At this time, do not crush it to kill; instead, stick it on adhesive tape or immerse it in water mixed with detergent to kill it. Crushing will release tapeworm eggs from inside the flea, which may be ingested by cats or dogs when licking. Trick two: Thoroughly clean the home; fleas that escape or fall onto the bed must be completely removed with a vacuum cleaner. Pay special attention to corners of the room, edges of wooden floors, carpets, and blankets where fleas may hide.
If this still cannot completely remove fleas, hang insecticidal boards indoors or apply insecticides under carpets and blankets. However, insecticidal boards are not only the nemesis of fleas but also harmful to humans, cats, and dogs, so they should only be used temporarily in severe infestations. For households with children, cats, or puppies, it is better not to use them. Trick three: The key to eliminating fleas is to keep cats and dogs clean; specialized flea shampoos and care solutions are used to combat fleas that cannot be removed even with a comb.
When washing, wet bit by bit starting from the head, leaving fleas nowhere to escape. Trick four: For cats that dislike bathing, use flea powder. Flea powder suitable for both cats and dogs may contain ingredients harmless to dogs but toxic to cats, so use cat-specific powder. Separate the fur behind the ears, along the abdomen, and at the root of the legs, insert your hand and sprinkle flea powder, then comb with a brush.
Apply every 2-3 days, but not daily. Trick five: Take 250 grams of fresh citrus peel, chop it finely with a knife, wrap it in gauze and squeeze out the sour and bitter juice. Dilute the juice with 500 grams of boiling water and stir well. After cooling, spray it on the cat or dog, or soak a towel in the diluted citrus solution and wrap it around the pet. After an hour, all fleas on the cat or dog will be dead! Eliminating fleas requires killing adult fleas and controlling the flea growth environment.
Killing adult fleas There are many flea-killing products on the market with varying formulas, kill speed, effects, duration, and ease of use. If a cat is allergic to flea bites, use fast-acting flea medication to prevent further biting. Environmental control Frequent vacuuming and immediately sealing and disposing of vacuum bags can greatly reduce the chance of fleas growing into adults inside the house.
All contaminated items and the dog’s bed should be thoroughly cleaned or discarded. Additionally: 1) Use long-acting flea medication on dogs or other flea-infested pets to kill adults and prevent eggs. 2) Treat the house to kill fleas at all stages. This step is difficult because larvae may hide deep in carpets and sofas. It can be time-consuming and costly since the entire house must be treated, including all cracks and corners.
Vacuum before medicating to stimulate adults to emerge from cocoons. Follow medication instructions to avoid poisoning. Pay special attention to places dogs frequent, especially sleeping areas. Wash those that can be washed thoroughly and dry them in the sun; consider discarding those that cannot be washed. 3) Administer flea development inhibitors to all dogs, which prevent flea larvae from maturing but do not kill adults.
Follow all instructions, as some methods may take months to completely eradicate fleas. Long-term flea control Once all fleas, both adults and immature, are eliminated, change the flea control approach. If the pets do not go outside, no further measures are needed. Otherwise, select a long-term flea product and use it continuously without interruption. Flea products include sprays, powders, shampoos, tablets, etc.
Sprays and powders have short duration; if the dog’s environment supports flea growth, fleas will return quickly. Flea collars also have limited efficacy and need regular replacement. Some say flea collars only protect the neck area, leaving other parts of the dog vulnerable. Quality of flea collars sold domestically varies, so choose carefully (a Lucky Soil Cat online article mentioned main active ingredients should be one of: synergist pyrethrins, synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates, organophosphates, or aldoxime).
Based on experience, domestic flea collars are not recommended, especially for puppies. Also avoid use in households with multiple dogs to prevent cross-licking. There have been multiple cases of dogs showing symptoms like loss of appetite and diarrhea from licking flea collars. Shampoos only kill adult fleas on the dog’s body, with no effect on eggs. Currently, two relatively safe and long-lasting flea products in China are Mie Chong Ning (domestic) and Frontline (imported).
Both have the same mechanism: applying drops on the dog's skin that quickly penetrate subcutaneously, producing mild toxins. Fleas biting the dog will be killed by the toxin. Due to prolonged efficacy (about a month), new fleas hatching during this period are quickly killed. According to domestic pet owner experience, these two products are the most effective flea killers. But note Mie Chong Ning has strict dosage limits; exceeding instructions may cause skin allergies, and it cannot be used on puppies under three months or pregnant dogs.
Frontline is expensive but very safe, suitable for puppies and pregnant dogs. New international flea products There are several new safe and effective products abroad, harmless to mammals, so they can be used for puppies. Frontline (Merial) drops or sprays; spray can safely remove fleas on two-day-old puppies. This medicine kills adult fleas. Advantage (Bayer) drops kill adults.
Program (Novartis) prevents flea eggs from hatching. Given orally monthly or injected every six months. Fleas ingest the drug when feeding on blood, but it does not kill adults. Staykil (Novartis) spray used for environmental control to prevent larvae from maturing into adults. Some hormone-like insect growth regulators (Acclaim 2000, made by Sanofi, or Indorex, made by Virbac) can be used in environmental control by spraying on where dogs live, with effectiveness lasting six months to a year.
These drugs can also kill eggs and are made into sprays and flea collars to kill fleas on dogs. Recommendations Traditional flea products easily cause poisoning in dogs. Some cat flea medicines are toxic to dogs. Using multiple flea products simultaneously may cause chemical reactions toxic to dogs. Be cautious when killing fleas; if a veterinarian prescribes flea medicine, other drugs, or **, inform them of any flea products currently in use.
When there are no fleas, prevent infection; if fleas appear, eliminate them promptly; but be extremely cautious during flea control!