Many pet owners are faced with the question of whether or not to shave their pups when it comes to flea season. Some people say that shaving your dog will help get rid of fleas, while others say that this is a myth. Is there any truth to this?
Although shaving your dog can help reduce the number of fleas in its coat and improve the visibility of the fleas to aid in treatment, this does not mean that you will be rid of your dog’s infestation. It ultimately depends on the severity of his infestation and how well you treat him.
Read on to learn more about whether or not shaving your dog during flea season can help get rid of his infestation.
Will Shaving My Dog Help Get Rid of Fleas?
If your dog is suffering from a severe case of flea bites, then shaving him to remove some or all of his hair may help reduce the number of sores on his skin and make it easier for them to heal.
Shaving your dog can also help in treating fleas during the summer months when it is hotter. The heat helps kill off some of the adult flea’s natural defenses, making them more visible and easier to catch.
Although shaving your pup may be helpful for getting rid of his infestation, you should take care not to shave down to the skin. If you shave its entire coat, then the adult fleas may burrow into your dog’s body and cause an infection or other problems.
You should also keep in mind that shaving will not solve the problem on its own, especially if your pup has a weakened immune system due to illness or old age. You need to treat him with topical flea treatment or oral medication to get rid of his infestation.
What Is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Fleas?
Luckily, there are many ways to get rid of fleas that can suit the lifestyle of many pets as well as their owners. Here are some of the most common and useful ways to remove these teeny pests from your pets and home:
Use Topical Flea Medication
One of the most common and useful ways to get rid of fleas is by using a chemical treatment. You can purchase a chemical treatment from your local pet store or veterinarian. One popular treatment that many pet owners swear by is called Frontline Plus.
This medicine is applied directly to the skin of your pup, usually between the shoulder blades where they can’t disturb the medicine with their paws or by licking.
It begins killing adult fleas almost immediately after being applied. This chemical treatment is strong enough to kill even stubborn infestations, so you will want to use caution when applying it to fragile dogs or puppies.
Most fleas will be gone between 6 to 24 hours with this medication.
Give Your Dog A Bath
Another great way to remove fleas is by bathing your dog. Depending on the severeness of the infestation, you may want to bathe him more than once. For example, if he seems to be scratching during the day and it’s especially hot outside, you might want to bathe him in the morning and again before bedtime.
Make sure that you use a shampoo that is specifically made for dogs and targets flea infestations. Some shampoos also help to prevent another infestation by coating a dog’s fur with a chemical that repels fleas.
You’ll want to make sure to leave the shampoo on your pup for at least 5 to 10 minutes to make sure that it can kill any fleas that are on him.
Once you rinse your dog, most if not all of the infestation will be gone.
Use Oral Flea Medication
Another great way to kill fleas is by using oral medication. This type of medicine will get into your dog’s bloodstream and work its magic from the inside out, killing any flea that may be hiding in his fur or on his body.
Oral medications can take up to 48 hours before they start working, but once they do work they will kill off the majority of adult fleas.
Some oral medication can also kill flea eggs and larvae, and other parasites like heartworms that can harm your dog.
You’ll need to be careful when using this type of treatment if your pup has other health issues or is on any other medications, as it can interact negatively with them.
Be sure to check the label of your medicine carefully before giving it to your dog or puppy and always talk with a veterinarian or pharmacist if you have any questions about its safety.
Get a Flea Collar
Flea collars are an effective treatment for fleas and can be used in conjunction with other treatments.
If you don’t want to use a chemical treatment on your dog’s skin, then using a flea collar might be an option for you. These collars contain chemicals that kill the adult fleas as well as larve so they can help to prevent future outbreaks from occurring.
Flea collars are a good option for dogs who have sensitive skin, as they pose less of a risk than using chemical treatments.
They take longer to work than the above options and sometimes can take up to three weeks for substantial results to occur. This is why many pet owners prefer to use a flea collar in conjunction with other methods such as baths.
Why Does My Dog Have Fleas?
