I am afraid that if I give the mom a flea pill or topical treatment such as Frontline that it will get into the mom’s milk and hurt the babies. I haven’t treated the mom since I found out she was pregnant. I haven’t seen any fleas on her, but the babies are 2 days old and I saw a flea on one of them today.
Frontline won’t get in to the mom’s milk – it does not go inside the animal, it stays on the skin. The product is designed not to be able to penetrate the lipid layer of the skin. You can use it safely for the mother, read the contraindications on it.
The puppies will need the spray version of Frontline – this is really the only product safe enough for puppies and kittens that actually works. It can be used on puppies and kittens from 2 days of age, so they’re just old enough!!
Go to a vet, they’ll tell you the same thing. I’m sure people on here are going to recommend Dawn dish soap, or other weird home remedies, but don’t. If you actually want to get rid of this infestation, it’s going to have to be Frontline.
Chalice
Flea Comb and sticky tape – to stick any fleas or eggs you find…
vaccuum your home and wash all doggie bedding…
if it is just a couple of fleas i would just remove them. My vet says to use baby shampoo, that it will kill them without drying out or irrating skin. Just make sure to keep the puppies warm and dry them completely, because they cannot maintain their body heat. You can also use it on the mom
I was told to us the soap joy. It is very gentle and will not cause harm to the mother or the puppies.I used it on a regular basis to keep the fleas to a minimum.
Holly Mills… READ the label AGAIN. Advantage clearly states NOT to be used on pregnant or lactating bltches. You really need to get facts straight when giving advice like this as god forbid someone would listen to you and kill their entire litter.
Advantage is labeled to be used on a lactating b1tch. So, using that on her would be fine. Also, I believe that Capstar is also labeled for a lactating b1tch. Double check that one with your vet.
Fronline is safe it says on the box. At two weeks I use a sprayer bottle with warm water and Fido’s rinse concentrate(follow the directions.) spray the pups every three days making sure you dry them well. And before the rest start attacking you for even having pups and me for giving advise because I am not a vet (nor are half of them) I GOT MY ADVICE FROM A VET
I don’t think you are supposed to give Frontline/Advantage to nursing mothers, but check the directions just to be sure.
For the puppies you can wash them in dawn liquid soap. Make sure it’s DAWN and make sure you rinse them very very well. 3 times minimum. If the mother licks them, or they lick themselves and soap residue is still on them, they can get diarrhea.
However, if the mother still has them, the puppies will continue to get them. Best thing to do is find something safe to give her while she’s nursing. After she’s treated, wash the puppies, and bomb the house or get a spray for the carpet/beds (wherever they have been).
Good luck!
When I had a litter of pups, I noticed a few fleas, called the vet, and she told me to put Frontline on the mother, and after the pups were a week old to put ONE DROP of it on them too. In the meantime it would probably be best to try to pick the fleas off of the puppies by hand and/or a flea comb and drop them in a little cup of rubbing alcohol to make sure the little buggers are dead!
Ask a vet.
Frontline goes on the back and into the skin. It only has a smell that fleas dislike and it is very affective. It will not affect the babies. I promise.
Use a citrus based oil…as in Orange Oil…mixed with a little water and sponge it on the mom and pups. You can bath her with Lemon Joy dish soap and it will kill any flea on her within seconds. It won’t harm the pups either.