Everything You Need to Know Regarding How to get rid of fleas on a Yorkie
You may have seen your Yorkie scratching itself as soon as you bring them home from a long walk. This is due to the presence of ticks and fleas that your dog gets exposed to surroundings. As an owner, one should know How to get rid of fleas on a Yorkie so that you can reduce their pain. Such shorter breeds of dogs are more prone to fleas and ticks, and their curly fur makes the matter worse. Fleas, if ignored, can lead to a serious skin infection in your Yorkie.
Such fleas are one of the common enemies of every pet owner, and they are difficult to get rid of if not followed a planned approach. You should also know the fact that fleas can reproduce 100 times in a few months once they achieve the right environment and temperature. It is difficult to get rid of fleas if they achieve such a high number. Unfortunately, your Yorkie provides the exact environment for fleas to survive.
This article will provide you with some of the ways regarding Home remedies for fleas on Yorkies and also When to start flea and tick treatment for puppies so that you can control such ticks and fleas right from their early stages.
Common Reasons Behind Fleas in Dogs:
Before knowing How to get rid of fleas on a Yorkie, let us understand several factors by which your Yorkie gets exposed to such fleas.
Ignorance of Fleas Hotspots:
There are many places at your home where you can usually find flea eggs and their feces. The sleeping position of your Yorkie is also included in that. The larvae that hatch from such flea eggs usually do not go very far, and so they are easy to remove. You should monitor your dog to identify such places where he spends most of his tie as there will be the possibility that the flea eggs can be dropped and starts their lie cycle again. So focus on such an area is the best step to counter the problem of fleas. You can install electric flea traps in such areas. Also, make sure that you clean your home and your car regularly and eliminate all the flea eggs if present.
Environmental Factors:
The best environment for the fleas to spread is between 20-30 degrees Celcius, together with humidity of 70%. So it is best to use a dehumidifier at your home to reduce the humidity. The body of your dog is warm and moist, and that is what is needed by the fleas. So if your pet gets wet a lot, try to dry them as soon as possible. You can also run a flea comb to check for the presence of fleas in your Yorkie.
Not Treating on a regular basis:
The life cycle of the fleas is the development of eggs, larvae, pupae, and finally, an adult. There are many treatments for fleas that just concentrate on killing the adult fleas, and so the remaining eggs continue to grow. Only bathing our dog is not the permanent solution of fleas as the only adult will get washed away, and the remaining eggs will continue to stay and grow on your dog’s body. So regular cleaning of your dog is essential to get rid of fleas permanently.
Treating only Visible Fleas:
You should know the fact that an adult flea is responsible only for 5% of infestation, and these are easily visible on your pet’s body. The remaining are larvae and eggs. The eggs of fleas generally hatch in 21 days, and the larvae that come to start setting into the fabrics like your carpet, bed sheets, curtains, and furniture.
Since, as you can see that above 90% of fleas are present outside your dog’s body, it is essential to clean your house regularly to make the environment free from fleas. For this, you can wash the bedding, carpets, and other products with warm water regularly. There are several products available in the market that works on the principle of dehydrating fleas and other insects and are completely safe for pets.
Fleas from Other Pets:
If you have more than 1 pet in your house, then it may be possible that your Yorkie might have got fleas from the other pet. So it is important to start the treatment of all pets simultaneously. Such treatment should continue around the year. Many people have a misconception that Yorkie does not catch fleas during the winter season, which is not true.
Fleas can survive in low temperatures, too, and the pupae of the fleas can be dormant till low temperature and can grow when they acquire the right temperature. So, continue the treatment of the fleas around the year to eliminate the problem of fleas completely.
Following Wrong Treatment Strategy:
There are several flea treatments that are not considered safe, both for children and dogs. Drops that are applied on the furs, sprays, and collars are such things. So it is highly recommended not to use such products without consulting your vet. These days several chewable forms of flea treatment are available, which are less dangerous for dogs and are also effective. Comfortis is one of the popular products, and its effect lasts for a month. Another effective product is Spinosad which is a completely natural substance made from a soil bacterium. Remember not to buy any flea treatment product from the store without consulting the vet, as certain products are harmful to small dogs. Using electric flea traps and natural sprays can ensure the safety of your Yorkie.
