My dog is practically dying of Fleas, He's infested badly. Any suggestions?

Question

I've tried frontline plus already.

Answer 1

Bathe him immediately. You can use Dawn dishwashing liquid - just a few drops mixed with water should do it. This will help remove flea dirt and eggs, and may help you identify the trouble spots where fleas have accumulated on his skin.

You don't say how long it's been since you used the Frontline, or how many doses you tried, but I'm guessing the problem is one of several things:

First, it can take several months to overcome the life cycle of the flea. Try Revolution or Advantage for two or three months, just to make sure that all fleas that will hatch out have been killed.

Secondly, are you sure the dosage was appropriate for your dog's weight? If not, that would render the Frontline less effective, and fleas would continue.

A flea comb with a bowl of hot, soapy water to dip it in as you go can be helpful. It is time consuming and patience isrequired, yes....but it can be very helpful.

Schedule an appointment with a groomer at the vet's office. They usually have professional flea dips that can help...just make sure you ask about potential side effects and how they treat the pet if there are any problems. Also, if you go this route, make sure you check with the vet about using Frontline or any other flea product. You don't want to overdose the dog with flea treatments. In sufficient doses the medicine can be as toxic for him as it is for the fleas...so don't mix treatments unless your vet says it's okay.

Finally, your dog will probably also need to be treated for tapeworms or other types of parasites. If he ingested any fleas - and they usually do when biting and scratching alot - the fleas carry the eggs of tapeworms, and that's how they get transmitted to your pet. It's almost certain he has that trouble too, but check with your local vet to be sure.

Please be diligent to get rid of the fleas. They really can make an animal sick and anemic...and it certainly can be a torturous condition for your pet. Depending on the animal's age, weight, and overall condition, fleas really can kill - so talk to our vet about this as soon as possible!

Best wishes to you and your pet!

Answer 2

Take him to the vet and tell the vet he needs a capstar, it is a capsule that they use to kill fleas and ticks, it will kill all of the adults in a matter of minutes. But before you take him back home, you need to treat his bed, the yard, and where ever he stays in the house for the fleas or they will be right back. Products containing pyrmethrins work really well and since it is an extract from chrysanthemums it's considered an organic, this can be used in the yard, if he has a bed in the house you need to wash it using bleach if possible, best bet would be to throw the old one away and get a new one. If the infestation is really bad you should respray the yard and home again in a couple weeks and again a couple weeks after that. After that the front line should work to keep the fleas away.
The other thing you will have to keep an eye out for now will be tapeworms, they are transmitted to dogs by fleas.

Answer 3

Please take your dog to the vet ... fleas are so vicious, your dog might have anemia. Let your vet decide how to proceed. At the very minimum, they can give him a flea-bath, using a medication to eradicate the fleas he's currently infested with. Then, they'll prescribe a monthly flea-and-tick preventative.

My dogs get (and my vet recommends) Revolution ... it's a monthly flea-tick-heartworm prevention regimen. It costs about $17 a month (the cost depends on the size of the dog) and they've never had a flea.

If you've tried frontline and it hasn't worked, you really have no choice but to see the vet. Fleas might seem like just a nuisance, but they can lead to more serious problems, such as anemia (I already mentioned that), skin conditions, infection ... also the constant itching and scratching can make your dog sooooo miserable! And ... do you really want to chance having fleas in your carpet and your sofa and your own clothing? Yikes!

Answer 4

Get some Capstar tablets ( these can be given everyday) and Program ( this is for flea infestations) from your vet,and keep using the Frontline.I don't understand why it isn't working;I have 4 dogs and 12 cats and there's not a flea to be found after putting Frontline on them.If your dog looks pale ( white gums,eyes or tongue) or has severe hot spots from scratching,you need to take him to a vet right away.You might also want to scrub your carpets with a steam cleaner to kill the eggs.

Answer 5

The advice about seeing a vet and flea dips are great advice. Also, once you get a handle on the current situation, consider giving the dog a few garlic or brewers yeast tablets a week. Doing this has kept my dog flea-proof.

Answer 6

Once you get the fleas off your dog, and he is gaining a little weight, please worm him for tapeworms. Fleas and tapeworms go hand in hand and both are horrid on your dog's health.
Also, if you dog's gums are white and he is anemic, then get some baby vitamins (liquid type) with Iron and give him a 1/2 a dropper daily to help get his iron back up, do not give extra as it can be toxic in large doses and can cause diarreah if you have given too much.
Simple green is a good flea killing soap/shampoo that is non toxic, but you still need something to keep the fleas off once they ones on him are killed....

Answer 7

Frontline Plus only works so much. If your pet is infested, most likely, so is your home.

Flea bomb your home (have your pets stay elsewhere during this!), and consider getting your dog to a groomer for a flea dip.

When there's an infestation, you need to treat your animals, your home, and sometimes, even your yard.

Answer 8

Give your dog a REALLY good flea bath. Once he dried get him on a good flea prevention from your veterinarian. Over the counter flea products don't work as well. You need to get an exterminator to come to your house and kill all of the adult fleas, eggs, and larvae in your house. Keep your dog on flea prevention once a month year round to prevent him from getting infested again.

Answer 9

Be careful. Someone might say you caused the fleas on your dog and you can be looking at 5 years in Federal prison. You might have a PETA member as a neighbor.

Answer 10

Hi Alex, If your dog has that much fleas on him they are sucking him dry of his blood. Get him flea dripped and wash all of his bedding and then spray them with a flea killer that will not hurt your dog. You need to treat your yard with a flea killer too. Call your vet and see what he would use. Please do something to help your poor dog A.S.A.P. This much fleas on a dog will kill him if you don't do something!!!
poppy1