Table of contents
- detect fleas
- Floo powder for humans
- Flea powder for dogs
- Flea powder for cats
- Use flea powder on animals
- Floo powder for the area
- Alternatives to flea powder
- prevention
Fleas - Once picked up, the parasites spread rapidly on animals and the surrounding area. In severe cases, they can even be seen jumping on the ground, the pets themselves, or seen as crawling fur. Fighting requires patience, a thorough approach and the right flea powder for dogs, cats and humans.
detect fleas
There are several ways to identify fleas. These include:
flea droppings
The reddish to black crumbs are about the size of a grain of sand and produce red to rusty brown trails when crushed between two pieces of paper and rubbed. It can be removed from the fur and hair with a flea comb, lice comb or other narrow-toothed comb.
flea bites
Fleas will try several bites before actually sucking. This results in multiple stings or bites, redness and itchy spots. As a rule, these do not swell much, but show a clear puncture site and a circular reddening around it.
fleas
The parasites are reddish brown to black, one to four millimeters in size, have a squat body and can jump up to one meter. The body is flattened. They can show up as black dots on the human body, but are more difficult to spot in animal fur.
Floo powder for humans
Human fleas exist, but are extremely rare. Dog and cat fleas that have "lost their way" or use humans as hosts in emergencies are much more common. This behavior is due to the fact that the parasites feel more comfortable in the dense fur of pets than on bare human skin. In addition, humans can change their clothes and wash, shower or bathe more often than animals. This makes it harder for fleas to spread on them. The parasites on humans are also recognized more quickly.
Flea powder specifically for humans is therefore not available on the market. It is important that the fleas and their eggs are fought in the area so that they do not pass back to humans as hosts. The following procedure is recommended for this:
- Wash all textiles as hot as possible and as often as possible
- Change and wash pillows, blankets and bed linen regularly
- Treat the floor with a flea powder for area use or diatomaceous earth
- Repeat applications frequently to combat newly hatched fleas at an early stage and to prevent them from multiplying again
Flea powder for dogs
Flea powder, such as kieselguhr or agents with isopropoxyphenyl can be divided into two variants. Flea powder, such as diatomaceous earth, clogs the parasites' respiratory organs, causing them to suffocate. Chemicals such as isopropoxyphenyl, on the other hand, poison the fleas, impairing the growth of the insects and theirs Larvae can prevent further development - but they are also harmful to the nerves and can damage the respiratory tract irritate This usually also applies to other insect growth inhibitors, such as:
- diethyltoluamide
- lufenuron
- methoprene
- pyriproxyfen
Therefore, they are not used in sick or convalescent dogs, pregnant or allergic dogs. In these cases, it is better to use a mechanically acting agent, such as the kieselguhr already mentioned. This can also be used as a flea powder for the environment. However, it can also have an irritating effect on the respiratory tract, which is why its use should be coordinated with the health of the dog in advance.
Flea powder for cats
As with dogs, cat flea powder often contains isopropoxyphenyl, which quickly kills adult fleas. But just as with dogs, these products cannot be used on every animal. Sick, pregnant, lactating animals or animals under the age of six months cannot be treated with it. In addition, using flea powder on cats is usually difficult and requires at least one other helper. Instead of flea powder, other means that can be applied more easily are therefore recommended.
Use flea powder on animals
Whether it’s a dog or a cat – in order for the flea powder to work properly and eliminate as many parasites as possible with each application, the following points are essential when treating distress:
- If possible, bathe the animal thoroughly and use an appropriate shampoo against vermin. Then let the fur dry thoroughly.
- Brush through the fur, removing any knots and felt that may be present. Finally, if possible, blow dry to loosen the fur hair.
- Do not spread the flea powder on the fur until it is completely dry. To do this, comb against the grain and only then apply the powder.
- Distribute the powder onto the skin by stroking and brushing against the grain and massage in.
- After a few days, the powder residue can be combed out again.
Tip:
It is important that the product does not get into the eyes, nose or snout. Licking the fur after the treatment should also be avoided. In addition, the application must be repeated once or twice a week until there are no more fleas, larvae or flea droppings.
Floo powder for the area
Floo powder for the area should be used or an equivalent spray used instead be used to prevent further spread of the parasites and also fallen off fleas to kill. It must be noted that flea eggs are still capable of hatching up to three months after they are laid. After a supposedly successfully defeated infestation, there can be a new outbreak - if the control was not thorough enough.
In order to avoid another slip and repeated stings, the environment should be treated in any case. This can be done on the one hand with flea powder, on the other hand with flea spray and flea bombs for the environment. It is important to treat all surfaces that:
- which cannot be washed at all or cannot be washed
- carpets
- upholstered furniture
- sleeping places of the animals
- Floors with grooves, such as parquet
It is also crucial that no living beings get caught during treatment with flea spray or flea bombs stay in the treated premises and also brought all food outside beforehand become. In addition, the specified treatment and ventilation time must be observed so that there is no damage to health.
Alternatives to flea powder
Flea powders aren't the only ways to combat the parasites. As mentioned, there are also other means and measures to get rid of the parasites. These include:
- Wash textiles as hot and frequently as possible
- Steam cleaning of textiles and surfaces
- Use of Spot-On on animals by veterinarians
- Veterinarian for the animals, exterminator for the apartment
- Protect animals against fleas in advance
prevention
Since fleas are usually introduced by cats and dogs, it makes sense to protect pets against the parasites. Again, the following methods are recommended for this:
- Spot-ons that spread over the animals' skin - but care should be taken when dogs and cats are kept together
- Flea tablets, which, however, can attack the nervous system of dogs and cats
- Use flea collars
- Avoid areas typically frequented by mice and hedgehogs
- Lay out flea traps in the garden
- Do regular checks and grooming
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