Ignorance of the House Carpet:
A house carpet is one of the common places where you can find eggs and larvae of fleas. So carpets need to be vacuumed regularly together with steam cleaning to get rid of fleas. These days vacuum that is equipped with a Hepa filter is found effective in reducing the presence of fleas. You can also treat your carpet with the diatomaceous earth for better results. You can sprinkle this ingredient and then vacuum the carpet after three days.
Apart from the above ways, it is also necessary to keep your home airy and brighter by allowing sunlight for the major part of the day. Sunlight and airflow have the qualities to kill larvae and the eggs of the fleas.
Some Effective Home remedies for fleas on Yorkies
Here are some of the simple ways to How to get rid of fleas on a Yorkie at your home itself. All the ways are natural and do not involve any medications.
Vinegar, due to its special properties, is one of the best cleaning solutions for your dog and is also pet-friendly. It is the fact that fleas cannot resist the smell of vinegar which gives you added advantage. All you need is an empty spray bottle and mix vinegar or apple cider vinegar with an equal quantity of water. You can also dilute the mixture further in case you feel that your Yorkie does not like the smell of vinegar.
Spray the solution on your dog occasionally by taking care of their open sores and eyes. You can also use a washcloth to apply the solution to your dog’s body too if you feel that your Yorkie is uncomfortable with the spray.
Such a solution can also be made by using lemon, salt, and essential oils. But make sure that some essential oils are harmful to a dog’s health so it is better to consult your vet before using them.
Flea treatment from inside:
There are several best flea treatment for Yorkies that can treat your Yorkie from inside also. For this, you can add ACD or apple cider vinegar to your dog’s water bowl in small quantities. Through this, your dog will develop acetic taste, and hence it will repel the fleas.
Keeping the Environment Clean:
The best flea and tick prevention for Yorkies is to keep your yard clean and free from fleas. Here are some of the effective ways for the same-
- Diatomaceous earth, which is food-grade, is completely natural and is made from fossil remains of small organisms. The silica present in this is absorbed by the fleas, causing them to dry and finally die. You should sprinkle such products where you feel that there is a possibility of fleas.
- Fleas do not like to get exposed to the sun, so it will be good to prepare your garden in such a way where there is maximum possibility of the sunrays on the major part of the day.
- Planting herbal plants is also one of the effective ways to get rid of fleas. Herbal plants such as basil, mint, clove, or sage prevent the fleas effectively.
- Ants, spiders, frogs, snakes, and lizards like to eat fleas. Also, nematodes which are multi-cellular animals, are a threat to fleas which you can easily purchase from your garden stores.
Answers to When to start flea and tick treatment for puppies
It is safe to start flea treatment of your puppies when they reach eight weeks of their age. Regular administration of your puppy is also required during this treatment procedure. Flea shampoos, flea comb are some of the products that can help you to counter the problem of fleas and ticks.
Some Common FAQs:
QUE: What is a natural flea and tick repellent for dogs?
ANS: Apple cider vinegar is one of the best natural flea repellants for your dog. You can make its spray by mixing it with an equal quantity of water.
QUE: Can I put baking soda on my dog for fleas?
ANS: baking soda is incapable of killing adult fleas and is only helpful to eliminate the flea eggs and larvae.
QUE: Will fleas come off in Bath?
ANS: Using warm water and soap can help you to remove fleas from your dog’s body. In case you are using anti fleas shampoo on your dog then you should consult your vet.
QUE: What is the best way to keep fleas off dogs?
ANS: ACD or apple cider vinegar is the most effective way to keep fleas off your dog’s body.
QUE: Does vinegar kill fleas on dogs?
ANS: White vinegar mixed with water can kill the fleas present on your dogs. You can also use the same solution for controlling fleas around your home.
I hope, that now you are well aware of the reasons behind why do Yorkie get fleas and some of the best ways to How to get rid of fleas on a Yorkie. It is important to control the problems of fleas’ right from their early stage. If you feel that still your dog is not completely free from fleas, you can consult your vet.