Dogs have to deal with fleas that bite them relentlessly. This leaves them irritated and itchy. The best flea shampoo for dogs can help get rid of these annoying critters. This will improve your pet’s life significantly and keep their coat shiny.
The most effective flea and tick shampoo for dogs allow you to remove the fleas that drive your pet crazy. Good flea shampoos also have soothing ingredients that can alleviate fleabite itches. How can you find a good flea shampoo for this purpose?
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Lots of pet owners have tried to use natural homemade recipes with vinegar, liquid dish soap, and warm water. This method has been helpful, but it doesn’t do enough to kill the fleas. Good flea shampoo can come in handy to fix the problem.
Contents
Things to Look For in Flea Shampoos
Good flea shampoos contain pyrethrins. This active ingredient is responsible for killing the fleas. Pyrethrins are gotten from the chrysanthemum flower. They are potent insecticides that cause dysfunction in the nervous system of fleas. Leading to their eventual death. This substance is not as toxic as the synthetic pyrethroids.
You need a shampoo that can:
- Kill adult fleas, eggs, and larvae and completely stop the flea lifecycle. When you kill the adult fleas alone, the lifecycle continues and eggs hatch to produce more and more fleas.
- A good shampoo offers other benefits like moisturization and odor neutralization while cleaning debris and dirt. Look out for a pleasant scent shampoo that won’t leave a buildup of soap behind.
- A shampoo with mostly natural ingredients is a better option. Find one that doesn’t contain parabens, detergents and any other chemical.
How to choose flea shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin
It doesn’t matter if your dog has a curly, long, or short, thick coat, you can find a good shampoo to care for them. Dogs with sensitive skin need extra effort to find a good product to avoid irritating their skin.
Before you choose a flea shampoo, make sure that it is one that is formulated for dogs. This is because human shampoo can dry out the dog’s coat. The pH levels or measures of alkalinity and acidity of both products are totally different.
Lots of shampoo and conditioner formulas can be found on the market today. Many of them are made specifically for different dog species. No matter what conditioner or shampoo you pick, ensure that you read the directions before use.
Benefits of flea shampoos
How effective is flea shampoo for dogs? Flea shampoos are beneficial in so many ways. Some benefits include:
- Flea shampoos contain natural insecticides that kill fleas without leaving any side effects.
- Anti-flea tablets, which are substitutes for shampoos, work well but can cause stomach upset and nausea. Shampoos are less intrusive and have fewer side effects.
- Tablets kill eggs and not adult fleas. It does disrupt the life cycle of the flea but another method is needed to kill the adult fleas.
- Using spot-on treatment is a bit restrictive because it kills the adult fleas and leaves the egg. The eggs could hatch and start the lifecycle all over again. You will still need a flea shampoo to kill both eggs and adult fleas.
Best Flea Shampoo for Dogs Reviews
What is the best flea shampoo for dogs and cats? We have compiled a list to help you pick out the best.
1. Paws & Pals Natural Dog-Shampoo
This shampoo is formulated to enhance the dog’s coat as well as the skin. It has essential oils such as chamomile and rosemary with oatmeal and vitamin E to replenish the oils in the hair and skin. It also reduces skin irritation.
The shampoo was made with purified water infused with different natural extracts. It also contains aloe, rosemary, and oatmeal. These ingredients combine to keep the dog’s coat moisturized and hydrated.
The effect can be seen immediately after a bath. The pet is left with a shiny coat that is easy to groom. It is tear-free as it doesn’t irritate the pet’s eyes. It also does not lather too much or become too greasy when you want to wash it out. Many dog owners prefer this type of shampoo as it is less likely to irritate the pet.
Despite the fact that this product is safe for use, it should be kept out of the eyes of your pet.
- It is an all-natural product
- Smells great for your dogs
- Contains oatmeal and vitamin E made fur soft and fluffy
- The smell may not stay long with your dog
2. Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo
This flea shampoo works for both cats and dogs. It kills ticks, fleas and even lice on contact. The product offers 28 days of control, and this includes flea larvae and flea eggs. This means that it does not only kill adult fleas but kills the flea larvae and flea eggs. This gives the shampoo an edge because the infestation can recur when eggs and larvae are left to spread.
A single wash with the Adams Plus Flea Shampoo offers an excellent kill ratio that wipes out 95% of the fleas on your pet’s coat. Its result is instant as you can see a significant difference immediately after use.
The shampoo is also quite gentle on the pet’s skin and coat. It helps remove the dirt, loose dandruff, and scales to brighten the coat and leave it shiny and soft. It has essential ingredients that help improve the coat of the pet. Some include coconut extract, oatmeal, lanolin, and soothing aloe. These ingredients prevent irritation to your pet’s skin. It makes it suitable for dogs with sensitive skin.
This shampoo also balances out all the harsher flea eliminating ingredients with oatmeal and soothing aloe. These ingredients relieve itching from fleabites. The coconut extract and lanolin also help facilitate healing.
- Kills ticks, fleas, flea eggs, lice, and flea larvae
- Contains aloe, lanolin, coconut extract, and oatmeal that moisturize and clean the skin
- Keeps ticks and fleas away for 28 days
- The shampoo has a lingering odor.
