Fleas, Fleas, Oh Jeez!

[Greenly]

The fleas have taken over. This is the worst year EVER! I don't know WHAT to do. I put flea medicine on them (Biospot) and it didnt help a bit. The house doesnt have fleas but when they go outside they're getting fleas. We can't possibly spray the whole yard (its a 10 acre property). I've been bathing them in dawn dish detergent but as soon as they go out they're covered again, expecially Roscoe. Because I put flea meds on them i can't treat them with anything, even though it didnt work anyways.

Does anyone know of anything else i can do? DH wants me to quit bathing them because hes worried their skin will dry out (roscoe has skin problems sometimes too). Is the dawn mild enough not to irritate them? Or should i stop? Right now when they come in i litterally sit there with a cup of soapy water and pick them one by one. They're driving me nuts cuz they jump off of them and get on me, expecially in the bed. *shivers*

If theres nothing i can do until its time to treat them again whats a good flea med? I've tried them on Frontline and Advantage before and neither of those worked. Is there anythign that'll kill the fleas as soon as they get on them? I thought about spraying around the house but i'm so worried about putting chemicals around and it making them sick. Whats safe?

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

P.S. Please no Hartz products. Thats one brand i refuse to use, i'd rather live with the fleas *L*

[VSLibby]

We are fighting the good fight here, as well (as we do every summer). The Frontline stuff you squeeze out of the tube doesn't work for us, but the frontline spray (in a pump bottle) does . . . unfortunately it is $60 a bottle. Pray for a hard freeze. :grin3:

[Fidget]

if you are washing them with Dawn, you washed off all the flea stuff- it's distributed through the oils on their skin and dawn strips those right off. Now it's like they have no flea protectant on. You have to wash the``m with a "soapless" soap when they have the flea stuff on `em. the flea stuff also does not keep them from being bitten it merely kills the ones that bite them (well eventually) it's meant to keep a home infestation form happening

[jabetx]

You can try Diatomaceous Earth.

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/diatomaceous-earth.html

[vetere]

..at night, place a pan of soapy water in front of a nightlight, the theory is that the fleas are attracted to the light, jump and fall into the water ....(hopefully dying and not taking up the backstroke!)


Doesn't Dr. Bronners Peppermint soap repel them? Not sure- anyone know?....

[obria]

This an informative site..

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980716c.cfm

Most of the plants are out of season now because they are herbs but the sprays and dips work.

We made up a spray bottle of Rosemary Oil (1 part) and water (10 parts) and spray the dogs and cat and even arounf the front door and the porch. Not only did it help with some of the fleas but also help get ride of some of the water bugs.

Good luck, it is a never ending battle right now, we need a real good winter here..

[happysmileylady]

Are you sure that your house isn't infested too? Also, I know you said you have tried Frontline, but have you tried Frontline Plus? I am pretty sure that the FP is the only thing that actually kills the flea EGGS as well. Most flea meds (advantage, capstar etc) don't actually kill the eggs, which means that after the adults are all gone, the eggs can hatch and re-infest.

Three years ago, DH and I came back from a two week vacation to discover our house and two cats COVERED in fleas. It was so bad that DH was ready to spend the first night back in another hotel. We ordered some Capstar online (which does work fabulous for killing all the adults but didn't prevent the eggs from hatching and reinfesting and didn't do anything to keep the fleas from jumping onto the cats from the carpets) and I tried to give them a generic flea bath to give them some relief. One of my cats bit me during the bath and I ended up in the ER, but that's another story. As I said, the Capstar worked, but didn't prevent reinfestation. We went through that, Advantage, Hartz, and a couple of generics too. Finally I started really researching what would kill all the lifecycles and came up with the FP.

