Fleas Are Taking Over!!

RealFolkBlue · 09-03-2008, 01:24 PM

We are having a huge flea problem! They are taking over the house and the poor pooch.

This is what I have been doing:

*I've been vacuuming the house pretty much daily
*Spraying the carpet with flea spray
*Putting flea powder on the dog
*Using a spot on flea treatment
*Washing the blankets that she was laying on
*Washing her once a week

Nothing is working! She is scratching her self all the time.

They're still on her and I can't seem to keep them off. Now the fleas are starting to get on me. I need some suggestions!

scrapchick · 09-03-2008, 01:28 PM

One, use Frontline.

Two, whatever you treat today, you need to re-treat in two weeks when the eggs hatch.

Three, cut a flea collar, stretch it, put it in your vacuum cleaner bag. Empty the bag often as they are quite prolific little buggers.

If you flea comb your pets with one of those teeny tiny combs, if you see a flea, dip in soapy water, which kills them instantly.

Hope that helps. They are a huge pain in the butt.

Crookedblaze · 09-03-2008, 01:28 PM

This happened to us when we got new kittens. The fleas were EVERYWHERE. We tried everything that you did, but unfortunately, we ended up having to flea bomb the house. We were just overrun.

Although, Scrapchick does have some good ideas.

Try some flea powder, and scrub it into the carpets, blankets, etc everything that the dog would be on.

Good luck trying to get your house back.

dcs2004 · 09-03-2008, 09:39 PM

You might also consider treating the yard as well. If your pets ever go outside, the fleas have likely taken hold of your yard and are coming in from outside on your pet. It's a three-way process: pet, home, yard, and it can be frustrating, but keep at it and good luck!

TheUpNorthCowgirl · 09-03-2008, 10:01 PM

My dogs and cats got fleas last year, first time ever for me. It just so happens my border collie is allergic to flea bites, so I had to get rid of them fast. I used Frontline Flea Spray on the animals, Wal-Mart brand premise spray on the dog beds, couches etc. (I have hardwood floors so no vacuuming) and I bathed the animals once a week till they were gone. I really used that premise spray often on the furniture, that really seemed to help.

Hope you get rid of those pests soon! They are a royal PAIN!

BabyMay · 09-04-2008, 05:53 AM

I went through the same thing last year. Took me a month to get them completely gone. First, the treatment for the dogs doesn't stop the fleas from getting on them. It kills them once they are there. So you may see a flea o the dogs, but it will die soon. I used Raid flea spray in the purple can. I sprayed about once a week. I would do it room for room. Spray the whole room, make sure you get baseboard, closets under beds and dressers. Shut the door and wait about a half hour, go and vaccum. I was tossing the bag after each time. I would also spray the bag with raid to kill any that tried to excape. I know it sounds expensive, but I also had a dog and 1 cat who was allergic to the buggers. You also have to spray the furniture. If your dog sleeps on your bed, spray the mattresses and pillow. Make sure you get under everything. Those fleas jump pretty far. It is alot of work. I found that Advantix works best on dogs. You can't use it for cats, but they do have Advantage for cats. To me, they just seemed to not do as good on the Frontline. Good luck. Raid flea spray became my good friend last summer. I swear by that over any spray the Vet sells and it is 1/3 the price. Also, don't use the spot on treatment you buy from stores, that just makes the little buggers mad. You have to get the stuff from the Vet. I wouldn't wash the dog so much. The spot on treatment needs the dogs oil from the skin to get all over and if you are bathing them, you are taking away the oil. You can find out how your doing, by puttiing a white small bowl with water and a drop of dish soap in it on your floor. Some place the dog won't play in it. The fleas will jump into the water. I knew I was making progress when I would only get a flea or two in a day in the bowl. Use the flea comb often. Let us know how it goes.

kytrailrider · 09-04-2008, 06:05 AM

Try the flea pill it lasts for 30 days, you have to go to the vet to get it. After you give the treatment bug bomb your whole house. Do it again in 2 weeks. You can also treat your yard. They are horrible this year. I was also using the spot treatment on my dog, even had her flea dipped, within the next day she was covered again.

palomino_grl · 09-06-2008, 06:14 PM

For your home...put salt in the carpet and let sit over night & then vaccum. The salt dries out the eggs and keeps them from hatching. This is a "tried & true" method.

For your dog...I feed mine the brewer's yeast w/ garlic pills. It is SUPER inexpensive and works almost instantly. I know there is a lot of controversary over giving garlic to dogs, but SO many ppl swear by it. I have done the research and choose to give it to my dog...he sheds SO much less and has no fleas! I swear by the stuff....

lbequ4002 · 09-06-2008, 08:40 PM

how much garlic pills and brewers yeast?

BklynCwgrl · 09-06-2008, 08:43 PM

I don't know if we have fleas up here in the desert...but all of a sudden one of my dogs just itches and itches. It's like dry skin or something. Never happened before. How strange is that????

