Dang on Fleas, HELP

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Sprays, shampoo, bug bombs,garlic, flea/tick collars, and those nite lite type flea traps, I have tried them all.<br /><br />I have hardwood floors throughout the house. We have removed all the throw rugs and put them outside hoping the low 30 degree temps will rid them. Chair and couch cushions have been put into plastic bags with bug spray inside them. Then we have put them out in the cold also. The frames of the couch and chair we wrapped plastic around them and have put bug spray on them as well, but haven't put them outside due to the redneck factor in my neighbor hood.<br /><br />The lawn where we put Keeper out, I treat with an insecticide that I have always had good results with. Just can't seem to get rid of them. Keeper gets a flea bath every Sunday. Two days later the critters is crawling on him again. <br /><br />I know if continued bathing of him, his skin is going to get irritated. Have spent about $200 on products the last 2 months.<br /><br />Anyone have other ideas?

 

[jimr]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

go to the vet and get some Frontline plus. We had a flea and tick problem and it works really good.it might not get all of them but if they get on the dog and bite him they will die.

 

[rwise]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

frontline works! you may be able to get it without the vet visit at some place that deals only in pet supplies (southern agriculture here). In addition to that I use sulfer on the yard once a year, get it from your loacal feed store. sulfer (EDIT: make that granuals not powder, though powder would work just more air born) wont kill them but they don't like it and will avoid it. yes, there is a smell for 2 or 3 days. but it goes away soon enuf. good luck we had them bad a few years ago. oh, vacume a lot and get rid of the bag!

 

[one more cast]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Dito. We spent hundreds of dollars trying to get rig of fleas and I thought I would have to burn down the house. Found Frontline and then bombed the house with foggers and no more fleas. NOTE. when you first apply it your dog might run around and do all kind of weird moves.Don't worry its just the fleas trying to escape.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

When I do a flea job, it is a complex ordeal. First, I have the owner take all pets and have them treated at the vet within a day or so of treatment (they have to show proof or there is no warranty). I then have them leave for the day. Their house preperation involves removing and washing all linens, vacuuming all floors and furniture, and removing as much off of the floors as possible. I then hand spray all surfaces of all floors, all upholstered furniture, pillows, both sides of all mattresses. Once than is done, I then apply an aerosol spray to the same surfaces. It is a combination of several chemicals that kill adults and regulate growth in juevenile fleas. All dog bedding must be destroyed and replaced. I then treat the exterior perimeter of ground around house, especially where the dog spends the most time. Fleas have become increasingly resistant to chemical treatment so the technique has had to become more involved. Just so you know, we charge $95 for this, well worth it to get rid of fleas...

 

[Stumpys]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Our vet told us to use Sevin Dust in the yard, bedding, etc., and even on the carpet. It is nasty when you vacuum, but it worked for us. A lot cheaper too! Supposedly, they can keep coming back, even after you treat. This is what they say about them at this web site:<br /><br /> http://www.fleasmart.com/life.htm <br /><br />In about five to fourteen days, adult fleas can emerge or may remain resting in the cocoon until the detection of vibration (pet and people movement), pressure (host animal lying down on them), heat, noise, or carbon dioxide (meaning a potential blood source is near).

 

[salty87]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

if your neighbors' yards and or animals are infested, your dog will just keep bringing them in. sometimes, it ain't easy.<br /><br />another product that really works is Adams spray. it will also make your dog bust a move. it smells pretty good, sort of clinical, but fleas don't like it. you can spray throw rugs, pillows, whatever.<br /><br />i use it in between baths or bombings as necessary, it just takes a second. if you suspect the neighbors fleas are becoming yours, it might help to spray your dog before you let him back in your house.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Thanks a bunch shipmates, <br /><br />The Petsmart in town has that Frontline stuff. Guess I'll invest some more money on the pooch. He's worth it though.<br /><br />I have some of the Sevin Dust in my storage bldg. I just didn't figure using it to treat the lawn. I had it mostly for my garden I guess it was just one of those "DUH" things. <br /><br />My house isn't really too bad since we have been making a steady attempt at it, but I want it like it was before.....NONE!<br /><br />Does the freezing weather kill them, or does it just make them dormant?<br /><br />Thanks again for you help, it is greatly appreaciated......

