How to Get Rid of Fleas in a Dog Pen

Your dog will be happier and healthier without fleas.

Fleas cause more than half of all dog dermatological conditions requiring veterinary assistance. Ridding a dog pen of fleas is not difficult but must be done methodically and thoroughly to keep dogs healthy and comfortable. But your battle can't end at the pen, you must get rid of the fleas wherever the dog spends time, including the house and yard. To assist your war against fleas look to non-toxic, natural flea-control products or pesticides.

Things You'll Need

• Flea shampoo for dogs
• Flea treatment product for dogs (optional)
• Flea treatment product for pens
• Bleach or other cleaning solution
• Long-handled, firm scrubbing brush
• Bucket for hot water
• Hose
• Flea pesticide for lawn (if lawn surrounds dog pen)
• Fresh bedding for pen (if bedding used)

Instructions

1. Remove your dog or dogs from the pen and bathe them with flea shampoo. Once their coats are dry, apply topical flea treatment. Do not let the dogs return to the pen or any other area where fleas until those areas are thoroughly cleaned and treated. Adult fleas can lay all their eggs (up to 50 per day) on a pet.

2. Remove all the bedding and toys from the pen and scrub the walls and floors. Use plenty of bleach or soap and water. Rinse the area with a hose, then let it dry completely.

3. Apply flea pesticide to floor and walls of pen according to the instructions using a sprayer. Pesticide formulations containing an insect growth regulator (IRG), such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen, can be effective long term.

4. Walk around the lawn around the pen wearing white socks and no shoes. Fleas will be easy to see if they are infesting the grass. If necessary, apply pesticide to the surrounding lawn at least 10 feet from the edge of the pen if there are fleas or if you think there might be. Pesticides containing chlorpyrifos (Dursban) or permethrin can be used outdoors for flea treatment and can be applied with a hose-end or pump-up sprayer.

5. Comb dogs to make sure they are flea free before letting them return to the pen. Bathe them weekly and comb them daily during flea season. Launder or replace dog bedding removed previously. Treat the bedding with non-toxic flea treatment. Bedding should be washed weekly. Repeat all steps as often as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Pennyroyal, cedar, and eucalyptus oils are purported to be flea repellents.

• Read the labels and follow the directions on all products you use carefully. Certain products can be used only on dogs, and some list specific treatment procedures for puppies. Do not treat pets with the same products used to treat the yard or the pen.

References

• University of Kentucky Agriculture: Ridding Your Home of Fleas
• Guide Dog Users of California: Flea and Tick Information
• University of Nebraska Lincoln: Integrated Flea Control