My new 9-week-old puppy has a flea. How do I treat it safely?

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. What a cutie!! I recommend sticking with a product that’s on label for both Nash Ford’s size and age. I really like Nexgard, which is labeled for 4 lbs and up, and as young as 8 weeks. It should be available from most vets. Hope this helps! It’s great that you’re taking such good care of your sweet pup!

Yes, I can give you a flea treatment program for Gracie. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. Best of luck.

Pretty much all of the OTC flea medications are safe for 7 month-old puppies. There are several options, such a monthly topicals, flea collars, or a Seresto collar. Flea shampoos don't work well at all. Prescription oral flea preventative seem to work the best, in my opinion, so I would recommend that Grace be checked out by a vet so she can get started on one of these. Please know that it can take several months of consistent treatment to get rid of a flea infestation. Fleas don't live on the dog, they only jump on at bedtime. So, if you see a 2 or 3 fleas on Grace at one time, then there could be 20-30 fleas off of her, laying eggs to make new fleas! Here is some more information on fleas: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3682

I recommend to see your veterinarian for medication called Revolution. While any pecan have a reaction to anything, Revolution seems to be very safe for very small and very young pets. You will need to treat her for 6 months. I hope this helps.

Vii can be given Heartgard (8 weeks is an appropriate age to start) but make sure you have the appropriate sized dose for Vii's weight. For fleas and ticks I recommend a monthly chewable product such as Nexgard, which is labeled for young puppies like Vii. This is a prescription product and is available from your veterinarian. Hope this helps!

You can treat him with a monthly flea prevention, like NexGard or Frontline which are both labeled for use on puppies over 8 weeks of age. Ask your vet for the best flea prevention for your puppy. Continue to give him the flea medication on a monthly basis.

Your dog is so cute! He looks like a young puppy, and it's best for me to know his age so I can know if it's safe to recommend specific medication to treat him. There are certain ages at which puppies can receive flea medications, and it's not safe to give them to puppies below a certain age. You can post again with more details about his age, but I can recommend bathing him in Dawn dish soap. That's safe to do for even young puppies.