Fleas!!!!! Grr!!!!!

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#1
I have never had a problem with fleas but this year they're horrible. My dogs have them all the time and I give them a bath with dawn dish soap to kill them and in just a few days they come back (I think they're getting them when we go for walks at the park?) they both have topical flea treatment but apparently it's not enough. What do you guys do to prevent fleas?! I'm so disgusted by them!!!
 
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#2
It could be that they're in your house now... living in the carpet or cracks in the walls or where ever really... Flea's are awful.

We've only ever needed to use the topical solutions... I had a pair of kittens come into my house in early June that were completely riddled with flea's. You couldn't pet them without feeling the flea's on them. It was awful.

I bathed them in a solution I made up myself.
2 cloves of garlic + 1 lemon squeezed, diluted a little with 1 tbsp of water (this was enough for 2, 7 week old kittens). Rub the solution in their fur down to the skin, make sure to get in all the little folds - avoid mucus membranes and eyes/face. Rinse in the bath with warm water and go through the fur with a comb to pick out any remaining flea's. I did this for 3 days before I could get them into the vet for the topical solution and by the time they were in, we couldn't find any flea's. I still had them treated just in case and also treated my dog and the other cats that were living here at the time.

Haven't had a problem since.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
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#3
Baths only kill the adult fleas that are on them at the time of the bath. They do not kill the eggs or larva in the environment.

If I were you, I'd spray your house to help kill off any eggs and larave im the environment. I'd also switch to an oral flea prevention (Nexgard) so you know for certain that the medication is getting where it needs to go.
I also really like products with flea growth inhibitors in them...because then all you have to worry about are the fleas you see, not the unseen thousands waiting to hatch. Bleh.
 
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#4
We went through the flea thing last spring. Here is a list of things that you might consider to get rid of the fleas. They are really hard to get rid of because they have different stages of development. Also, fleas can carry tape worms.

Step 1:

Throw everything in your home in the washing machine that will fit. This includes throws on the furniture, throw rugs, pet bed, sheets on your bed, anything the dog touches. Wash in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. You may want to put the dog outside, or in a room without a rug or carpet, while you are cleaning. This will not get rid of all of them, but it is a necessary step.

Step 2:

While the washer is running, you run the vacuum over everything in the house that is not in the washer. Be sure to get up next to the edge of the carpet, under the couch cushions and into every corner, nook and cranny you can find. This will eliminate many of the adults, but there will still be the other three stages of fleas to deal with. Put down diatomaceous earth or Borax washing powder (not boric acid) and work it into the carpet with a broom. Diatomaceous earth is the petrified skeleton of tiny creatures that have sharp edges that will pierce the protective coating on the bodies of the fleas; Borax dries out the fleas and their larva outer skin, but is harmless to humans. Just be careful about breathing the dust into your lungs.

Step 3:

Now it’s Fido’s turn. Use warm water and a mild soap that will not damage his or hers skin. Start washing from the top down. The fleas will head for high ground when the pup gets in the water and you need to head them off by starting at the top of the dog, so wash his neck then on down the body. There are some herbal remedies that claim to ward off fleas, but I would check labels carefully and ask your vet if you have any questions. It is best to not use a flea collar. They contain harsh chemicals that you do not want on your body or in your dog. Instead, use a flea comb to remove those tiny creatures from the dog’s coat.

Step 4:

Outside - keep the lawn mowed short – fleas do not like sunlight. Trim back the shrubs to encourage air flow and check any damp areas for more fleas. There are natural insecticides you can use if you suspect fleas are infesting your yard. Be sure to check the labels and with your vet to be sure if is not harmful to the dog or the environment.

Step 5:

Clean the inside of the car if you ever haul your dog. Do the same thing you did in the house. Put down the diatomaceous earth or Borax washing power and vacuum the floor and the seats.

Step 6:

Prevention is the last step. By keeping a watchful eye out for fleas and giving your floors and pet areas a complete cleaning and dust the floors every-so-often with the diatomaceous earth or Borax cleaning power to keep each stage of the fleas cycle in check you should be able to live flea free. Also, have your dog checked by your vet for tape worms.
 
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#5
I have been there and it was difficult for me. I bath my dogs almost everyday, used detergent soap, powered them for flea and take the flea by my self because I have to help my dogs as its very itchy to them. After a month it was all gone and I was so thankful for that.
 

DogGoWoof

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#6
I try and give my dog preventatives every year, maybe once or twice a year around the flea and tick season, and that usually does the trick! Sorry you're getting it rough this year :(
 
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#7
My dally, Troy, actually had a pretty big problem with fleas back when we were taking him to dog trials. I suspect it was being outside around other dogs constantly. At the time we were using PetArmor because it was so cheap. My wife actually did pretty much everything you were doing. What stopped it was switching from the PetArmor to Advantage Multi. His fleas stopped a few weeks after the first treatment.

Strangely enough we were using PetArmor on our chihuahua Enrique, and he never had a problem with fleas...
 

naturalfeddogs

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#8
I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say since this is flea season, last year we had used Advantix ll and frontline. Both caused side affects as bad or worse than fleas, and STILL had fleas. This year, we have started all of our crew on garlic tablets from Springtime Inc. Now, no fleas. No ticks. Nothing. And we live in the deep south, infested with fleas, ticks and mosquitos. It's worth looking into, just in case anyone is interested in considering it.
 
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#9
I have been using Frontline for ages and never had any issues. A friend of mine tried using Frontline and the side effects were bad. I don't know what that's all about but the effects vary from dog to dog. I can't remember what she ended up using but her dogs seem fine.
 

SloppyMcfloppy

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#10
I adopted 4 dogs: 2 have ticks, 1 have fleas and the last one, luckily, nothing. Here's what works on my dogs: first, I bathed them with soap, then I pour vinegar on them, then I dried their hair with my hair drier. Just that! Ticks, fleas, all gone!! So vinegar is always my best choice to prevent my dogs from external parasites.

There's another resource I hope that can help you:

http://www.fleaguide.com/homemade-flea-spray.html
 

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