Treating Young Kittens And Young Puppies With Flea Infestations
Posted on: 21 May 2015
Flea infestations in kittens and puppies -- particularly those less than eight to ten weeks old -- can be very dangerous. Many people underestimate the risk of these small insects, assuming that they cannot cause much damage. In fact, young kittens and puppies can become anemic, go into shock and even die from a flea infestation, in addition to being in a state of constant distress. Unfortunately, it can be very challenging to get rid of fleas on animals too small to be properly treated but it is possible:
Give Them a Bath
To get ahead of something as aggressive as a flea infestation, you're going to need to treat the entire litter at once. Begin by giving the kittens or puppies a bath. Young kittens and puppies cannot be treated with flea-poisoning shampoo, but a rinse of gentle, warm water and a vet-approved dish soap will make the fleas visible and "stun" them (make it difficult for them to move). During the bath, use a flea comb to remove the stunned fleas.
Wash the Bedding and Carpets
Fleas often come back quickly because they lay eggs at a very quick pace. These eggs don't always stay on the animal; often they drop off into the carpeting and bedding. Throw any of the blankets and other items that the animals are exposed to into the laundry on the hottest temperature to kill off these eggs.
For your floor, you may want to steam clean as much of it as you can. Remember, harsh chemicals like pesticides can be dangerous to young kittens and young puppies.
Treat the Rest of the Household
Flea treat any adult animals in the household except for the mother of the puppies or kittens. Lactating mothers may transfer the poison to their litter, so the mother will need to be treated the same way as the kittens -- with a warm bath and a flea comb. You can also use the flea comb on the rest of the animals in the household to pick up any stragglers.
During treatment, there are also some things that you will want to avoid. Do not use any chemicals or flea collars on the kittens or puppies; they can easily succumb to poisoning. Even medicated flea shampoos can be dangerous. You should also continue checking for fleas and treating as necessary, as fleas can easily come back. An emergency animal hospital should be consulted the moment the kitten or puppy becomes lethargic, as this will be the first sign that something is wrong.
To learn more, contact a company like Animal Emergency Clinic with any questions you have.
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