Treatment FAQ

just had a bath when to apply flea treatment

by Rae Balistreri Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Having said that, most people seem to agree that 48 hours is a good rule of thumb to follow when applying flea medicine after a dog's bath. You can put flea medicine on a dog after a bath, but please wait at least 48 hours.

How long should you wait to take a bath after flea treatment?

Whilst most topical flea medicines are waterproof, it’s best to wait for 2 days as a bath or shower could wash the flea treatment off, rendering it ineffective. Will a bath wash off flea medicine?

Will a bath wash off flea medicine on my Dog?

If you’ve recently applied flea treatment to your dog, taken them for walk, they’ve got really muddy, and then they need a bath within 48 hours… will the bath wash off the flea medicine? The majority of flea medicines that you spot-on your dog will be waterproof, so after 48 hours a bath or rain should be fine.

Can You reapply flea treatment early?

While you can reapply flea treatment early in some cases, you should talk to your veterinarian to find the best and most effective flea treatment for your pet. Your vet will know which products are working well in your region, as some that may have been effective at one time may no longer be killing fleas the way they used to.

How long after applying flea treatment can my Dog get Wet?

It depends. As a general rule of thumbs, when you apply flea medicine to your dog you should wait for 48 hours before you let them get wet. After 2 days, providing they have the natural oils in their coat, the treatment should have started to work effectively.

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Can you give flea meds after a bath?

Avoid bathing your dog for a few days before and after applying spot-on flea treatment. If you bathe your dog before the application, there won't be enough natural oils to carry the medication deep into their skin.

How long after a flea bath can you apply Frontline?

48 hoursIt is OK to bathe your pet before using FRONTLINE PLUS, but the coat should be completely dry prior to application. In the 48 hours immediately after treatment, do not bath, shampoo or let your dog go swimming.

Can I reapply flea treatment early after bath?

The known safe answer is to wait the period of time the product is supposed to work, typically 30 days, before reapplying. An alternative is to bathe the pet in a detergent shampoo (meant to strip off skin oils) and reapply after 24 hours.

Can you apply cat flea treatment after a bath?

Generally, the packages say to wait 3 days before applying flea meds & 3 days after for baths. However, if you have questions, it's never a bad idea to consult your vet.

How soon after bath can I apply advantage?

Advantage® II is waterproof after 24 hours. However, we suggest bathing your cat before applying Advantage® II. Just make sure your cat is thoroughly towel-dried before application. If you choose to bathe your cat in between treatments, we recommend use of a general grooming shampoo for pets.

Can you put flea treatment on a wet dog?

Carefully dry your dog so that medication applied to a damp or wet dog is not diluted, which can reduce its effectiveness, or wait for a day to two until your dog is dry and body oils have returned. You can also choose to use a flea treatment such as oral medication that is not affected by your dog's moisture level.

What happens if you put flea medicine on too soon?

If you are finding fleas on your pet even after applying your pet's topical flea treatment, you might consider reapplying it early. However, this solution is not always recommended and may lead to an overdose in some rare cases.

Can you apply Advantix after a bath?

Can I bathe my dog after applying K9 Advantix® II? Yes! However, we suggest bathing your dog before applying K9 Advantix® II. Your dog needs to be dry at the time of application.

Can I give my dog a flea bath 2 days in a row?

You shouldn't need to use flea shampoo unless your dog has an active flea infestation. But if that's the case, you can wash your dog 1-2 times a week, but not long term.

How soon after bath can I apply revolution?

Do not apply when the haircoat is wet. Bathing or shampooing the dog 2 or more hours after treatment will not reduce the effectiveness of Revolution against fleas or heartworm.

Does bathing get rid of fleas?

Bathing your pet regularly will also help rid your home of fleas. Any soap will kill them, so you don't have to use a flea bath. But make sure that the soap you use is safe for a cat or dog. Some people like to finish the bath with a nice-smelling essential oil that may also help keep fleas away.

What Is Flea Treatment?

Before we get into when is the best time to place flea treatment on a dog after a bath, you should be aware of what flea treatment is, and where it is applied. Flea treatment helps to get rid of fleas from your dog’s fur. Fleas are a type of parasite that can be quite troublesome.

Where Is Flea Treatment Applied?