3. Wahl Dog/Pet shampoo
This shampoo is an all-natural product. It is mild and natural for dogs with sensitive skin. The product kills ticks and fleas effectively and is still safe for humans and pets. It doesn’t contain the cleansing agent called PEG-80, which produces long-term negative effects.
It has been proven to be helpful for dogs with sensitive skin and those that are allergic to various harsh chemicals. Puppies that are too young to use pesticides and geriatric dogs that can handle the chemical-based treatment for fleas can use this shampoo as well.
The ingredients in this shampoo are plant extracts, herbs, essences, and oils, as well as FDA, approved colors and fragrances. This makes it a preferred brand by dog owners.
The shampoo lathers well and rinses off without leaving any residue that could irritate the pet. It doesn’t cause drying out of the skin as well.
You can spot the fleas when they drop on the bathtub during the bath. Apply the product liberally on the dog’s face, head as well as behind the ears. Those spots are the favorite areas for fleas and ticks.
It is also gentle on the nose, eyes, and skin to avoid irritation. The smell is pleasant as well.
- Natural/plant-derived ingredients
- Repels ticks and fleas for up to one week
- Only uses FDA-approved colors and fragrance
- May not be suitable for all dogs.
4. Hartz Ultra Guard Rid Flea and Tick Shampoo
The Hartz UltraGuard Shampoo for Dogs provides instant relief from both adult ticks and fleas. It also fights against deer ticks that may carry Lyme disease. The shampoo contains Pyrethrins, the ingredient that kills ticks and fleas that can carry harmful diseases. It contains oatmeal as well to cleanse, soothe and deodorize, your pet’s itchy, dry, or irritated skin.
The shampoo has a light and fresh fragrance that most dog owners tend to love. It can be used on pets that are over six months old. It is also safe for dogs with sensitive skin. The smell is mild to prevent irritation to the pet and its owner who is using the shampoo. It does not hurt the dog or sting the eyes when soapsuds come close to the eye area.
It lathers well on the coat and can be washed off thoroughly without leaving a residue that can irritate the pet’s skin. The oatmeal content also makes it a soothing shampoo for pets.
- The product kills ticks, fleas, and mites
- Formulated with oatmeal for skin soothing
- It is safe for your pets that are over six months old.
- It may take a few more baths to eliminate the pests.
5. Gold Medal Pets Shampoo
This pet shampoo is highly effective. It can be used on both cats and dogs to help get rid of ticks, lice, and fleas. It also helps enhance the pet’s coat, keeping it shiny and moisturized. The coat will be easier to groom as well.
This shampoo aids in soothing dry, itching skin and killing bacteria on the skin. It is made with colloidal oatmeal, and this ingredient soothes fleabite dermatitis, dry, itching or scaling skin. It is developed to dry faster after wash to make the bathing process less stressful and more enjoyable to the pet.
It dries fast no matter what drying method is used. You can air dry, towel dry and still notice considerable differences. This formula incorporates vitamins, fruit acids and other fast-acting proteins that help dry the coat faster.
One of its ingredients, the pro-vitamin B5 helps moisturize the coat to add shine and luster. It also thickens the hair to prevent damage in the future. It can be used on dogs who are older than six weeks old. It isn’t safe for younger puppies.
- Can be used on cats and dogs
- kills lice, fleas, and ticks
- promotes shine as well as groom ability
- it moisturizes skin
- Not for use on dogs under 12 weeks
How To Give Your Pet A Flea Bath
Start the process by:
- Covering the pet in shampoo and lathering thoroughly. This will prevent the fleas from fleeing.
- Wetting the body, and letting everything sit before rinsing properly.
Prerequisites to using the product
- Make sure you read the product label. This is important. Understand all the ingredients used to make the shampoo and how they can benefit your pet.
- Ask your veterinarian before choosing a chemical flea shampoo. Such shampoos are not suitable for nursing, pregnant, old, or sick dogs.
- If you’re using a shampoo for the first time, monitor your pet for the whole day. Look out for symptoms of toxicity like fatigue, vomiting, excessive salivation, seizures, and tremors. Call a veterinarian if you notice any of these signs.
- Every animal reacts differently to shampoos. Wash the pet off with water and soap before the vet arrives to prevent irritation.
- Follow the instruction on the bottle! Do not use a flea shampoo for dogs on your cat or vice versa, unless the product can be used for both.
- Use the recommended amount of shampoo at a time.
- Wash your hands properly before and after applying the shampoo.
- Ensure that you brush your dogs to remove loose hair and dead skin.
- After the bath, take the pet for a walk to dry it off completely so that they won’t lick the product. Ingesting the shampoo is unsafe. Try to keep it out of your pet’s mouth.
Conclusion
Fleas can be a nuisance to pets. When you see your dog scratching, fleas are the first suspects. The best option you have to help the dog is to bath them with a flea shampoo. For better results, treat the surroundings to kill off the fleas to prevent re-infestation.
Our favorite shampoo in this review is the Paws & Pals Natural Dog-Shampoo. This is because of the natural composition that makes it safe for use. It also helps moisturize the pet’s skin and polishes the coat.
The shampoo is effective during all stages of the flea lifecycle. You won’t have to worry about larvae and eggs escaping. The best flea shampoo for dogs kills both adults and eggs of fleas. Just bath your pet and take them for a walk after.
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