Why does Dish Soap kill fleas?

Question

Not just putting it in a bowl to drown the fleas, but I've noticed giving my dog a bath with Dawn Dish Soap works better than Flea Shampoo.. Why?

Answer 1

http://www.groomingsmarter.com/shampoo_away_fleas_fast.htm
i found this link but i would never use it i use front line on my dogs it works well and mine have no fleas

Answer 2

It doesn't, neither Dawn nor fleas shampoos work. All either of them do is wash current fleas off the animal - no point in that, the dog will be reinfested before the day is out.

Dawn is probably more effective at trapping and washing off fleas because more viscous. But if you want something that actually gets rid of fleas, as in all of them, gone, then get a proper treatment from a vets - i.e Frontline, Revolution, Advantage, Advocate or ProMeris. There's not need to be bathing your animal, period, and you're wasting your time with pet store treatments and home remedies.

Chalice

Answer 3

Fleas drown in the water. Dawn reduces surface tention allowing them to drown better.

It works better than flea soap because fleas have evolved an immunity to the pesticides in the shampoo. The strongest survived the baths, and bred babies that weren't suseptable to it. Over the years, they adapt more and more to the pesticides and they quit working.
That's what's happening right now with Advantage.
You'll start hearing more and more about how it just doesn't work.

Answer 4

I suspect the detergent properties of the dish soap tend to clog the flea's respiratory system. But as the other poster pointed out, dish soap might dry your dog's scalp. A vet we had once told us that ordinary human shampoo like Breck was perfectly acceptable to use on dogs.

But an even easier way to keep fleas (and ticks) off your dog (and cat) is to put garlic in their food; my sister does it for all her animals. That would be garlic powder, not garlic salt; you don't want to give animals extra sodium. Apparently the dogs (and cats) like it (or don't notice it) and when it gets in their bloodstream the fleas do not.

Answer 5

It does kill some and weaken the others making it easy to "flea comb" the dead and weakened ones out but it is not as effective as flea prevention products like Advantix, Frontline or BioSpot when it comes to getting rid of fleas and keeping them off.

Answer 6

ummm...... for one u dont put dawn dish soap on a dog cuz it can hurt thier skin and dry it out so ur not supposed to use it on their skin. And NO it doesnt work better you have to put frontline plus on ur dog or cat. Dur cuz it gets in theor blood stream and every time a flea trys to bite them it kills them on contact.