The majority of flea treatments are topical. This means they are applied directly to a dog’s skin. This is the best method, as it will target the fleas directly, and this is the most effective. The flea treatment is typically placed in a pipette that you squeeze onto the skin in between your dog’s shoulder blades.

Will Bathing My Dog Affect Flea Treatment?

Given that the majority of flea treatments are topical, and are applied to the skin, care will need to be taken when it comes to baths.

How Long Should You Wait To Put On Flea Treatment On A Dog After A Bath?

While you may assume that you can place flea treatment on a dog as soon as it has been bathed and dried, this is also not recommended. This is because of the natural oils in your dog’s fur. When a dog is washed, the majority of the natural oils in their fur are stripped.

What Do The Flea Treatment Companies Recommend?

Here are what two of the most popular flea treatment companies recommend. It is important to always ensure that you are checking the packaging of the different brands to ensure that you are following the recommendations they give.

Alternative Flea Treatments

While the majority of this article has covered topical flea treatments, there are other types of flea treatments available too. In this section, we will be discussing these different options and whether baths will affect their effectiveness.

Summary

We hope that this article has helped you to learn when is the best time to place flea medicine on your dog. As you can see, it does vary depending on the type of treatment you use.

How long does it take for a dog to get a bath after flea treatment?

But what if you’ve recently applied flea treatment to your dog, taken them for walk, they’ve got really muddy, and then they need a bath within 48 hours… will the bath wash off the flea medicine? The majority of flea medicines that you spot-on your dog will be waterproof, so after 48 hours a bath or rain should be fine.

How long should I bathe my dog for fleas?

To conclude, when it comes to putting flea medicine on your dog and how a bath can affect it, 48 hours either side of getting wet seems to be decent barometer to follow. And even if your dog does get a little wet inside of the first 48 hours of applying flea treatment, I would not worry too much. A little bit of rain will probably not do any harm, ...

How long should I wait to apply flea treatment to my dog?

Like the advice I’ve given, Advantage also believe that the 2-day rule for applying flea treatment should be observed after a bath: “If you’ve recently bathed your dog, it’s recommended you wait at least two days before treating them with Advantage flea drops.”.

How long does it take for flea medicine to work on a dog?

How soon can you put flea medicine on a dog after a bath? Vets estimate that it can take as long as 3 days after a bath for the oils in a dog’s skin to be replenished. After this period of time, you can then put flea medicine on their coat, as the natural oils should be enough after 3 days to help carry the treatment around the dog’s coat.

What is the most popular flea treatment?

Frontline is one of the most popular brands of flea treatment and say this in their packaging about application after a bath.

How long after applying Advantage to dog?

“It’s recommended that you avoid bathing your dog for at least two days after treatment with the Advantage flea medicine.”.

Can you wash a dog after flea treatment?

Under that time limit, then yes, it could wash off the flea medicine. If you do decide to bathe your dog during the first 7 days after they have had a flea treatment, use a non-stripping shampoo that won’t remove their skin’s natural oils.

How long after flea treatment can dogs be exposed to rain?

If you have taken your dog on a walk where they ended up getting themselves covered in mud, you may be wondering whether giving them a bath before the 48 hours has passed will impact the treatment’s effectiveness. As mentioned, the majority of flea treatment products possess waterproof qualities, so after 48 hours your dog can be exposed to rain ...

How long does it take for flea treatment to work on dogs?

As mentioned, the majority of flea treatment products possess waterproof qualities, so after 48 hours your dog can be exposed to rain or bathe water and this won’t affect how well it works. If you bathe them too soon, it is likely that the water will wash the treatment off before it has had a chance to work.

What is oral flea medicine?

An oral flea treatment comes in the form of a chewable or a pill. It is then ingested by your dog and the medicine is transferred to the fleas when they bite.

What happens if you bathe your dog too soon?

If you bathe them too soon, it is likely that the water will wash the treatment off before it has had a chance to work . It also depends on the type of treatment that you opt for.

How long after a dog is bathed can you swim?

Again, the manufacturers behind Advocate advise that you do not bathe your dog or allow them to swim in water within the first 48 hours after applying the treatment.

Can you bathe a dog with fleas?