LuvMyMares · 09-06-2008, 08:45 PM

Well I'm here to tell you that yeast does not work. My new puppy got into the horsey yeast bucket and ate the WHOLE THING. Next day still fleas. Went to the vet and got Comfortis tabs and fleas were dead within 30 min to 4 hrs. Worked great!!! Good thing cause Frontline failed!!!

lbequ4002 · 09-06-2008, 08:50 PM

bwlyncowgirl If it is just dry skin and not fleas you could use fish oil. I've got one with dry skin and he's an 80lb lab. He get a fish oil pill daily and a can of tuna in oil once a week as a treat.

tallyho · 09-06-2008, 08:55 PM

yeah, frontline is NOT effective here..........i followed advice from folks here,,,the Raid in the purple can, vacuuming..treating the yard.....

used stuff that was NOT pyrethrin on the yard, spread with a grass seeder....that worked well, and also had to to brick patio area and dooryard......followed that with dicitemous earth..that just cuts the buggers up , no chemicals, AND can be used safely in the house and on the dogs..THAT was what really turned the corner for us........put it in an old sock, tied the sock to a yardstick, and poofed it all over, like a powderpuff
did the animals too, and we are flea free

it was so bad in the yad and the kitchen, you could SEE them hopping on your legs........I looked like I had checken pox....and I bathed the dogs every night, and picked the fleas out with a comb
huge ordeal, but worht it

oveywon · 09-06-2008, 09:08 PM

.....

Causin Chaos · 09-06-2008, 09:22 PM

Hey I use the pill Comfortis. It last 30 days and starts killing the fleas within 30 mins.of taking it. Just go to the vet they should have it.

For8tune · 09-06-2008, 09:49 PM

1. Treat the yard

2. Treat the house

3. Treat the pet

As a Vet Tech, I myself have had an out break of fleas before. Georgis these days doesn't really get cold enough to kill them due to popular belief of pet owners even me. I end up boarding my dogs over night at the clinic where I worked. They got a flea bath/dip along with Frontline Plus applied and Capstar was given (the flea pill). I treated my yard with a fly/flea repeallant spray with Pyretrin which is very popular in the horse world. I also bomb my house that Sunday while my family and I went to church. Make sure the bomb kills fleas and the eggs. Most do. It is very hard to get rid of fleas. You will want to treat your yard every week and home agian in 2 weeks just in case some were missed. You wouldn't have to re-treat you pet with a flea prevention if you use Frontline Plus for it also kills eggs and the larve of the flea but you can if you like in 2 weeks. If you want to also you can buy an over the counter Pyretrin spray for your dog and spray on them once a week to repel the fleas since Frontline does not repel. Advantix repels but will not control your flea eggs and larves so I would stick with the Frontline Plus. If you end up using Pyretrin or Advantix, it is very harmful for cats. DO NOT use it if you have cats.

For the itching, try over the counter Bynadryl. I don't know how big your dog is so for every 25 lbs, you can use 1 tablet/capsule. Under 25 lbs, you can use 1 tablet/capsule. If it gets worse or no better, it could be flea dermatitis and may need a stronger anti-histamine or even an antibiotic.

Good Luck

palomino_grl · 09-07-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbequ4002

how much garlic pills and brewers yeast?

The pills contain the brewer's yeast & garlic in one. The one I have is 1 pill for every 10 lbs. of body weight. You can get them in the pet section at Walmart, Target, etc. & Petsmart.

A J · 09-07-2008, 04:04 PM

I actually just had this problem myself, I've never had a flea problem before, or at the very least they were minor and simply treating the pets (because I was late doing it) worked fine - not this last time!

I think ours were getting the fleas from our neighbor's dogs - they are poor pets owners and treat their pets similar to how they would have in their original country - which means no training, letting them bark all day and night, allow nasty behaviors (as in attacking the fence), etc. I doubt they have a regular flea program.

Here is what I ended up doing before things really got better:

Getting the flea powder that you rub into the carpets and using that.

Washing all bedding (human and animal, including furniture covers that cats sleep on) in HOT water - you have to use HOT water or it won't work. I have been doing this weekly.

Vacuuming regularly and wrapping and tossing the bags.

Pets got treatment in the following order: flea shampoo bath, flea collars, and my regular flea treatment.

We also spread some cedar shavings around the edge of our yard - it's not proven to work, but we figured it wouldn't hurt.

We seem to have gotten the problem under control. It wasn't cheap - all the flea stuff added up pretty quick, but we were going insane as none of our "normal" methods were even slightly effective.