What finally rid us after about two months of dosing my cats with all sorts of crap and vacuuming and washing all our bedding over and over and over again was this: We bought a pair of Raid all purpose bug bombs (that's not what they are called, but they were a fogger that was supposed to kill all sorts of bugs, not just one or two types) for the major areas of the house (kitchen, living/family room combo, each bedroom and loft upstairs). We gave each of the cats a dose of FP, locked them in the garage, bombed the house (following the directions on the bombs), then repeated the same process a week later. After each bug bomb, we dusted the carpets with borax, washed all our bedding and then vacuumed the borax up. Yeah, it was a very involved process, but we haven't had a problem since, and we have two cats and two dogs.

[Greenly]

if you are washing them with Dawn, you washed off all the flea stuff- it's distributed through the oils on their skin and dawn strips those right off. Now it's like they have no flea protectant on. You have to wash the``m with a "soapless" soap when they have the flea stuff on `em. the flea stuff also does not keep them from being bitten it merely kills the ones that bite them (well eventually) it's meant to keep a home infestation form happening

The package said you can wash them after 3 or 4 days, i cant remember exactly. I know i didnt bathe them until at least a week or two after i put the medicine on it.

[Fidget]

yes, you can wash them- with soapless soap. Every time you strip the oil off with the dawn, you are removing the flea medicine. You dont have to believe me on this point but between having owned dogs of my own for years, my MIL breeding dachshunds, and my husband working in the pest control industry, Ive picked up a few things about flea control.

[Greenly]

I'm pretty sure that we don't have a problem in the house. We only have carpet in one room and i've been in houses with flea problems and the fleas will normally be jumping all over you but the only time they're on you is if you are in the bed with the dogs.

I dont think the one i got before was Frontline Plus. I dont think i've ever even heard of it come to think about it. I'll check into it though.

Are you sure that your house isn't infested too? Also, I know you said you have tried Frontline, but have you tried Frontline Plus? I am pretty sure that the FP is the only thing that actually kills the flea EGGS as well. Most flea meds (advantage, capstar etc) don't actually kill the eggs, which means that after the adults are all gone, the eggs can hatch and re-infest.

Three years ago, DH and I came back from a two week vacation to discover our house and two cats COVERED in fleas. It was so bad that DH was ready to spend the first night back in another hotel. We ordered some Capstar online (which does work fabulous for killing all the adults but didn't prevent the eggs from hatching and reinfesting and didn't do anything to keep the fleas from jumping onto the cats from the carpets) and I tried to give them a generic flea bath to give them some relief. One of my cats bit me during the bath and I ended up in the ER, but that's another story. As I said, the Capstar worked, but didn't prevent reinfestation. We went through that, Advantage, Hartz, and a couple of generics too. Finally I started really researching what would kill all the lifecycles and came up with the FP.

What finally rid us after about two months of dosing my cats with all sorts of crap and vacuuming and washing all our bedding over and over and over again was this: We bought a pair of Raid all purpose bug bombs (that's not what they are called, but they were a fogger that was supposed to kill all sorts of bugs, not just one or two types) for the major areas of the house (kitchen, living/family room combo, each bedroom and loft upstairs). We gave each of the cats a dose of FP, locked them in the garage, bombed the house (following the directions on the bombs), then repeated the same process a week later. After each bug bomb, we dusted the carpets with borax, washed all our bedding and then vacuumed the borax up. Yeah, it was a very involved process, but we haven't had a problem since, and we have two cats and two dogs.

[Greenly]

yes, you can wash them- with soapless soap. Every time you strip the oil off with the dawn, you are removing the flea medicine. You dont have to believe me on this point but between having owned dogs of my own for years, my MIL breeding dachshunds, and my husband working in the pest control industry, Ive picked up a few things about flea control.

Where do you get soapless soap? I can honestly say I've never heard of that before *L*

[noni1959]

If you have the animals in the house then you have fleas in the house. The larvae lives in dust balls and cracks in corners, tile, wood floors etc and eventually become adults and find their host. Take borax and pour all over your floors and leave for at least four days then keeps some as a boarder around your home. Vacuum several times and empty the bags out side. The borax dehydrates them and they die. It will not harm your animals.