Although most flea treatments are waterproof, you must allow sufficient time for the treatment to work its way into your dog’s body. Bathing them too soon enhances the risk of washing the treatment off and as a result, it will be ineffective. If you treat your dog using an oral medication, it is likely that you will be able to bathe them ...

Where to put spot on for fleas?

A spot on treatment contains ingredients that are harmless to your dog but poisonous to fleas. It is typically administered to the back of their necks via a pipette.

How long after bathing can you apply flea med?

I'm no expert, but there are no warnings or instructions on the topical flea med's packaging that says you can't apply till 48 hours after bathing.#N#My dogs' groomer applies the flea treatment to the dogs of some of her customers after she gives those pups their monthly baths. I'm guessing the customer doesn't feel comfortable applying it themselves for some reason.#N#I'm sure that you will get dissenting answers from some of the other members on DF. Some people say that it is the oil on the dog's skin that helps spread the flea treatment over their bodies, which is why some think that you should preferably wait 48 hours after bathing to give the dog's skin time to produce more oil.

How long does it take for flea meds to work on dogs?

Shampoo of any kind is going to remove all those natural oils from the coat and it takes 24-48 hours for a sufficient amount of oils to build back up. Most topical flea meds are water proof, but you need to wait 24-48 hours for them to be fully absorbed into your pets system.

How long after bathing a dog should you give them oil?

Some people say that it is the oil on the dog's skin that helps spread the flea treatment over their bodies, which is why some think that you should preferably wait 48 hours after bathing to give the dog's skin time to produce more oil.

When can dogs use flea drops?

Special Considerations. Most dogs are able to use flea drops, no matter what breed or size they are. The only issue is that puppies under the age of eight weeks shouldn’t use flea drops, since they use powerful chemicals.

How long after a dog is treated can you bathe?

After waiting the designated 48 hours after treatment, you can bathe your dog.

How old can a dog be to wear a flea collar?

There are a few things to keep in mind if you’re going to use a flea collar. The first thing is that some can be worn on dogs as old as seven weeks, with most being worn after eight weeks [ 3]. If you’re taking care of puppies younger than seven weeks old, talk with a vet about using an oral tablet.

How long do flea pills stay in the blood?

Other pills excrete their active ingredient through skin oils [ 1], which is why owners are advised not to bathe their dog within 48 hours of giving them this pill.

What to give a dog for fleas?

If you take your dog to the vet after discovering fleas, they may prescribe your dog a flea pill or chewable flea medication. This kind of pill will actively work to kill fleas, rather than working as a preventative measure. Some flea pills stay in the blood stream to kill off fleas that have begun to feed.

Why shouldn't dogs be bathed?

Most dog owners know that the reason dogs shouldn’t be bathed very often is because shampoo strips their fur of natural oils. This same concept applies to dogs needing a flea bath. If they’re bathed too soon, regular shampoos will strip their coat of any flea-killing measures you’ve taken.

How long does it take for fleas to kill in dogs?

Wait at least 48 hours for treatments to work before washing your dog’s fur clean. Any medication will need time to soak into or out of your dog’s skin to kill fleas. If you have any questions about a specific flea treatment you’ve used, contact your vet or read the directions on the box the treatment came in.

How to apply flea treatment?

How to Apply Each Brand of Topical Flea Treatment 1 Hold the tube upright and turn the cap one full turn. 2 Make sure the seal is broken but DO NOT remove the cap. 3 Cats: Part the hair at the base of the neck and apply the entire tube to the skin. You can apply to a second spot directly behind the first if there is overflow. 4 Dogs: Part the hair at the base of the neck and apply to the skin; do this in one or more spots depending on the size of your dog. For larger dogs, choose two or three spots along the spine to continue the application.

What percent of fleas should be treated?

You should be treating your home for adults plus the other 95 percent—flea eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae.

How many active ingredients are in flea prevention?

Flea preventions typically use one or two active ingredients to do the job of preventing fleas. Each brand will use different active ingredients, and these ingredients will work in different ways to prevent fleas. An overdose for most flea preventions could result in the following: Profuse drooling. Vomiting.

Why is flea prevention not working?

Incorrectly applying topical flea prevention is the most common cause for its failure to work. Flea prevention is expensive, and you don’t want to waste a dose.

How to apply Bravecto to cat?

