Chihuahua Information Center
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Help, My Chihuahua Has Fleas!
How Did My Chihuahua Get Fleas?
It is usually not the fault of the owner when a dog gets fleas. Your Chihuahua only needs to have 1 flea jump onto him in order to have a huge flea problem. A flea can jump about 6 feet; therefore you do not have a lot of control if a determined fleas wants to jump on your Chihuahua; even with flea prevention it can happen. Fleas are more common during hot weather; however a dog can get infected at any time or weather conditions.
Fleas live in all types of places: in yards among the grass, in pools of water, on other animals and in some houses that have pets.
How do I Know These are Fleas?
Unfortunately, if you spot just 1 flea, your Chihuahua officially has fleas. You may also be able to spot what fleas leave behind: Blood. Fleas bite dogs, therefore there will be tiny specks of dried blood on your Chihuahua. You can easily test this by running a damp, white paper towels across your Chihuahua's coat. If you see any small red spots, this is the blood.
Are The Fleas in My Home Also?
It is usually not the fault of the owner when a dog gets fleas. Your Chihuahua only needs to have 1 flea jump onto him in order to have a huge flea problem. A flea can jump about 6 feet; therefore you do not have a lot of control if a determined fleas wants to jump on your Chihuahua; even with flea prevention it can happen. Fleas are more common during hot weather; however a dog can get infected at any time or weather conditions.
Fleas live in all types of places: in yards among the grass, in pools of water, on other animals and in some houses that have pets.
How do I Know These are Fleas?
Unfortunately, if you spot just 1 flea, your Chihuahua officially has fleas. You may also be able to spot what fleas leave behind: Blood. Fleas bite dogs, therefore there will be tiny specks of dried blood on your Chihuahua. You can easily test this by running a damp, white paper towels across your Chihuahua's coat. If you see any small red spots, this is the blood.
Are The Fleas in My Home Also?
The answer is most likely yes. You can test this as well. Put on a fresh pair of very clean white socks and walk heavily across a room. The fleas will jump onto your socks. Once you have made several passes back and forth across a room, look carefully at the socks. Are there small black specks on them? If so, the room has fleas. The good news is that there is a process to fix all of this and there is prevention methods to take so that this does not happen again.
Can My Chihuahua Be Allergic to the Fleas?
Yes. Oddly enough, the element that most dogs are allergic to is the saliva of the fleas; despite their size. And because the Chihuahua is such a small dog, they can have a more serious reason than larger breeds. If your Chihuahua is allergic to the fleas, it will show as a skin rash or irritation.
Are Fleas Dangerous?
Yes. Aside from your Chihuahua possibly being allergic to the flea saliva, fleas can also give your dog tapeworms. Tapeworms find their way to your dog's intestines, settle in and begin to grow. You may not realize that your Chihuahua has these until you bring your dog in for a regular vet check up and a stool sample is tested.
Can My Chihuahua Be Allergic to the Fleas?
Yes. Oddly enough, the element that most dogs are allergic to is the saliva of the fleas; despite their size. And because the Chihuahua is such a small dog, they can have a more serious reason than larger breeds. If your Chihuahua is allergic to the fleas, it will show as a skin rash or irritation.
Are Fleas Dangerous?
Yes. Aside from your Chihuahua possibly being allergic to the flea saliva, fleas can also give your dog tapeworms. Tapeworms find their way to your dog's intestines, settle in and begin to grow. You may not realize that your Chihuahua has these until you bring your dog in for a regular vet check up and a stool sample is tested.
What Do I Do?
There are several things that you must do when your Chihuahua has fleas. The fleas must be removed from your Chihuahua with a special flea comb. This can be done while you have your dog in the bath (or sink). You will comb through his or her coat, the fleas will drop down into the water and be rinsed away. It is a good idea to do this process 2 or 3 times in a row; if even 1 flea is missed your problem will begin all over again.
You must also wash everything that you can. This will include not only your Chihuahua's belonging, but everything in the home. If not, the fleas will just remain on your bedding, couch and carpet and wait for you or your dog to come by. Wash all sheets, blankets, pillow cases, pillows, clothes, small rugs, dog bed cushions and anything else that will fit in your washing machine. You may also choose to hand wash some items in the bathtub using warm water and a lot of soap.
As the items are being washed and you have de-fleaed your Chihuahua you should keep your dog somewhere safe until you are done cleaning the home. Be careful that while transporting your dog that you do not pass any area in which a flea can jump on him. While he is flea-free you can then continue washing the items and then the vacuuming must begin.
Vacuum all of the floors and then empty the vacuum container or put in a new bag. Then, repeat the process. It is recommended to vacuum the couch and all chairs in the same manner.
There are several things that you must do when your Chihuahua has fleas. The fleas must be removed from your Chihuahua with a special flea comb. This can be done while you have your dog in the bath (or sink). You will comb through his or her coat, the fleas will drop down into the water and be rinsed away. It is a good idea to do this process 2 or 3 times in a row; if even 1 flea is missed your problem will begin all over again.
You must also wash everything that you can. This will include not only your Chihuahua's belonging, but everything in the home. If not, the fleas will just remain on your bedding, couch and carpet and wait for you or your dog to come by. Wash all sheets, blankets, pillow cases, pillows, clothes, small rugs, dog bed cushions and anything else that will fit in your washing machine. You may also choose to hand wash some items in the bathtub using warm water and a lot of soap.
As the items are being washed and you have de-fleaed your Chihuahua you should keep your dog somewhere safe until you are done cleaning the home. Be careful that while transporting your dog that you do not pass any area in which a flea can jump on him. While he is flea-free you can then continue washing the items and then the vacuuming must begin.
Vacuum all of the floors and then empty the vacuum container or put in a new bag. Then, repeat the process. It is recommended to vacuum the couch and all chairs in the same manner.
The Fleas are Gone Now, How Do I Protect My Chihuahua?
Now that you made it through the exhausting part of getting rid of the fleas, prevention will seem easy. You must:
Note: Fleas, of course, are just one issue that a Chihuahua owner may need help with. To learn about how you can have information on every subject possible (and many you may have not even thought about!) click here to learn more.
Now that you made it through the exhausting part of getting rid of the fleas, prevention will seem easy. You must:
- Keep the grass mowed very short in your yard
- Do not allow your Chihuahua to run through fields of tall grass
- Be careful about which dogs your dog interacts with
- Use flea prevention medication and a flea collar
Note: Fleas, of course, are just one issue that a Chihuahua owner may need help with. To learn about how you can have information on every subject possible (and many you may have not even thought about!) click here to learn more.