And yes, giving the cats baths was a nightmare, but there were numerous fleas that came off in the rinse water, so they were infested. I couldn't see what came off the dogs as they got their baths outside (also figuring it wouldn't hurt for the shampoo to get out there).

trinabug · 09-11-2008, 04:43 PM

I have always used frontline and it has always worked...well not this year..wonder if they have changed the ingredients...anyway tried advantage ..no luck...did manage to get rid of them in the house but dog still has them and I am sure we will have to treat the house again soon...seven dusted the yard ..dog stays inside so yard wasn't a very bad problem..dog sleeps in my ber head on other pillow so fleas are a problem..poor thing is miserable..

BabyMay · 09-14-2008, 06:48 PM

I never had any luck with Frontline. It really let me down last year. IF you dont' have cats, get Advantix for the dogs. Just keep spraying and vaccuming. It is a pain in the A**, but better than putting up with fleas. I swear by the Raid flea spray in the purple can. It works great. There is nothing that kills the flea pupea so you have to kill those as soon as they turn into fleas. Usually about a week or so. You want to catch the fleas before they can lay the eggs.

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09-03-2008, 01:24 PM
RealFolkBlue Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bowling Green, OH Posts: 746	Fleas Are Taking Over!! We are having a huge flea problem! They are taking over the house and the poor pooch. This is what I have been doing: I've been vacuuming the house pretty much daily Spraying the carpet with flea spray Putting flea powder on the dog Using a spot on flea treatment Washing the blankets that she was laying on Washing her once a week Nothing is working! She is scratching her self all the time. They're still on her and I can't seem to keep them off. Now the fleas are starting to get on me. I need some suggestions! __________________ Owned by Diego and Moontahr

09-03-2008, 01:28 PM
scrapchick Seasoned Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Festus, Missouri Posts: 4,828	One, use Frontline. Two, whatever you treat today, you need to re-treat in two weeks when the eggs hatch. Three, cut a flea collar, stretch it, put it in your vacuum cleaner bag. Empty the bag often as they are quite prolific little buggers. If you flea comb your pets with one of those teeny tiny combs, if you see a flea, dip in soapy water, which kills them instantly. Hope that helps. They are a huge pain in the butt. __________________ Better living through chemistry.

09-03-2008, 01:28 PM
Crookedblaze Started Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,436	This happened to us when we got new kittens. The fleas were EVERYWHERE. We tried everything that you did, but unfortunately, we ended up having to flea bomb the house. We were just overrun. Although, Scrapchick does have some good ideas. Try some flea powder, and scrub it into the carpets, blankets, etc everything that the dog would be on. Good luck trying to get your house back. __________________ Owned by Rocketman, a 17 year old AQHA and Stormy, a 10 year old Peruvian Paso x Arab

09-03-2008, 09:39 PM
dcs2004 Weanling Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North Alabama Posts: 387	You might also consider treating the yard as well. If your pets ever go outside, the fleas have likely taken hold of your yard and are coming in from outside on your pet. It's a three-way process: pet, home, yard, and it can be frustrating, but keep at it and good luck! __________________ "Riding is not a sport, it is a passion. If you do not share the passion, you do not know the sport." www.freewebs.com/leftfieldfarm

09-03-2008, 10:01 PM
TheUpNorthCowgirl Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Upper Michigan Posts: 993	My dogs and cats got fleas last year, first time ever for me. It just so happens my border collie is allergic to flea bites, so I had to get rid of them fast. I used Frontline Flea Spray on the animals, Wal-Mart brand premise spray on the dog beds, couches etc. (I have hardwood floors so no vacuuming) and I bathed the animals once a week till they were gone. I really used that premise spray often on the furniture, that really seemed to help. Hope you get rid of those pests soon! They are a royal PAIN! __________________ There ain't no dollar sign on peace of mind, this I've come to know.

09-04-2008, 05:53 AM
BabyMay Coming two Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,890	I went through the same thing last year. Took me a month to get them completely gone. First, the treatment for the dogs doesn't stop the fleas from getting on them. It kills them once they are there. So you may see a flea o the dogs, but it will die soon. I used Raid flea spray in the purple can. I sprayed about once a week. I would do it room for room. Spray the whole room, make sure you get baseboard, closets under beds and dressers. Shut the door and wait about a half hour, go and vaccum. I was tossing the bag after each time. I would also spray the bag with raid to kill any that tried to excape. I know it sounds expensive, but I also had a dog and 1 cat who was allergic to the buggers. You also have to spray the furniture. If your dog sleeps on your bed, spray the mattresses and pillow. Make sure you get under everything. Those fleas jump pretty far. It is alot of work. I found that Advantix works best on dogs. You can't use it for cats, but they do have Advantage for cats. To me, they just seemed to not do as good on the Frontline. Good luck. Raid flea spray became my good friend last summer. I swear by that over any spray the Vet sells and it is 1/3 the price. Also, don't use the spot on treatment you buy from stores, that just makes the little buggers mad. You have to get the stuff from the Vet. I wouldn't wash the dog so much. The spot on treatment needs the dogs oil from the skin to get all over and if you are bathing them, you are taking away the oil. You can find out how your doing, by puttiing a white small bowl with water and a drop of dish soap in it on your floor. Some place the dog won't play in it. The fleas will jump into the water. I knew I was making progress when I would only get a flea or two in a day in the bowl. Use the flea comb often. Let us know how it goes. __________________ Animals don't need a reason to love.

