HELP! More fleas..................

[roxyluv]

:( Roxy is almost 21 wks old now, and after trying a few natural flea repellants nothing seems to be working. We moved into a new apartment in September, which is just around the time the fleas got really bad. Not wanting to use any harsh chemicals on her, I've been giving her garlic and brewer's yeast tablets for dogs. I've also been using De Flea (a somewhat more natural flea spray) on her and her bedding, etc. But nothing seems to work long term. She stops itching for a few days, and then it starts back up again. I just don't know how to safely get rid of them once and for all -- or at least for the Winter. I've read all the posts on fleas - I just don't know what's the safest to use on a dog, especially a young puppy. Can the fleas be in the apartment? I also have an indoor cat, and he has never had fleas, but if Roxy has them he might now too. So I'd like to get something I can treat them both with at the same time, and hopefully nip the problem in the bud before it gets much worse......any ideas????

[Borgan]

Fleas are very difficult to ge rid of, and in my opinion, when they're bad, natural products do very little. First off, I would bathe the dog in its regular shampoo, then I would get the Advantage stuff that you squeeze onto the neck (don't get the pet store cheap stuff). Wash EVERYTHING you can in hot water and dry it hot, too. Also vaccuum whatever you cannot wash and throw the bag away in another sealed bag.

To take it a step further, do the flea "birth control" (I think it's called Program) to prevent them from ever coming back. If you live in an apartment or a shared house, it's very good to take care of the problem right away, as fleas will travel and infect other other pets in the area... don't forget to treat your cat as well! All animals in the house could be potential hosts (humans aren't).

Good luck! It's such a pain in the arse!!!! I feel for you.

-Brooke.

[Borgan]

Fleas are very difficult to ge rid of, and in my opinion, when they're bad, natural products do very little. First off, I would bathe the dog in its regular shampoo, then I would get the Advantage stuff that you squeeze onto the neck (don't get the pet store cheap stuff). Wash EVERYTHING you can in hot water and dry it hot, too. Also vaccuum whatever you cannot wash and throw the bag away in another sealed bag.

To take it a step further, do the flea "birth control" (I think it's called Program) to prevent them from ever coming back. If you live in an apartment or a shared house, it's very good to take care of the problem right away, as fleas will travel and infect other other pets in the area... don't forget to treat your cat as well! All animals in the house could be potential hosts (humans aren't).

Good luck! It's such a pain in the arse!!!! I feel for you.

-Brooke.

[Chris&Eti]

DeFlea works well on contact but fleas only spend 5% of the time on he dog-so your home is the real target for the solution. The important thing to remember is that the lifecycle of fleas is one week-so all bedding that roxy uses/is in contact with needs to be washed weekly as Brooke suggests. You may want to restrict what she can use until the problem is solved.
I've not used this but it seems to be recommended a lot-food grade diatomaceous earth.
Check the progress by getting a flea comb. You should be able to break the cycle in 2-4 weeks.
Here's a link to more detailed information with a non chemical bias:
< http://k9joy.com/peeingpost/PP2005SEP20.html >

[frenchiesmom]

Fleas are very difficult to get rid of, and in my opinion, when they're bad, natural products do very little. First off, I would bathe the dog in its regular shampoo, then I would get the Advantage stuff that you squeeze onto the neck (don't get the pet store cheap stuff). Wash EVERYTHING you can in hot water and dry it hot, too. Also vaccuum whatever you cannot wash and throw the bag away in another sealed bag.

To take it a step further, do the flea "birth control" (I think it's called Program) to prevent them from ever coming back. If you live in an apartment or a shared house, it's very good to take care of the problem right away, as fleas will travel and infect other other pets in the area... don't forget to treat your cat as well! All animals in the house could be potential hosts (humans aren't).

Good luck! It's such a pain in the arse!!!! I feel for you.

-Brooke.

The above quote is all excellent advice and what needs to be done. Then to follow up, the only thing I have found ( having had dogs all my life ) that really works well on fleas is ( as mentioned in an above post ) Advantix, or in my case, I use Frontline. It is a little cheaper here than Advantix and works just as well. I have used both and both are very effective on fleas if it is the vet prescription ones. The cheaper store versions are weaker and not as effective. I have never had a problem with using Frontline on my Frenchies as yet, and they are puppies also.

frenchiesmom

Good Luck !!!

[wendykei]

I use Frontline Plus on Sidney at the vet's recommendation. It's topical like Advantage. I don't know about Advantage, but Frontline Plus (not the regular Frontline) will be effective even if you bathe your dog after applying it. (I think with some brands once you bathe your dog, it washes off the flea control substance.) Sidney hasn't had too many flea problems.

