In the previous post, I spoke about French Bulldogs and Fleas, if you are reading this and you haven't read the first piece, you are missing out on a bunch of things. So, in today's article, I want to take the discussion further to tell you more about controlling Fleas and treating French Bulldogs that has already contracted Fleas.
As I mentioned earlier, don't mistake Fleas for Ticks, they are entirely two different stuff. That said, the problems that Fleas can cause are multifarious, and if they are not effectively treated, they may become very difficult to eradicate. For you to be able to eliminate Fleas, you MUST know the preventive measures as well as the methods of treating Fleas. The complex thing about having an idea about these two component ways of preventing and treating Fleas is that you MUST also be very conversant with the different stages of a Flea's Life Cycle.
NOTE that treating your dog of Fleas is just one thing, while completely eliminate Fleas from your environment is another important aspect that cannot be played with, because if you don't effectively treat your house and yard, you are definitely going to experience some level of reinfestation, and before long you'll be in an endless cycle of treating Fleas.
Strategy for Treating Fleas: Simple Guidelines
The following guide will help you to effectively plan out a good strategy for treating your French Bulldog Fleas:
Treating Fleas requires that you treat your French Bulldog, treat the places he frequently spends time, either playing or resting, including their bed space, clothes and other materials their pet uses.
Fleas are only able to bite during their adult stage, but they cause a level of harm at every stage of their lifecycle. While some chemicals are able to kill fleas directly, some only function to prevent them from being to develop into the next stage of their lifecycle. For instance, it may prevent eggs from hatching, these type of chemicals are called "Insect Development Inhibitors" (IDI), or it may prevent Larvae from becoming adults, this type of chemical is called "Insect Growth Regulator" (IGR). The Fleas can become immune to the use of a particular type of chemical, so you need to alternate the chemicals you use in treating and controlling fleas, all year long.
Treating your French Bulldogs:
Once you find out that your French Bulldog has Fleas, there are some choices available to you.
- You may use a fine-toothed, metal flea comb to remove adults fleas from your French Bulldog. Remember to flip them into soapy water to drown.
- There are special flea baths and shampoos you can make use of to bath your Frenchie. Note however that the bath may not go down well with them, but its all for their own good, as it will remove both eggs and live fleas, so you've got to bath them anyway.
- You can apply some spot-on-treatments to affected areas, and you can also apply it to their shoulders and protect them from getting new fleas for a month or so, depending on the strength of the product you are using, and of course, the size of your Frenchie.
- Flea Colar Help is another solution here. It will help to protect against new fleas too. However, it is not all that good to use just the Flea Collars, you should concurrently use it with other treatments for best results.
- Another Good treatment of Fleas for French Bulldogs is the Systemic Treatment method. This refers to oral medications, which are used either monthly or as prescribed, and it prevents flea eggs already laid on your Frenchie from hatching, a good example of the Insect Development Inhibitor we talked about above.
CAUTION -
Before you use any of the above solutions, please read the following outlines:
- Make sure that you have read instructions carefully before applying any particular treatment
- Newborn Frenchies should not be treated with any of the above
- If your Frenchie is well-taken care of and he is healthy, he has a very low tendency of being infested, so take care of your Frenchie.
- When you find Fleas present on your Frenchie, chances are there may be other parasites too. So, make sure to use versatile chemicals that can effectively treat fleas, ticks and other parasites as well
- The foregoing also applies to oral medications, some oral medications also prevent heartworms and intestinal worms too. Just as versatile as you can go.
To Treat your Home:
- Foggers, powders, and sprays can be used to kill fleas and inhibit growth.
- Vacuum after application of treatment to remove fleas that emerge from carpeting.
- Steam clean carpets and apply flea treatment afterward for maximum effectiveness.
- Wash pets bedding, throw rugs and pillows to destroy fleas and eggs
To Treat Your Yard:
- Treat damp areas that are protected from sunlight, such as crawl spaces.
- Remove foliage to allow sunlight into shady areas to inhibit flea growth.
- Screen off damp, shady areas to prevent your pet from accessing them.
- Outdoor treatments are available in spray, granule, concentrate and powder form
That's about your French Bull and Flea Controls/Treatment. I hope you found this article quite informative? Again, go HERE to read the first piece. If you know other ways you can use to treat fleas, kindly share in the comment box below.