Flea season is one aspect of being a dog owner that no one looks forward to. Fleas cause a lot of irritation to the dog, and some can cause even more harmful effects. You can both treat and prevent your dog from being infested with fleas through the use of using dog flea collars. With so many available on the market today, it might be hard to choose the best one. Here are some tips you can follow.
1. First, decide whether a flea collar is the best option for you – first and foremost, know that while a flea collar is very effective in treating and preventing fleas, it may not always be the best solution. If you will do your research, you know that some collars have with them an insecticide that gets into the dog’s skin which kills the fleas, while there are those that have a gas that releases toxins. Some experts say that if you have young children in your home, you may want to choose another treatment. Also, if your dog tends to chew on their collars, look for other options as well.
2. Make sure to get the right size – of course, once you have decided that flea collars are the best choice for your pet dog, you need to make sure that you are getting the right size. Usually, there are standard sizes for small and big dogs, and they can just be adjusted readily to fit your dog. If you have a dog that is not quite a puppy but not yet an adult, it might be better to choose the one for big dogs as they will still grow as time goes by and you want to use the flea collar for the duration of the flea season.
3. Do your research on the types of collars available in the market today – it’s important to do your research on the types of flea collar available and which one is the best dog flea collar to buy. Most collars fall under three types. The first is the insecticidal collar, which contains organophosphates and carbamate pesticides which are harmful to fleas, regardless of what stage in life they are. The next type is the biological collars, which are more for prevention of than treatment. And the last is the ultrasonic collars, instead of gas or oils being emitted, they emit ultrasound waves to make the flea leave the dog.
4. Choose one that will last through the flea season – the flea season may last for months, starting from May, with the worst time during September to October. Flea collars are great for preventing and treating fleas because there are some products that can last as long as 8 months so you can be sure that your pet is protected for a long time.
5. Check with your vet before deciding on which collar to use – once you’ve narrowed down your choices for what flea collar you will but, it’s still a smart idea to consult your doctor on which one you should invest in. Especially if you have an older dog, as maybe some collars would not be compatible with them. Also, if your vet has already prescribed a flea treatment, it is best to get their advice on whether it would be alright to try the flea collar on top of the treatment you are already doing.
