You have to admit it, fleas and ticks on dogs entail a serious problem for dog owners.
Even family members who may not be pet lovers can’t ignore the dog’s discomfort. As a responsible dog owner, you have to do something.
You just need to get the right fleas and ticks on dogs and follow the appropriate treatment administration instruction.
What happens if the scratching continues unabated
Fleas and ticks crawl on your dog’s skin and bite. In an attempt to relieve the itch, your dog scratches and scratches hard, since his fur gets in the way. Over time, and when left untreated, the scratching leads to hair loss.
Worse, you may see raw skin red with blood on your dog, from all that scratching. It’s not uncommon to hear about dogs chewing on their skin and paws to distract themselves from the discomfort.
What scratching does to the dog owner
Some dogs end up rubbing their backs against the floor, since they can’t reach their backs.
Or on the very furniture you may not want them to touch.
If they rub themselves in many parts of the house, and you start some flea and tick mediation, you may have to clean up more compared to prevention and proper treatment.
Spot on applications and oral treatments – you can choose from them
Spot on applications are usually recommended, even though orally taken products also work. The spot on or topical applications are popular because they kill fleas and ticks fast.
With oral products, your dog may develop resistance to it, thus dampening or negating its effects. To discuss treatments that have a higher chance of working out, you should talk to your vet.
There are also treatments that should not be given to specific breeds, condition, age, and when a dog is already undergoing some other treatment.
You can help prevent the onset of dog itching
You can’t rule out the possibility that other factors contribute to the itch, only your vet can do this. There could be something in the dog’s environment or even in its food that it is reacting to, and thus causing allergies.
You may want to talk to your vet about trying some all natural or hypoallergenic soaps and shampoos on your dog, in case the dog is allergic to components of some bathing products. It may be necessary for your vet to prescribe specific oral supplements or bathing products to help alleviate your dog’s persistent itching problems.
It’s a good practice to keep your own home clean.