Keep front line on your animals. You have to do this every six weeks.

For your yard, try Diatomaceous Earth.

[Fidget]

you can buy it at the pet store. We either use

HyLite or sometimes we buy some from our vet pretty cheaply

[Tntrouble456]

I had a lil low to the ground Yorkie who carried fleas like a champ. Was at wits end with it. On a whim of an internet suggestion, I tried lye soap. This one had peppermint oil in it but they said to use plain. Anyway, after Frontline failed, Dawn baths failed, one good scrub with this soap and days later she was free and clear of fleas still. It was instantaneous and I was amazed. Poor lil thing never scratched again. I also used borax (mule team stuff at grocery) and salt around the house and bedding areas..let it stay in dry for 2 days before vacuuming and washing bedding. My husband had been bitten alive and that helped alot. A bath every 5 or 6 days with the lye soap and she stayed clean of fleas. It was something else. It's worth a try.

[OKgirl]

The fleas have taken over. This is the worst year EVER! I don't know WHAT to do. I put flea medicine on them (Biospot) and it didnt help a bit. The house doesnt have fleas but when they go outside they're getting fleas. We can't possibly spray the whole yard (its a 10 acre property). I've been bathing them in dawn dish detergent but as soon as they go out they're covered again, expecially Roscoe. Because I put flea meds on them i can't treat them with anything, even though it didnt work anyways.

Does anyone know of anything else i can do? DH wants me to quit bathing them because hes worried their skin will dry out (roscoe has skin problems sometimes too). Is the dawn mild enough not to irritate them? Or should i stop? Right now when they come in i litterally sit there with a cup of soapy water and pick them one by one. They're driving me nuts cuz they jump off of them and get on me, expecially in the bed. *shivers*

If theres nothing i can do until its time to treat them again whats a good flea med? I've tried them on Frontline and Advantage before and neither of those worked. Is there anythign that'll kill the fleas as soon as they get on them? I thought about spraying around the house but i'm so worried about putting chemicals around and it making them sick. Whats safe?

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

P.S. Please no Hartz products. Thats one brand i refuse to use, i'd rather live with the fleas *L*

Why won't you use Hartz products? While you may not mind living with fleas, it isn't fair to make your dogs suffer with them.

I recommend having a professional come out and spray the yard and inside the house. We had to do this when our flea situation got out of hand. We took our dogs to the vet for a day of rest and relaxation (dipped for fleas and a bath). Its the best decision we ever made. That was probably 2 years ago and we haven't had a flea problem since. If we ever get fleas again, I'm doing the same thing.

[venus_de_milo]

Why won't you use Hartz products? While you may not mind living with fleas, it isn't fair to make your dogs suffer with them.

Hartz flea products have a reputation for causing death/damage to pets. I wouldn't use that stuff either, though thankfully I live in the desert where we don't have flea problems.

http://www.hartzvictims.org/

[OKgirl]

Hartz flea products have a reputation for causing death/damage to pets. I wouldn't use that stuff either, though thankfully I live in the desert where we don't have flea problems.

http://www.hartzvictims.org/

Oh okay. I don't use that product but I hadn't heard about how harmful it was. I had no idea.

[Greenly]

Why won't you use Hartz products? While you may not mind living with fleas, it isn't fair to make your dogs suffer with them.

I recommend having a professional come out and spray the yard and inside the house. We had to do this when our flea situation got out of hand. We took our dogs to the vet for a day of rest and relaxation (dipped for fleas and a bath). Its the best decision we ever made. That was probably 2 years ago and we haven't had a flea problem since. If we ever get fleas again, I'm doing the same thing.



As venus said Hartz products have a very bad reputation and i wasnt just saying that because its too expensive or i wanted my dogs to suffer. I'll sit for hours on end picking the fleas off myself than use Hartz products.



