Flea Control for Australian Shepherds

Australian shepherds or Aussies are intelligent, athletic dogs that love the outdoors. Fleas, unfortunately, live in the outdoors, on other dogs and any stray animals the Aussie is likely to meet. Flea control for Australian shepherds includes prevention, daily grooming and treating any infestations.

Daily Grooming

Aussies possess thick coats to protect it from the elements when herding livestock outdoors. This can make finding the tiny dark bodies of fleas nearly impossible. But there often is a pale, thinly covered section on Aussie bellies near the genitals. This is also a warm spot where fleas like to congregate.

The Australian Shepherd: An Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet (Howell Book House; 1997) recommends this grooming technique for flea checking in solid-colored or very dark Aussies. Lay a white towel on the floor or grooming bench. Have the Aussie stand or sit on the towel. Brush vigorously. Any flea dirt will fall out of the coat along with hair. Flea dirt looks like tiny specks of pepper. If these specks are moistened, they turn blood-colored because of the fleas' blood diet.

Prevention

There are many flea preventative medications on the market. These include oral tablets and spot-on treatments given once a month. Many are safe for Aussies except those with the active ingredient selemectin, seen in the popular brand Revolution. Since Aussies descend from collie breeds, they unfortunately inherited the collie breed's intolerance to avermectin drugs. These are insecticides that tend to have names ending in "ectin." Aussies should also stay away from ivermectin, which is usually more present in dips and shampoos rather than preventative medications.

Not all Aussies are intolerant of avermectin drugs. But those get dramatically sick, experiencing ataxia or noticaeable problems walking. Other collie breeds that may be intolerant of avermectin drugs include rough collies ("Lassie dogs"), smooth collies, Old English sheepdogs and border collies.

Another good flea prevention tip is to keep the lawn mowed. Fleas and flea eggs have a low tolerance to heat. It is much easier for sunlight to repel or kill fleas when grass is short rather than long, according to the University of Kentucky. Be sure to remove brush piles, long weeds or overgrown flower beds as well.

Treatment for Infestation

The key to flea control for Australian shepherds is to not just treat the dog. One also has to treat the environment that the dog spends a lot of time in. This includes spraying the car, vacuuming the carpets and washing the dog's bedding in hot, soapy water. All other pets have to be treated for fleas, other wise the fleas will just hop to the untreated pet and back on the dog. Any sprayed surfaces need to dry before the dog or a person is allowed on them.

The dog itself will need a bath with a flea shampoo recommended by your veterinarian. Be sure to thoroughly soak the dog's fur so that fleas do not hide in pockets of air. Flea collars are not recommended for Aussies as they are often far too strong for the dog's sensitive nose and may cause the dog to become ill with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Flea larvae do not live on dogs or other animals but in carpeting, grass and soft furniture. Adult fleas may suddenly appear about two weeks after vigorous treatment but these are just the matured larvae. Vacuuming should be done every day for at least two weeks in order to kill the most larvae as possible.

Sources

Palika, Liz. The Australian Shepherd: An Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet. Howell Book House; 1997.

Newman Veterinary Medical Services: Flea Control in Companion Animals. http://www.newmanveterinary.com/Fleas.html

University of Kentucky Entomology: Fleas. http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef602.asp