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

I have had fleas for 10 years now. They were here when we moved in and will not leave. I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars trying. Exterminators will not even try, they say its a waste of our time. I have found that a constant program is the best method, catching the adults and then the young before they mature, break the cycle if you will. I hope to move in several years and I will permantely alter the grounds ecosystem before we sell. <br /><br />Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Want to kill the fleas on your dog cheap and easy? Dawn dishwashing soap. I didn't beleive it either but it kills them instantly. Sun, Joy, Palmolive didn't work. We tried them after using the Dawn. Dawn works, try it.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Originally posted by Kenneth Brown:<br /> I have had fleas for 10 years now. They were here when we moved in and will not leave. I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars trying. <br />

Saw a doco recently on flea infestation worldwide, extermination in Nth America is a billion dollar a year industry.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Make sure you get Frontline Plus and not just Frontline. The plus has an extra ingredient that kills flea eggs and larvae, too. Helps to break the lifecycle of the population.<br /><br />You can probably find it cheaper online than at your local PetSmart. I actually get it from a vet in Australia that sells it over the internet. Much cheaper than anywhere else I've seen. Same med, only down side is the dog weights are listed in kg rather than lbs. And shipping is like $9 which eats into the savings unless you're buying multiple boxes (I order for myself & friends that have dogs at the same time so the high shipping cost issue goes away).<br /><br />If your dog is getting the fleas from the same spot outside (ie, it's usually in a confined yard or pen) you might want to look into one of the biological flea control products rather than a pesticide. They contain nematodes specific to flea larvae and pupae. You apply it with a lawn sprayer and the nematodes go into the ground and kill the flea larvae and pupae, breaking the flea life cycle. I've never used it and can't say how well it works but it might be worth a quick google search to see what you can find out. (One brand name I've heard of is 'Interrupt')<br /><br />Good luck!

 

[Copespitter]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

When you buy frontline or any other type of liquid flea killer that you apply to your pets skin always buy the package for the heaviest dog. Its the same medicine in the tubes for a small or large dog but the amount varies greatly. <br />If my dog is 50lbs I check how many CC's are in one tube that is required to medicate that weight of dog. I then look how many CC's are in the tubes for the heaviest dogs and do the math. <br />You will also need a syringe (without the needle) to apply the medicine. The CC's are conveniently marked on the side of the syringe. <br />Cut the tops of the tubes and dump the medicine into the syringe. You can also store the unused medicine into the tube until its time for their next treatment.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Advantage...better than frontline by a mile.....works quicker and does in the eggs ......and get the house bug spray in the gallon spray jug and lightly spray the rugs and etc. It will dry quick and not be noticed...make sure it will kill fleas (check the label)

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Thanks again for the ideas on how to handle these insurgent fleas.<br /><br />Went to Home Depot and picked up stuff called HOME DEFENSE. Just under 6 bucks a gallon. Instead of using their trigger sprayer, I dumped several gallons in my pump up sprayer. Sprayed just about anything and everywhere. I even sprayed his 350' dog run outside. This stuff is surpose to have a residual effect that lasts for a year. Yeah right? It will be gone when the first floor scubbing gets done. I'll just spray it again though.<br /><br />I think I found out what was really bringing them into my house. My oldest daughter is going to college and needs the internet occassionally while the wife and I are at work. She brings her little mutt over to play with my dog. It seems her dog is the carrier. She first denied that she was bringing it over, but the security camera tape shows here bringing it into the house.<br /><br />I downloaded some images of her doing so and made a screensaver out of it. So when she went to use my computer, she watched what was up. She appologized for bringing her dog over. I told her it would be okay once she has her problem taken care of. My good SIL is going to spray his house later in the week once he feels better.<br /><br />Robby, we tried the Advantage without success. Something in my dogs chemistry doesn't allow it to be effective. Maybe it's his coat and size, don't know for sure.<br /><br />Thanks again.....

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Dang on Fleas, HELP

Originally posted by Copespitter:<br /> When you buy frontline or any other type of liquid flea killer that you apply to your pets skin always buy the package for the heaviest dog. Its the same medicine in the tubes for a small or large dog but the amount varies greatly. <br />If my dog is 50lbs I check how many CC's are in one tube that is required to medicate that weight of dog. I then look how many CC's are in the tubes for the heaviest dogs and do the math. <br />You will also need a syringe (without the needle) to apply the medicine. The CC's are conveniently marked on the side of the syringe. <br />Cut the tops of the tubes and dump the medicine into the syringe. You can also store the unused medicine into the tube until its time for their next treatment.

lol, Copespitter, I thought I was the only person around who does that. Instead of pouring the whole tube into the syringe I just inject the needle into the back of the tube, suck up the correct amount, and tape over the needle hole until time for next administration (of course I remove the needle before administering to the dogs). <br /><br />Besides saving money this also allows me to administer the exact recommended dosage for my dogs weight. They list that info in the package insert and if you do the math you can see that the way the med is dispensed is that a full tube is the exact recommended dosage for the max weight out of the weight range listed for that size package (e.g., if the pack is for dogs weighing 90-130 lbs, the dosage contained is the exact recommended dosage for a 130 lb dog).<br /><br />If my calculations are correct, according to the package insert the exact recommended dosage is 0.03045 ml of topspot for each lb your dog weighs. So I give my 50lb dog just over 1.5 ml of topspot.<br /><br />I make sure to shake the tube before dispensing but do have one small possible concern. Don't know if there is a possibility that oxidation might effect the med once the tube is opened.<br /><br />Much more convenient to use the same principle <br />to split heartworm tablets using a pill splitter!