[roxyluv]

Thanks everyone...this is great info. I'm gonna pick up some stuff tonight, and then spend my night vacuuming and washing everything in the apartment! Hopefully I can get rid of them, at least for the winter......

[Borgan]

Before you do anything, are you sure it's fleas?
There are a few other causes for itching - I know this because we were/are dealing with a bedbug (ew ew gross gross) problem that we initially thought was fleas. Many of the same signs... what have you seen?

[roxyluv]

oh, it's fleas......I found a few on her a few weeks ago after I noticed she was itching a bit, and went out and got that DeFlea stuff, which seemed to help a little bit. But the fleas outside must be desperately trying to make their way indoors now with the onset of the colder weather, and I noticed she recently started itching even worse a few days ago. Then I found three more on her...and if there are three, I'm sure there are more. My cat has been itching as well, although I haven't actually found any on him yet. But if Roxy's got 'em, there's a good chance Muffin does too....so I'm hoping the Advantage does the job for both of them (I picked it up last night at the Vet).

I do live in an apartment complex, and my next door neighbor has a dog that he takes less than great care of. He loves letting his dog poop all over my front yard area, and never cleans it up. But that's another topic in itself. Anyway, I am sure that poor animal has fleas that Roxy could have picked up just by walking out our front door. Or she got them from puppy class. So I just vaccuum and clean all the time to keep the house as clean as possible. Hopefully as it gets colder and with the Advantage, I'll be able to curb the problem for the season, and then use it as preventative maintenance next spring.

Hope you get the bed bug problem under control! Thanks for all the help :)

[roxyluv]

I actually live in Levittown, about 25 miles outside of the city. So we may live even closer (or further, I guess) than you think. :D

I actually have a bagless vaccuum, so I clean it out everytime --- I even spray the whole canister part with DeFlea to make sure I completely kill anything in there. I haven't found any fleas in there yet, but I do it just to be on the safe side. But I think I'll try the flea collar trick too.

I am really hoping I don't have to bomb the whole apartment -- I just don't trust the chemicals in those things -- for the animals or for myself. And getting Roxy out of the house for the day is easy, but getting the cat out for the day would be a little more difficult. :(

Thanks for the great suggestions!

[franp]

[QUOTE=roxyluv]I actually live in Levittown, about 25 miles outside of the city. So we may live even closer (or further, I guess) than you think. :D

I grew up on Long Island in the town next to the original Levittown...and my cousins were the first occupants in a Levitt house...with a TV in the wall. Radiant heat ; the dog laid on the floor over the heat..

Going back now, not one house even looks close to what they started out as..The original price after WW2? $8000.

fran

[roxyluv]

I'm in Levittown PA, one of Levitt's other developments. I live in an apartment still and haven't been in any of the old Levittowners, but I can tell you they cost way more than $8,000 now :lol:

I don't know what the one in Long Island is like, but I can't get used to it here....I can understand how it would have worked in the 50s with the rise of suburbs, but IMO it doesn't make for a very livable community today. In each neighborhood, most of the houses look exactly the same -- there are sidewalks, playgrounds, schools and churches, but nothing else. So you are forced to drive your car even to pick up a gallon of milk. But then again, I'm used to New York and Philly, and having everything within walking distance.

BTW, with Roxy, the Advantage, vaccuuming and washing are working well. But has anyone ever noticed a strong smell on their dogs after applying this type of flea medication? We put it on her Tuesday night, and her neck was greasy and she smelled a little bit....but by yesterday, she STUNK. I used a wipe on her, and it worked a little but she still definitely stinks. She has NEVER smelled like this before so I know it's the flea medicine...and she's acting fine so I don't think she's having a reaction to it. Smells kind of rubbery :confused: Anyone ever experience that with Advantage or Frontline, etc?

[wendykei]

Sidney and I haven't experienced any weird smells with Frontline.

[Borgan]

I noticed the Advantage is a bit stinky, too.
Don't wipe it off, though!!!! You can't re-apply for a month.

Are you looking into Program or a comparable monthly preventative pill?

[roxyluv]

I'm going to start looking into preventative things, but I wanted to get past this first and hopefully clear them up for the winter. I waited a day before wiping her down with a baby wipe at all, and then I just had to do it because she smelled like a rubber tire. Must be the smell that kills the flees....:D

She is still stinky so I think the medicine is still doing its job. But it does say the medicine will be effective even after a bath. Consequently, the instructions also indicate that you can apply a tube as much as once per week if there is a serious flea infestation, but under normal circumstances it's once per month. I would never do it more than once per month anyway because I don't like the chemicals -- and besides, a four month supply for my cat and Roxy cost close to $100 bucks! That stuff is like gold :lol:

Thanks all, and I'll let you know if she continues to stink up the house for much longer.