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How to care for a 6-week-old puppy with fleas and no mother?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Poodle | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 11 days old

I got a new puppy on Thursday. They told me he was 8 weeks but is actually 6 weeks today. I know it’s bad for them to be away from their mom. They also didn’t inform me he had any fleas just that they haven’t washed him. I took him a bath and took some fleas out but he still has some. Was wondering some more tips and what to know on how to take care of a puppy without mother. I also have one more dog , she’s 6 years old and seems to have her mother instincts on.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on October 21st, 2017

Six weeks of age is young, but Mickey is old enough to be separated from his mother. You will need to feed him a puppy formulated food, and brands that I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. As for the fleas, I can give you a flea treatment program for him that's safe to use at six weeks of age. First, I would give him 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 his 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. Enjoy your puppy and I hope this helps!

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