Do You Flea Dip Dogs?

The short answer is, No, we do not. In this blog we’ll explain why.


Flea dips have concentrated insecticidal ingredients. The most powerful of these is called pyrethrin, a pesticide sourced from chrysanthemum flowers. While many believe that flea dips are the perfect solution, their chemical potency means they are not ideal for many pets, especially those sensitive skin. 


So now, let’s think about how these dips are used. After you bathe your dog and before you mix and apply the dip to your Canine Best Friend, you must first put on protective gloves. Why? To protect your skin as pyrethrins cause skin irritation. Once you don your protective gloves and then carefully mix the correct amount of dip to water, you then apply the dip to your dog. It doesn’t stop there, however, as you DO NOT rinse that dip off your dog. That dip must stay in your dog’s coat and on the skin to dry to effectively kill any fleas or ticks your dog may have. If you need to wear gloves while preparing and using the dip to protect your skin from the chemicals, do you really want those same chemicals to be left to dry on your dog’s skin and coat?

Let’s also look at other pyrethrin exposure risks. For people, skin exposure can cause irritation, tingling, or numbness at the site of contact. If it gets into your eyes, you may experience irritation, tearing, burns, scratches to the eye, and blurred vision. If inhaled due to improper room ventilation during use, you may experience asthma-like breathing difficulties such as wheezing, coughing, and irritated airways. It can also cause irritation of the respiratory passages, a runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea. Dogs can also experience many of these same reactions.

Keep in mind also that a Flea Dip only kills the fleas that are on your dog at the time of treatment. You will still need to treat your home and yard to prevent reinfestation. For more information on prevention, please read our blog, Fleas & Ticks: The Vampiric Insects.

Here at Pooch Pawlor, we care about the health and safety of our client’s dogs, our clients, and our employees. To us, the risks of using a flea dip are not worth the moment of gain. This is why we do not offer a Flea Dip service. Instead, we offer a Flea & Tick Specialty Light Spa that uses a combination of specialized shampoos, conditioner, and special oils to kill the fleas and sooth the skin irritation from the bites. If your Sweet Pumpkin Lily or Dashingly Handsome Stan need to be rid of some uninvited guests, give us a call. We’ll be happy to help them get rid of the pests.