On a 10 acre property its just not really possible to treat the whole property and thats what would have to be done. I really wanna stay away from pesticides if i possibly can because I am always very scared my dogs will get sick from them. Thats why i was really hoping someone had some herbal alternatives i could try, thankfully some have done just that.

[Greenly]

you can buy it at the pet store. We either use

HyLite or sometimes we buy some from our vet pretty cheaply

Thanx! I'll check it out at Petsmart today

[AlwaysLate]

Having a flea allergic dog, this is a topic I've researched pretty heavily. Biospot and Hartz do not work. Stick with Frontline, Advantage, or Revolution. There are some new things coming to the market, but I haven't checked them out yet. There is also an oral pill called Capstar that kills every flea on the dog within thirty minutes to an hour, but only protects them for 24 hours. That stuff is worth it's weight in gold if your dog is heavily infested.

When applying topical flea treatments:

Do not bath your dog for three days before or three days after applying the product. Frontline and Advantage work by spreading via the skin oils to the follicles. After three days you can bath your dog with any dog shampoo and even Dawn(though I don't recommend it). You will reduce the effectiveness of the product for a short time, but it will come back once the skin oils build up since the medication is in the follicles. The only shampoos that will strip the medication off entirely are sulfur based shampoos.
Revolution works differently and is absorbed into the bloodstream, so you don't have to worry about stripping it off, though I don't find it to be as effective at flea protection as the other two.


My recommendation would be to:

Give every dog in the household a Capstar tablet to knock down the bulk of the infestion.
About 12 hours later apply Frontline to every dog.
Vacuum the entire house and dump canisters or take bags outside. Be sure to get under as much of the furniture as possible since fleas love dark places.
Wash all of the bedding, dog and human.
Sprinkle diatemaceous earth around the outside perimeter of the house(wear a mask as it's not good to breath it in)
Reapply the Frontline every four weeks.

[dippitydoo]

I have always used Frontline Plus, and have never had a flea problem.

I also use a gentle, medicated dog shampoo from the vet because my lab has sensitive skin.

[Red Sox Girl]

Here's a link with lots of information.



http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=591

[foolofatook]

You dont have to have carpeting to have fleas in the house. They can live on tile and hardwood too. Ive always used Advantage and Frontline and they work for us. I really dont know what to tell you.

[Greenly]

My recommendation would be to:

Give every dog in the household a Capstar tablet to knock down the bulk of the infestion.
About 12 hours later apply Frontline to every dog.
Vacuum the entire house and dump canisters or take bags outside. Be sure to get under as much of the furniture as possible since fleas love dark places.
Wash all of the bedding, dog and human.
Sprinkle diatemaceous earth around the outside perimeter of the house(wear a mask as it's not good to breath it in)
Reapply the Frontline every four weeks.

What is Diatamaceous earth? Don't believe i've heard of that before

[foolofatook]

What is Diatamaceous earth? Don't believe i've heard of that before

"Diatamaceous Earth is a natural earth product created from pulverized fossilized crustacians. It is a powder which acts like billions of tiny, tiny little razorblades that slash the flesh of these nasty pests so that they dehydrate and die."

From this site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hollow/4302/pests.html

[kEnZiEsMoM]

Frontline Plus works for our chihuahua. Like others have said, if your dogs have fleas...so does your house. Before we used Frontline on our dog, we saw a flea jump across our couch. Actually, I believe that is what alerted us to the problem. Do you let your dogs run loose in the yard? If you treat the dogs again, maybe take them out very briefly on a leash(assuming you do just let them run free). Either way, less time outside equals less time rolling around in the flea-infested yard:)

[zelda]

If you can't treat your yard because it's so big, why not section off a area of your yard for the dogs ot stay in, and just treat that area?

