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What to do for fleas on an 8-week-old puppy who can't bathe?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Male | unneutered | 2 months old | 14 lbs

I found a flea in my 8 week old puppy, pitbull! He is 14 pounds. Just got his first 2 shots, DHPP 1 & Deworming. He only goes to our backyard to pee&poop. I read he can't have a bath until 12 weeks old. What to do?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 27th, 2017

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.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on

    King is old enough to start on a monthly flea medication such as K9 Advantix, Nexgard, or Trifexis/Comfortis - so I would recommend getting one of these medications from your vet to treat the fleas and prevent him from getting more. You can get an over-the-counter tablet called Capstar in the meantime that will get rid of the fleas - but it only lasts for 24 hours, so you will need to follow it up with a longer acting medication from your vet after that.

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on April 29th, 2018

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is so adorable!!! The best combination is using Bravecto on Frontline plus as a preventative and using Capstar added on to kill as many fleas as possible. The Capstar can be used daily to effect. Also, it is very important to vacuum the house and objects in contact with her daily. This is very likely to help. Good luck and have a good night!

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on September 26th, 2018

    Hi there! I do not recommend any type of flea shampoo or dip, as these all contain chemicals that can be toxic to the dog. Instead, if you need a quick way to get rid of fleas, I would give a dose of Capstar - this is an inexpensive oral tablet that is available over the counter, which will very quickly kill all of the fleas on your pet. It only works for 24 hours, though, so I would make sure to follow this up with a good quality flea preventative like Nexgard or Bravecto for longer-term flea control.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 8th, 2019

    I'm hoping Riley didn't get a spot on treatment, as he would not be able to be bathed. If he didn't get a spot on treatment as well, remove the collar, give him a flea bath, have him dry fully, then put the collar back on. 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.

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