Flea Medicine for Dogs

Fleas are everywhere, and any animal that spends time outdoors is vulnerable to a flea infestation. Mild cases of fleas may produce itching and skin irritation, while more severe cases may result in anemia or even death due to blood loss. Preventing and treating flea bites should be a priority for any dog owner. Fortunately, a number of flea medicines are available both over-the-counter and by prescription that are effective at eliminating fleas without causing harm to the animal. However, flea medicine should only be used under the supervision of a veterinarian to avoid negative health complications, especially when the animal being treated is small, elderly or disabled.

Significance

Fleas feed on the blood of animals and flea bites may cause allergic reactions, anemia or skin irritation, or they may transmit potentially serious diseases and parasites, such as tapeworms.

Function

The function of specific flea medications in dogs depends on the type of medicine used, and may involve the killing of adult fleas that are present on the animal, the killing of unhatched eggs, interruption of the flea growth cycle, prevention of fleas through the use of scents or chemicals that repel fleas, or rinses that enable easier removal of fleas from the coat.

Types

Flea medicine is available in a variety of forms, including sprays, wipes, powders, shampoos, mousses, foams, dips, oral medication and spot treatments.

Benefits

Flea medicine for dogs improves the animals' health by preventing or treating flea infestations, reducing itching and skin allergies, and decreasing the likelihood of parasitic infection and associated health complications.

Warning

To avoid potentially serious side effects, never use adult-strength flea medicine for dogs on puppies or pregnant dogs, and be careful not to mix cat and dog products as the strength and chemical makeup of the products may differ significantly.