Flea bites are common for dogs and can even spread to the whole family. If a flea bites your dog, it can cause discomfort and skin irritation. The fleas’ saliva can irritate your pup’s skin, making the dog scratch and lick excessively. It’s also possible for fleas to cause anemia in dogs. If too many of them bite at one time, they can take so much blood from their host that they’ll drain them completely dry. Using NexGard Spectra for dogs is the best way to save your pup from such trouble.
Allergic reaction
Fleas often tend to cause severe allergic reactions in some dogs. And if dogs do develop an allergic reaction to their bites, it could lead to excessive redness or sores where the bites occurred. This can lead to skin irritation, itching, and redness. Your dog might also start losing hair as a result of flea bites. If too many fleas bite your dog, they can develop secondary infections.
The tapeworm scare
Fleas can spread tapeworm eggs to your dog, infecting your dog or cat if a flea defecates on them while feeding. So, if your dog eats some of those flea eggs (and let’s face it, they will), then you could also get infected with a tapeworm. Fleas are known to carry tapeworms (which are parasites) and other nasty things that we don’t want our pets exposed to in any way, shape, or form. Tapeworm symptoms include diarrhea or vomiting, pale gums due to anemia caused by blood loss from the worms’ attachment to the lining of your pet’s small intestine, and weakness due to low blood cell counts after eating away at red blood cells.
Bartonella bacteria
It’s vital to note that fleas can transmit Bartonella bacteria to your dog. This is a common cause of skin lesions and fever in dogs, and it can be transmitted to humans, causing a disease called bartonellosis. The transmission of Bartonella bacteria results in fever and lethargy, which could lead to death if not treated properly. You don’t want this happening with your precious pooch.
If you have any concerns about your dog’s health or are experiencing symptoms, talk to your veterinarian about getting tested for bartonellosis.
Fleas live in your home.
Even if you don’t have a garden, there are plenty of other places around the house where fleas can live. Fleas love to hang out in the yard or in your car. They also like to make themselves at home inside your house.
Prevent relapse
In addition to living for a few months without a host, fleas can survive in the soil for up to a year. If you have pets at home or are considering getting one in the future, you must take steps immediately after treatment to prevent reinfestation.
Best Prevention technique
NexGard Spectra for dogs treats, prevents, and controls fleas and ticks for an entire month, including the deadly paralysis tick. It is a monthly chewable tablet and should be given to dogs at least eight weeks of age or older and 5 lbs of body weight or greater. The minimum treatment period is 30 days. However, a second dose should be given if the dog remains infested with adult fleas after 30 days of therapy (based upon visual inspection). The recommended dose for dogs is 4 mg/lb (9 mg/kg) body weight given monthly as a single dose. The tablets can be administered to your dog with or without food but should not be split in half for administration.
