How to Apply Spot on Flea Preparations

Fleas have been around for millions of years and there are more than 2,000 species of them on our planet. Voraciously hungry, they will seek out any warm-blooded animal for food. Although the bites usually cause minor itching and irritation, flea bite allergies are common. It only takes one flea bite to trigger an allergic reaction. Fleas are carriers of the dog tapeworm, which the dog picks up when it grooms itself and eats a mature flea with a tapeworm cyst. 

Thankfully, there are safe and effective spot on flea treatments for both cats and dogs available at vet-n-pet DIRECT, which provide excellent results at keeping fleas in check. There are spot on flea treatments that repel and kill ticks, so if ticks are a concern in your area, look for one of these combined products.  

The first thing to do is to weigh your pet, in order to determine the proper dosage. Underdosing will not be effective and overdosing may make your pet sick. Before you apply a spot on flea product, make sure that your pet’s skin is healthy. Find a place in your home or yard where your pet is most relaxed and comfortable to apply the product. Take one of the tubes out of the packaging and open the vial, pointing away from your face, to avoid any small particles spraying out.

Part your pets fur on the base of the neck with your fingers and/or the point of the applicator, until you can see the skin. The application area must be high enough on the neck to prevent your pet from licking the treatment off. If you are not sure where to apply it, check the product instructions or ask your pet health professional to show you. Be sure to put as much of the treatment as possible on the skin, not the coat.

Wearing latex or plastic gloves is advised, but not necessary, as long as you wash your hands immediately afterwards. It may be a good idea to have someone hold the animal still and part the fur while you apply the product. Squeeze the whole tube onto the skin. Do not apply it anywhere else on the dog’s body to avoid ingestion. The spot on treatment will spread to oil glands through the dog’s skin and distribute throughout the body in a few hours. Apply the treatment without jabbing the applicator tip into the pet’s skin; some pets do not like the feel of the applicator tip.

Once you have administered the spot on flea treatment, wait three or four days to bathe your pet and limit water activities, too. Avoid using other treatments, like flea dips or shampoos after application, which could cause an overdose of pesticides. Do not use your pet’s preventative on any other pets. For example, do not use spot on flea treatment for dogs on your cats. It is a good idea to treat all of the animals in your home at the same time. To keep fleas away from your pet, use spot on flea treatments according to the package instructions, and at the time interval recommended.

Remember that the flea has been around for millions of years for a reason. It is possible for this hardy insect to breed during the winter months, so use a spot on flea preventative year-round in order to keep your pet flea free.