How to Treat Your Dog for Fleas

Immediate treatment

If your dog has just picked up fleas, we recommend a fast kill approach using products such as Hartz® UltraGuard Plus™On Pet sprays, powders and shampoos. These parasite-control products have active ingredients that work immediately, killing fleas fast.

Steps for immediate treatment:

1. Carefully apply the Hartz product according to the package directions.
2. Re-inspect your dog the next day to ensure that all fleas are dead. Use a flea comb to help with this inspection.
3. If fleas are still found, repeat the application.

Infestation control

If the number of fleas is great and you have noted a flea problem on your dog before, choose a more thorough Hartz treatment to ensure that an infestation does not grow.

Steps for controlling a flea infestation:

1. Use topical drops or flea collars, Dr. Melinda recommends Hartz® UltraGuard Pro® Flea & Tick Drops for Dogs and Puppies or Hartz® UltraGuard Plus™ Dog Collars. Both products begin killing fleas immediately and continue to work over time.
2. To ensure that your home is not a haven for fleas, also use Hartz® UltraGuard Plus™ In Home products, such as sprays and carpet powders.
3. If your flea problem is severe and wide spread, try Hartz® UltraGuard Plus™ Home Fogger.
4. Re-inspect areas of your home within 24 hours and continue to make regular inspections to ensure that a bigger flea infestation doesn’t lurk in hidden places.

Infestation prevention

Prevention is the best method, especially if you know your dog is in areas where fleas often thrive, including the dog park or your own yard. Infestations that start on your dog can also start growing in your home. If left unchecked, such infestations can continuously produce biting adult fleas that not only endanger your dog but also you and your family.

Steps for protecting your pet and home:

1. To bring an existing infestation under control and prevent future infestations, choose a product that contains active ingredients that kill both adult fleas plus flea eggs and flea larvae, thus breaking the flea life cycle.
2. Additionally, Dr. Melinda recommends either Hartz® UltraGuard Pro® or Hartz® UltraGuard Plus™ lines of topical drops, collars and In Home products which also contain ingredients that break the flea life cycle.

Related articles

• Flea Transmitted Diseases
• Fleas and Your Dog
• Why You Need a Complete Pest Management System
• Preventing Versus Treating Your Flea and Tick Problems