Dogs can get fleas from almost anywhere, but there are some common places where they might get them. Here are the top environments to look out for when trying to keep your dog away from flea-infested environments:
Dog Parks
Dog parks are one of the best places to pick up fleas, especially if many other dogs are using the park.
You’ll want to avoid taking your dog there until you have treated him with a strong remedy like Frontline Plus or Advantage II, which will kill off any adult fleas that he may come into contact with while at the park.
Used Dog Beds or Furniture
If you’ve recently purchased a used dog bed or other pieces of furniture for your home, you might want to sanitize and disinfect it beforehand. There are many furniture sprays that can effectively kill any excess fleas or other critters. It’s best to then vacuum or deep clean the furniture with a wet vac.
Fleas can easily live in upholstered items like mattresses and couches, so make sure that anything he rests on is not infested with any flea eggs or larvae before letting him use it as his own.
Your Own Back Yard
You may think that your backyard is well manicured and bug-controlled, but these spaces are actually quite wild if we look closely.
Especially if your dog regularly lays in the grass or on the porch for extended periods of time, it’s important to check his fur for fleas every time after he comes back inside.
The Groomer or Kennel
Similar to the dog park, dogs who go to the groomer or kennel can easily pick up fleas from other dogs or even from poorly sanitized equipment.
Make sure that your dog is treated with a strong topical treatment before he goes out, and talk to the salon manager about their protocol for treating any dogs they have there at the time.
Traveling
It’s important to always remember to check your dog for fleas before and after he travels with you, especially if you are taking him on a plane or other form of public transportation.
If you take your dog into nature or along on camping trips, bring a natural bug repellent and comb him out when you get back home to check for any leftover critters hiding in his fur.
Carpets and
Dogs can bring fleas into your home in their fur and in their crates, and sometimes they’ll leave behind eggs or larvae that will start to develop into new generations of these little buggers. Be sure to vacuum carpets and rugs thoroughly once a week so you don’t have any problems with them becoming infested.
Is Shaving a Dog Cruel?
Many people believe that shaving a dog’s coat, especially in the hot winter months, is a helpful thing to do for them.
While it can provide some relief temperature-wise, many dogs have a natural shedding process that takes care of this for them. Dogs such as Border Collies, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Siberian Huskies are known as double-coated dogs.
A double-coated dog has a top coat and an undercoat. The outer coat is typically lighter-colored, while the inner hair is darker to provide extra insulation from both hot and cold weather.
The fur of these dogs acts as their natural protection against bugs like fleas too, which means that shaving them can make it harder for you to spot if they do have any pests.
Be sure to talk with your vet about whether or not shaving your dog is the best thing for him, especially if you are concerned that he may have fleas and need to be treated right away.
The main benefit of not shaving your dog’s coat is that it will help protect them from sun damage as well as skin cancer.
If you do decide to shave your dog’s coat, don’t cut it shorter than 1 inch. This will help prevent heatstroke, sunburn, skin sensitivity, and irritation.
Some alternatives to shaving your dog include regularly brushing its hair, giving your dog regular baths, and just trimming the hair around the stomach and legs for an enhanced cooling effect.
Do Dogs Get Sad When They Get Shaved?
Dogs are very similar to children or babies when it comes to grooming. Some are more tolerant of it than others, but they all prefer a gentle approach by a trusted person.
If you are going to try shaving your dog, it’s best to start with a small area of his body and get him used to the feeling before jumping in headfirst. You may also want to be present for the experience rather than just leaving them at the groomer for the day.
The best thing you can do is to take your time and be patient, as well as talk with other dog owners about their experiences and what they found worked for them and their pets.
Keep in mind that your dog may feel sensitive or a bit out of place after getting shaved since this will feel a lot different than the way his fur normally feels to him.
Some dogs may become anxious, lethargic, or depressed after a shave, especially if it was not done properly or at all advised by a pet expert.
If you are concerned that your dog is sad or depressed after being shaved, talk with a veterinarian about the best way to approach it and how often this should be done in order for him to feel comfortable without feeling trapped.