dog help...FLEAS....IF I SHAVE MY DOG WILL THAT HELP?

Question

I want to get rid of the fleas my dog caught I HATE BUGS...so I want to get her shaved. I am going to take her to a local place to get groomed and tell them to shave her. ALL THE WAY DOWN.

I feel like this is the best wat to get rid of them because they will also give her a flea bath. While she is getting groom I plan to clean the house and especially her dog house.
I feel like this is okay because it's summer and I will be getting her fixed soon.
Do you guys think this is mean. My fiance feel like it is messes up but I think she will feel better.

What do you think?
Will it help with the fleas?

Answer 1

shaving your dog will not help get rid of them completely. shaving a dog completely can be a bad thing. when dogs scratch they scratch hard. If there is no hair to protect the skin they could potentially scratch themselves raw. Cutting some of the hair off would be a good idea as well as a flea bath. Be sure to clean the house including vaccuming. Use some type of flea medicine (frontline or advantage). Be sure to apply the medicine properly and at the right times. Do not discontinue use because the fleas will return. Fleas could potentially live anywhere (in the yard, on neighboring animals) so discontinuing use of fleas medication even after the fleas are gone is not a good idea. If there are still fleas in the house that cause problems consider "bombing" your house to get rid of them. This will kill them along with any other bugs in the house.

Answer 2

I wanted to do the same thing to my Golden and I looked into it and found out it is bad for them. The fleas will still bite with or without hair. My dogs are 6 and 5 and have NEVER had fleas until about 2 months ago. I could not figure out why they were scratching like crazy since I use Frontline Plus. I took them to the vet. He said they probably had fleas and I said, "nope, that's not it. I used Frontline". He had to shave an area where my dogs scratched herself raw and guess what we found. Yup, fleas. So he said I had to put Frontline on every 2 weeks for the next 2 months. That very same night on the news they had a clip on this being the worst flea seasone ever and that the fleas are starting to adapt to the medicines. I say, don't shave. Bathe and then use the Frontline. I order mine from Ebay usually from Australia. Good luck.

Answer 3

First let me tell you that I own a pest control company and what I will recommend is the complete treatment that should help you completely get rid of the fleas.

First, treat the pet with Capstar. This is a pill that you get from the vet that will kill all of the fleas that get on the animal for the first 24 hours. Second, use either Frontline or Advantage, these can also be purchased from the vet. Frontline can be used on pets 12 weeks old or older. Advantage can be used on animals as young as 6 weeks. If the pet is old enough for either product, switch back and forth between the two. One month use one, the next use the other. The reason I recommend this is that there are two main types of fleas that infest pets. One product works better on the first type and the other product works better on the second type. By using both, you make sure you have covered all your bases.

Once the pet has been treated, you must treat your home and yard. The best products to do this would include not only a killing agent, but also a sterilization agent. Inside, I would use Ultracide, if you can get it. (Many on line sites sell it.) Follow the instructions on the label! Wash all animal’s bedding and vacuum frequently. Throw out the vacuum bag or dump the catch container after every vacuuming. You can never vacuum too much! DO NOT STEAM CLEAN YOUR RUGS! This can hatch flea eggs and make your problem worse.

Outside I would use Demon WP mixed with Gentrol or Nylar, carefully following label instructions. Treat the entire yard, paying special attention to under bushes and low hanging branches. Most of these products can be bought at any Do-It-Yourself Pest Control company either on line or in a store.

Treating your house and yard is just as important as treating the pet!

It is also very important to stay away from the grocery store or box store products like Zodiac or Hartz. Many of these products can cause severe allergic reactions in animals.

Answer 4

If I had this problem I would go to your veterinarian and purchase a flea/tick prevention such as frontline plus, the frontline will kill any fleas that are on your dog within 24 hours, it also kills the flea larvae (eggs), I would then have your dog professionally groomed, just a bath and brush with a regular shampoo (not a flea shampoo), once your pet is at the groomers I would thoroughly vacum your entire house, wash any throw rugs that are washable, wash your pets bedding, etc. When you are finished thoroughly vacuming, throw away the vacum bag immediately, fleas can live in the bag. This should solve your problem. Remember, it takes the frontline plus 24 hours to kill the live fleas, so don't be alarmed if you see live fleas on your pet within that 24 hours. Good Luck.

Answer 5

It is IMPOSSIBLE to think that there are people that have not heard of Advantage or Frontline.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, one flea ON the dog equals HUNDREDS to THOUSANDS in the environment...like the HOUSE. A shave and bath won't fix that. Don't be cheap. Get some GOOD flea control. It will cost as much as the shave and bath.

Answer 6

Don't shave your dog. Go to Tractor Supply and get IverOn. It's Ivermectin liquid for cattle, but many breeders and shelters use it for fleas, heartworm prevention and allergies including Sarcoptic Mange, for dogs. Use 1 1/2 cc per 14 pounds of dog every 2 weeks. It eliminates the need for heartworm preventative and keeps your dogs free of fleas as well and the best part is, it's cheap. a $20 bottle will last 6 months to a year depending on the size of your dog. You just put it between the shoulders as you would a regular fleas treatment and run it all the way back to the tail. I have used it for 2 years and NEVER see a flea! Best wishes!
This is the same thing as Revolution but much cheaper. Vets are not crazy about you knowing that.
This does not leave any oil or dampness on your dog...dries in a hurry.

Answer 7

Her coat is protecting her from the sun.. Shaving isn't going to do much for the fleas.. Fleas are going for the blood, not just using her coat to hide in. I would get her a flea bath and forget about shaving her.. You'll have to protect her poor soft skin from the sun til it grows back in.. Plus her body is used to warming /cooling off a dog with a coat..
Why do you think it's okay, cause you are going to be having her fixed anyhow? It won't make any difference.. They'll only shave her belly.

Answer 8

Just a dumb dog? That's nice. What kind of dog is it? Depending on the kind of dog, it is not always best to shave a dog that is double-coated. Their coat acts as a personal cooling system and you're not always do it a favor by shaving. Also, if it is cut too short, you must make sure he does not get sunburn (yes, dogs do get sunburned). He may be uncomfortable and is still adjusting to his new shave. He may still be hot. In the future perhaps this isn't the best idea.

Answer 9

I disagree with shaving unless it's a something like a poodle. People used to ask me when I had a chow why I didn't shave her in summer, but, really you don't need to shave a dog just because it has a thick coat! Try some Frontline Plus once every three to four weeks.

Answer 10

get the monthly treatment, its drops you put on between your dogs shoulder blades can be bought at vets office or petsmart, petco, I use Sentry you go by the dogs weight, leaves an oily like residue for a couple of days but it works!you can also use a lavendar spray it deodorizes and helps keep bugs off, good idea to treat your house while she is being groomed but fleas don't care if they have long hair or short hair