Discover how dog flea treatments work to combat infestation
Don't wait until fleas bite your dog before you treat him. Once an infestation takes hold, it can be really difficult to get rid of, so use flea treatment regularly on your dog to help keep him healthy and also to help protect your family and home from the effects of fleas.
The flea basics
Any fleas you see on your dog are actually only a tiny fraction of the total number that are hiding away in the home in their immature stages. The fleas you can see on your dog only make up around five per cent of the total infestation. The rest exist as eggs, larvae and pupae in your home, which will soon become new adult fleas ready to bite your pet.
These irritating little parasites can easily be picked up by pets when they’re outside, often from other pets or wildlife. They can be brought into the home on us too, on our clothing or bags, so even dogs that don’t venture outside much are still at risk.
Distributing disease
Historically, fleas have been responsible for spreading serious diseases. It was fleas that caused the outbreak of the bubonic plague between the 14th and 17th centuries, transmitting the disease from rats to humans, and wiping out a significant percentage of the populations of Europe and Asia. The bubonic plague still flares up in certain parts of the world, though it’s thankfully much less common. Closer to home, fleas can still cause problems for dogs – such as anaemia and dermatitis – they can even give your dog tapeworm if he swallows an infected flea while grooming.
Spot-on
There are many types of flea treatment for dogs and puppies available. A spot-on flea treatment for dogs such as Advantage, is able to kill fleas on contact, fleas don’t have to bite in order to be killed.1
Advantage is applied directly to your dog’s skin via an easy-to-use pipette. The solution spreads quickly from the point of application, it kills fleas within one day and prevents further infestations for up to four weeks. It also kills biting lice in dogs. Keep up with regular dog flea treatment to help keep your dog healthy and your home protected.
It’s important to choose the correct dose of Advantage for your pet, which will vary depending on his weight.
Advantage is also an effective flea treatment for puppies, you can start to apply it once your puppy is eight weeks old and has been weaned.
Vital component
After you apply Advantage, the active ingredient spreads across your dog’s skin, spelling disaster for fleas. Advantage inhibits the flea's central nervous system, and is able to cause death through contact.1 Not only does Advantage kill adult fleas on your dog, it also kills flea larvae in the home.
While an initial treatment of Advantage flea treatment for dogs will kill fleas and prevent further infestations for up to four weeks, new infestations can come from many sources. Using Advantage every month will help protect your dog against fleas for the long-term.
Find out more about Advantage spot-on treatment for dogs here.
1 Mehlhorn et al. Parasitol Res (2001) 87:198-207, information is regarding mode of action and is not intended to imply parasites can be completely stopped from biting.