Bravecto. Hold the tube upright and turn the cap one full turn. Make sure the seal is broken but DO NOT remove the cap. Cats: Part the hair at the base of the neck and apply the entire tube to the skin. You can apply to a second spot directly behind the first if there is overflow.

Can you overdose on fleas?

However, this solution is not always recommended and may lead to an overdose in some rare cases.

Do fleas jump on pets?

New fleas from the environment can—and will—jump on to your pet to feed. So, it’s extremely important to treat your pet’s environment, too. And it’s not just adult fleas you need to watch out for, because they only make up less than 5 percent of the flea population.

How to get rid of fleas on dog?

Use coconut oil for sticky spots. Spot clean your dog with coconut oil on a cloth to remove sticky substances. Step. 4. Salt water bath. If bathing cannot be avoided, try using a salt water bath, which, although it will remove the flea treatment, may also impede fleas as well, without overdosing your dog on medication.

Can dogs swim after a bath?

Do not let your dog swim after treatment for the same length of time bathing should be avoided.

Can you bathe a dog with anti-parasitic medication?

Well, here’s what not to do: do not bathe your dog and then reapply the medication, as this could result in your dog getting too much anti-parasitic medication which could make him very ill. You could wait it out, after all, if it’s just dirt and a little dirt never killed anyone yet did it? I guess that depends on whether you have all white upholstery, an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and a weak heart! But what if it's not just dirt, what if it’s ….err… filth, then you may need to take action.

Can a dog get dirty after flea treatment?

Your dog does not know that just because you have given him flea treatment, he now can’t get dirty, and no amount of explaining it to him is going to change that! If you have a mud monster mutt, you may want to choose a product that allows for bathing soon afterward or contain your dog to keep him clean for the specified period of time required for the product to take effect. Remember there is no point getting angry at your dog for getting dirty, he didn't read the leaflet that came with the flea treatment!

Can you reapply flea medicine without a vet?

Do not reapply medication without consulting a veterinarian to avoid overdosing your dog. If absolutely necessary, completely bath your dog, and then consult a veterinarian for advice on how soon another flea treatment can be reapplied.

Can you bathe a dog after introducing a flea collar?

Even though flea collars are waterproof, avoid bathing for a day or two after introducing a flea collar to allow body oils to distribute medication over your dog's body. Several specific spot treatments or oral medications allow you to bathe your dog within a couple of hours of applying.

How long does it take for a dog to get a bath after flea treatment?

If you’ve recently applied flea treatment to your dog, taken them for walk, they’ve got really muddy, and then they need a bath within 48 hours… will the bath wash off the flea medicine? The majority of flea medicines that you spot-on your dog will be waterproof, so after 48 hours a bath or rain should be fine.

How long after advocate flea treatment can I bathe my dog?

When can I bathe my dog after advocate flea treatment? Advocate are a little clearer with their instructions explaining that showers and baths can wash off flea medicine if done within 48 hours of being applied.

How long after flea treatment can dogs get wet?

Frontline say that your dog should not get wet up to 24 hours after applying their Frontline Plus flea treatment. Whilst that’s not as long as I personally advise, it’s key to understand that by wet, they might simply mean a little rain. There’s a big difference between a dog getting wet from rainfall and being scrubbed in a bath or shower.

Can I give my dog flea pills?

Many owners will give their dog an oral flea treatment. I appreciate not all dogs like taking tablets, but it won’t be affected by bathing and pills are said to be more effective than a topical spot-on treatment.

Can you wash a dog after flea treatment?

Under that time limit, then yes, it could wash off the flea medicine. If you do decide to bathe your dog during the first 7 days after they have had a flea treatment, use a non-stripping shampoo that won’t remove their skin’s natural oils.

Can flea medicine be used on dogs?

A bath and shampooing can strip a dog’s coat of natural oils; the flea medicine will pool up by the dog’s neck and not be as effective. In fact, most topical flea treatments actually work far better on dirty dogs, as there’s plenty of oil in their skin and coat to help absorb and move the flea treatment around effectively.

Can you use flea and tick collars on dogs?

Another alternative is a tick and flea collar. We actually double-up the topical spot-on liquid with a flea collar; primarily because our dog is at risk of ticks due to walking daily in a forest environment.

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