question about fleas

Does anyone know how cold it has to be outside for it to kill off the fleas? We had a terrible time in my neighborhood this year for fleas... I mean they were real bad. I live in a new neighborhood and there are still several houses that have been built but not sold yet, so the yards have grown up into hay fields. Lucky me, I have one on both sides of me. Anyway, I'm not really sure where fleas come from or what type of habitat they prefer other than animals. But I am assuming cold weather will kill them off eventually.

We've tried spraying the environmnet outside many times. We bombed the house a time or two over the summer when they were real bad. We cleaned all the bedding and stuff the animals come in contact with. We sprayed the rugs and drapery down with the flea stuff....etc... We also had the puppy and the cat on the frontline. The frontline helped, but since the fleas are still in the environment outside... they keep coming back. Granted, they're not as bad as they were over the summer... but want them gone.

I am taking the dog to the vet today or tomorrow for her 3rd set of shots I am late on getting. I'm gonna get her some more frontline and the cat too. I also have to treat the puppy and the cat for those yucky worms they get from eating the fleas. And of course they'll get their flea bath first then I'll put the front line on them in about 5 days like they recommend.

Is there anything else I can do??? The vet keeps telling me that unless I treat the environment they will keep coming back. I've treated the environment several times with stuff that is suppose to take care of the fleas and ants and other small insects. We tried the seven dust around the perimeter of the yard... what else can I do??? I have never had a problem with fleas before... not like this. They are not infested in the house or anything like that. But I do see some on the animals.. so I know they're in here, I've just been lucky enough not to see them. I'm going to bomb the house tomorrow and have hubby spray outside again. Please tell me these pesky fleas will die from the cold weather that is moving in rather quickly now.

I don't think fleas actually die in cold weather, I think they just go dormant. My vet says that late fall is the worst time for fleas: they're all desperate to find a host and a warm body for the winter. That's also the time that they move into your house to find someplace warm.

I'd keep treating the yard, and spray or flea bomb your house thorougly. I know other dog owners swear by it, but I personally have had no luck with frontline. It just didn't seem to work well for my dog. If you didn't have the best results, you might want to try another brand. I personally just use the good ol' flea shampoo.

Nematodes are microscopic worms that eat flea larva, and are an effective, natural way to control fleas. Nematodes can be purchased at pet and garden stores. Apply them to moist, shady areas in your yard and around your home. They multiply rapidly, so a small amount will produce the desired result.

this could solve your problom


Bonnie

do you think the tall grassy yards that surround me have anything to do with the flea problem? I'm wondering if I should get some worms and sprinkle them in those two yards as well as my own... hmmmmm.

Advantage works very well at killing fleas and does so quickly. It will also treat fleas in your home as the treated pet dander falls off. It's generally very safe as it's active ingredient works only on the central nervous system of the flea.

Fleas CAN die in cold it just has to be very cold to do so. Also, Frontline and Sentinal and other oral flea controllers are very reliable to the majority of dogs, but just like people, some medications dont work with them. I hope this clarifies things a bit for you

I would start with my own yard for now, remember they multiply so treating your own yard may be enough

Bonnie

Usually the fleas try to come into your home by way of your dog when it's cold outside. I use Frontline Plus on all my dogs and have never had a problem with fleas.

what i understand it is takes TWO consecuative (sp?) freezes to kill the ones outside..everytime Victor goes out in my mom's backyard he comes in with one or two big fat fleas full of eggs..(you can see them thru his fur) and i make sure i go over him carefully before we take two steps from the door..those fleas like to get in and lay dormant until spring when they lay their eggs and begin the misery..using boric acid (muleteam borax) worked into the carpet..and under any dog bedding will insure that they don't have a chance of having larvae develop there..

I am a firm believer in garlic. I give it to mine when I cook their pot of stuff for the week. It seems to work great. But,we also have a friend who is a termite inspector and he treats our yard, once a year in the spring (about 3 acres out of 5) and we never have problems. (my neighbors don't spray their yards) I only use the frontline plus for about 2 months out of the year. When spring starts about a month before spraying, and during that month. If I didn't have that done, I would have to put it on my dogs 12 months out of the year, and I don't like to do that. My vet always checks just to see if the dogs have fleas,(just to prove me wrong) but she has never found one. She is amazed my routine works.

However if you get somewhere that the land is infested, mine can get them. I had to use flea shampoo and dip them one time during the hurricane evactuation to my husbands aunts. Her land was infested. My poor dogs were covered. I used adams shampoo, dip. Never had to treat them again. I had to get rid of them as Roxie gets very ill.

i give the cat and the puppy the brewers yeast tablets too.... someone told me a long time ago that those work good for repelling fleas. I've never had a flea problem until I moved to this neighborhood... that is why I am wondering if the overgrown yards on both sides of me have anything to do with it. I will have to try the garlic thing and see if that helps. And it was the frontline plus I was using and it worked fine on the animals but as soon as the puppy went outside to go potty she'd come back in with them crawling all over her. And the cat never goes outside and he's got them pretty bad.. worse than the pup. I'm gonna bathe the both of them tonight in flea shampoo. We're bombing the house tomorrow while we take the puppy for her shots (poor kitty is gonna have to be in the garage in a pet carrier by himself) And hubby has the stuff ready to spray the yard AGAIN. I am also gonna check into those worms that someone suggested. Something better work before I go crazy with this.

I personally don't think that flea shampoo works that well . Years ago before the once a month treatments , I'd have to bomb, spray, dip, powder etc. which I really think is bad for the dogs.( we lived in a woods...tall grasses and all kind of flea carrying creatures ) My whole family uses K9 advantix. Haven't had a flea inspite my old neighbor being completely infested and their cats living in my crawl space. They had 3 dogs and 4 cats.... had to bomb, put all clothing in bags and spray ..... cost them plenty, but they said they couldn't afford the once a month !! Go figure !

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) works great for getting rid of fleas and for worming dogs and cats. Our cats and dogs were infested with fleas and we rubbed this powder on them once a day and after a week or so the fleas were gone.You buy it and find info about it here-
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html

Ezriyah

Do not give your cat garlic, it can cause a dangerous form of anemia and even lead to death.