[crazywolf]

I give my dog the monthly flea pill.I havent seen a flea on him since i put him on the pill.It cost 10 bucks a pill and it last 1 month.I think its called comfortis

[wmcr]

My cat had fleas once and I remembered being told to put lemon juice in the water for some reason and it worked. I know...I'm a big help...LOL But I was just now researching it and came across some information you might find helpful



Fleas usually gain entry to your home through your pet or visitors' pets. For every flea on your pet, there may be as many as 30 more in the pet's environment.
Before reaching for pesticides, try these safer choices:


* Bathe and comb your pet regularly. Use mild soap, not insecticides. If fleas are found on the comb, dip the comb in a glass of soapy water.
* Citrus is a natural flea deterrent. Pour a cup of boiling water over a sliced lemon. Include the lemon skin, scored to release more citrus oil. Let this mixture soak overnight, and sponge on your dog to kill fleas instantly.
* Add brewer's yeast and garlic, or apple cider vinegar, to your pets' food. However, it is not advisable to use raw garlic as a food supplement for cats.
* Cedar shampoo, cedar oil and cedar-filled sleeping mats are commercially available. Cedar repells many insects including fleas.
* Fleas in the carpet? The carpet should be thoroughly vacuumed especially in low traffic areas, under furniture, etc. Put flea powder in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas that you vacuum up, and put the bag in an outdoor garbage bin.
* Trap fleas in your home using a wide, shallow pan half-filled with soapy water. Place it on the floor and shine a lamp over the water. Fleas will jump to the heat of the lamp and land in the water. The detergent breaks the surface tension, preventing the flea from bouncing out.
* In the yard or garden, plant fleabane (Fleabane Daisy Erigeron speciosus) to repel fleas. This is an annual growing 16-24" tall with violet, daisy like flowers.
* Nontoxic flea traps are available commercially.
* Flea Control Nematodes can be used to control fleas in outdoor areas your pets frequent.
* For more information, read our article: Natural Flea Control

[Greenly]

Wow thank you for all that info!! (Thank you all really!)


This is just the worst flea season we've ever had. All the neighbors are complaining. Our neighbor the across the street has tried all kinds of stuff and is still having problems. Iunno why they're so bad this year. I wish winter would hurry and get here!


My cat had fleas once and I remembered being told to put lemon juice in the water for some reason and it worked. I know...I'm a big help...LOL But I was just now researching it and came across some information you might find helpful



Fleas usually gain entry to your home through your pet or visitors' pets. For every flea on your pet, there may be as many as 30 more in the pet's environment.
Before reaching for pesticides, try these safer choices:


* Bathe and comb your pet regularly. Use mild soap, not insecticides. If fleas are found on the comb, dip the comb in a glass of soapy water.
* Citrus is a natural flea deterrent. Pour a cup of boiling water over a sliced lemon. Include the lemon skin, scored to release more citrus oil. Let this mixture soak overnight, and sponge on your dog to kill fleas instantly.
* Add brewer's yeast and garlic, or apple cider vinegar, to your pets' food. However, it is not advisable to use raw garlic as a food supplement for cats.
* Cedar shampoo, cedar oil and cedar-filled sleeping mats are commercially available. Cedar repells many insects including fleas.
* Fleas in the carpet? The carpet should be thoroughly vacuumed especially in low traffic areas, under furniture, etc. Put flea powder in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas that you vacuum up, and put the bag in an outdoor garbage bin.
* Trap fleas in your home using a wide, shallow pan half-filled with soapy water. Place it on the floor and shine a lamp over the water. Fleas will jump to the heat of the lamp and land in the water. The detergent breaks the surface tension, preventing the flea from bouncing out.
* In the yard or garden, plant fleabane (Fleabane Daisy Erigeron speciosus) to repel fleas. This is an annual growing 16-24" tall with violet, daisy like flowers.
* Nontoxic flea traps are available commercially.
* Flea Control Nematodes can be used to control fleas in outdoor areas your pets frequent.
* For more information, read our article: Natural Flea Control