow-up treatments within 5-10 days after the first application are needed.
Remember: Adult fleas can live up to two weeks without attaching themselves to a host. So, although females can't reproduce during that time, they still have up to two weeks to find a host and reproduce.
Why are there still fleas on my pet, even though I already gave the medication? If pets come in contact with new fleas, they will continue to be infested. FRONTLINE Plus and NexGard also make fleas become more hyperactive before they die, which may make them more noticeable to you.
After administering flea and tick medication to your dog, expect to see at least some dead fleas within 24 hours of treatment. However, it will probably take a few days for the itching to decrease.
Common signs of toxicity from flea products containing organophosphates are diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, small pupils, muscle tremor, weakness or falling over, and drooling. Organophosphate toxicity can be rapidly fatal, depending on the ingredients and dose the pet is exposed to.
You shouldn't need to use flea shampoo unless your dog has an active flea infestation. But if that's the case, you can wash your dog 1-2 times a week, but not long term.
Go to the Vet!
If your animals get infested, please take them to the vet. Fleas have become so immune to most products. Year after year, like bacteria and antibiotics, fleas become stronger, and the medications over the counter just don't work.
Flea larvae can remain dormant in your home for months, so new fleas may continue to emerge — even after treatment. These fleas will quickly die after hatching if you've treated your home and kept up with regular flea preventive for your pet, but it can take a while for all the existing fleas to hatch and be killed.
Want to kill adult fleas fast? Lower the indoor temperature to freezing, and take all the humidity out of the room. Fleas don't like freezing temperatures or dry conditions. Newly emerged fleas can only survive 3 to 12 days without a blood meal before they starve.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
If you find fleas on your pet, don't panic, it's rarely a reason to seek emergency veterinary care. Yes, fleas are unpleasant for pets and humans. Not only can they cause your pet discomfort and irritation, they can also carry some nasty illnesses as well as infest your carpets, beds and other areas of your home.