# Brand New Puppy - Fleas



## SXB (Jul 18, 2010)

I just got a 9 week old Collie today named Rhett. He's a great dog, very mellow and calm. But I just found out that he's got fleas. What steps do I take to get rid of them and keep them gone?


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

I use Revolution. You just drip it on the back of his neck once a month, and it will keep fleas in check. It also controls fleas in your house, so you don't really need to start washing bedding etc, which is handy. It can take up to a week before all the fleas are dead, because there will be eggs larvae in the environment that keep getting on him, but after they are all dead the monthly application will control any new adult fleas coming from eggs and larvae around the house.

Very important to keep applying it for several months after you find live fleas, to get the eggs and larvae that mature into adults in the next few months. After a few months you can get away with applying it every 3 months, but then you need to do something else for monthly heartworm prevention, as Revolution also prevents heartworm.

If the dog has had the heartworm injection (not sure what age they do them) then you can't use a spot on treatment to treat fleas, and will need to use chew or tablets instead.


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## SXB (Jul 18, 2010)

I was thinking of buying a flea bath for him to clear out all of the fleas and then use the drops to prevent them. The breeder recommended I use Advantage, is there a difference? Also, my house has very little carpet and leather couches, and he's only come into contact with a few blankets and some clothes, will the fleas still survive?

Also the dog has been given worm medication for the every 2 weeks since he was 4 weeks old called Nemex 2, not sure if this is relevant. 
Thanks!


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## sulla88bc (Jul 27, 2010)

Fleas seem to be able to survive nuclear war! But don't panic, wash his bedding and your clothes. The lack of hiding places in your house will really help, but vacuum relentlessly anyway as the eggs fall down the cracks in floorboards etc. Catch them now and you should be fine, but my advice is never let them get hold for long because they can be a bugger to shift. You seem to have done all the right things so far.

Also enjoy your mellow calm collie (an oxymoron if ever there was one) because soon enough he will turn into a complete ball of nutty energy - collies always do - I adore them but don't have the room for the madness. I am sure he will be a joy.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

A flea bath is a good idea, but make sure you wait a couple of days after the bath before using the spot on treatment, as the lack of oils on his skin could cause burns from it. Alternatively, use the spot on first, wait a couple of days, then give him the flea bath to get rid of any remaining live fleas. Revolution is water fast after 2 hours, dunno about Advantage, might be 24 hours or something.

I think Revolution and Advantage treat the same thing, or one of them treats tape worms and the other doesn't or something. I chose Revolution because it's slightly cheaper over here.


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## bckennels (Aug 24, 2010)

You do not want a dog with fleas at all!!

When i had my old dog, A jack russell, he eventually got fleas from a cat, but this dog that i have now,she didnt have fleas,and she lived in a shed,she had worms though! xxxxx


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## SXB (Jul 18, 2010)

As a thanks for all of the great answers you guys have given me, pictures!


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## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

Give him a bath, that will help kil the fleas. You only just got him so you want to get rid of them ASAP before your house in infested. Any shampoo will do, you want to put a ring of shampoo around his neck first because once you start wetting his body they will try to climb up to his face.Once they are wet, see if you can pick them off, it should be easy since he is mostly white. To kill them you can just squish them with your thumb nail. Good luck!!


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## Angela (Aug 21, 2010)

Oh my goodness your puppy is so adorable!!!!


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## sagira (Nov 5, 2009)

Cute puppy! Good luck eradicating the fleas. So far I've been using Best Yet insect spray from Cedarcide store, a natural alternative, and after numerous trips outside in hot weather in FL, no sign of any fleas or ticks on her. In fact, mosquitoes avoid her too. I use the same stuff on myself (I'm pregnant), the kids, and the house. Kills and deters cockroaches too, and ants. Supposedly bed bugs too, but as we don't have any.. Our pup is 8 weeks old and we've had her since Tuesday. Congratulations!


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## nattyd09 (Aug 29, 2010)

Your pup is absolutely adorable! Just a word of advice, get rid of the fleas, as soon as you can. My puppy was infested with them when I got him also, the people who had him before didn't tell me, of course, he hadn't been wormed or had his shots. I got his shots and got him wormed, but the worm meds didn't take care of tapeworms, which pups get from ingesting fleas. Before I knew it I had a sick pup on my hands. I got the worms cleared up and now he is fine. I am using advantage, but plan on switching to Advantix multi, which also protects against all types of worms. Good luck with your new baby


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