External anti-parasites for the puppy
This is a topic which at first glance scares us, and depending on the time of the year and the place we live in, it becomes more or less important.
There are countless commercial brands which are effective so, without having to name them, I will try to explain the different products.
1. Let's begin from the fact that we have a puppy. As a result, we need to remember it is highly sensitive to any anti-parasite product. We mustn't bathe it with anti-parasite liquids; our puppy could ingest it causing serious gastric problems. Even its contact to the skin of our puppy might provoke skin reactions. Furthermore, if we are a bit on the exaggerated side, we could cause some nervous symptoms.
2. Anti-parasite collars are designed for adult animals but we mustn't put it on our puppy since it can intoxicate it. Generally, those collars designed for puppies are harmless, even for ticks and fleas, specially if we live near a field or garden.
3. Sprays work well if they go accordingly to the age of the puppy. Those sold in specialized stores can be applied as early as 2 months old. We always need to follow the instructions at the label. Some things we need to bear in mind when using this product:
1. do not bathe nor wet the dog for 2 days (some even recommend going for 3 days) after applying it.
2. we need to apply it over the skin by moving the fur with our hand (we need gloves to apply it).
3. avoid any contact with your eyes, mouth and ears (or any other mucous area) since this might cause irritation.
These products last for a month.
4. Pipettes, this is the newest way of fighting against fleas and ticks. We need to apply the pipette over the base of the skull. This will spread all around the neck of the dog. The same as with sprays, we need to apply it to the skin, removing its fur and using gloves. If the dog weights over 25kg, it is advisable to apply half of it where we mentioned previously and the other half should go at the caudal.
The advantages of using pipettes are many:
A/ We always apply the right amount because we purchase the amount we will be using.
B/ It doesn't present any risk over mucous areas.
C/ It spreads in an homogeneous manner.
D/ They are harmless for the puppy after its 7 weeks old.
4. Oral tablets, its only inconvenience is that it doesn't relieve the lesions caused by fleas, which are quite common.