09-04-2008, 06:05 AM
kytrailrider Halter broke Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 138	Try the flea pill it lasts for 30 days, you have to go to the vet to get it. After you give the treatment bug bomb your whole house. Do it again in 2 weeks. You can also treat your yard. They are horrible this year. I was also using the spot treatment on my dog, even had her flea dipped, within the next day she was covered again.

09-06-2008, 06:14 PM
palomino_grl Yearling Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 517	For your home...put salt in the carpet and let sit over night & then vaccum. The salt dries out the eggs and keeps them from hatching. This is a "tried & true" method. For your dog...I feed mine the brewer's yeast w/ garlic pills. It is SUPER inexpensive and works almost instantly. I know there is a lot of controversary over giving garlic to dogs, but SO many ppl swear by it. I have done the research and choose to give it to my dog...he sheds SO much less and has no fleas! I swear by the stuff....

09-06-2008, 08:40 PM
lbequ4002 Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Central AL Posts: 775	how much garlic pills and brewers yeast?

09-06-2008, 08:45 PM
LuvMyMares Halter broke Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 160	Well I'm here to tell you that yeast does not work. My new puppy got into the horsey yeast bucket and ate the WHOLE THING. Next day still fleas. Went to the vet and got Comfortis tabs and fleas were dead within 30 min to 4 hrs. Worked great!!! Good thing cause Frontline failed!!! __________________ I Luv my 3 mare's-Cheyanne-Palomino Paint, Butter's-Sorrel Arabian & Katie Lou-Black AQHA

09-06-2008, 09:08 PM
oveywon Started Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,032	..... Last edited by oveywon : 11-26-2008 at 11:39 AM.

09-06-2008, 08:50 PM
lbequ4002 Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Central AL Posts: 775	bwlyncowgirl If it is just dry skin and not fleas you could use fish oil. I've got one with dry skin and he's an 80lb lab. He get a fish oil pill daily and a can of tuna in oil once a week as a treat.

09-06-2008, 08:55 PM
tallyho Long Yearling Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Trappe, PA Posts: 1,115	yeah, frontline is NOT effective here..........i followed advice from folks here,,,the Raid in the purple can, vacuuming..treating the yard..... used stuff that was NOT pyrethrin on the yard, spread with a grass seeder....that worked well, and also had to to brick patio area and dooryard......followed that with dicitemous earth..that just cuts the buggers up , no chemicals, AND can be used safely in the house and on the dogs..THAT was what really turned the corner for us........put it in an old sock, tied the sock to a yardstick, and poofed it all over, like a powderpuff did the animals too, and we are flea free it was so bad in the yad and the kitchen, you could SEE them hopping on your legs........I looked like I had checken pox....and I bathed the dogs every night, and picked the fleas out with a comb huge ordeal, but worht it

09-06-2008, 09:22 PM
Causin Chaos Newborn Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: wynne arkansas Posts: 36	Hey I use the pill Comfortis. It last 30 days and starts killing the fleas within 30 mins.of taking it. Just go to the vet they should have it.

09-06-2008, 09:49 PM
For8tune Weanling Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Monroe, GA Posts: 278	From a Vet Tech's point of view 1. Treat the yard 2. Treat the house 3. Treat the pet As a Vet Tech, I myself have had an out break of fleas before. Georgis these days doesn't really get cold enough to kill them due to popular belief of pet owners even me. I end up boarding my dogs over night at the clinic where I worked. They got a flea bath/dip along with Frontline Plus applied and Capstar was given (the flea pill). I treated my yard with a fly/flea repeallant spray with Pyretrin which is very popular in the horse world. I also bomb my house that Sunday while my family and I went to church. Make sure the bomb kills fleas and the eggs. Most do. It is very hard to get rid of fleas. You will want to treat your yard every week and home agian in 2 weeks just in case some were missed. You wouldn't have to re-treat you pet with a flea prevention if you use Frontline Plus for it also kills eggs and the larve of the flea but you can if you like in 2 weeks. If you want to also you can buy an over the counter Pyretrin spray for your dog and spray on them once a week to repel the fleas since Frontline does not repel. Advantix repels but will not control your flea eggs and larves so I would stick with the Frontline Plus. If you end up using Pyretrin or Advantix, it is very harmful for cats. DO NOT use it if you have cats. For the itching, try over the counter Bynadryl. I don't know how big your dog is so for every 25 lbs, you can use 1 tablet/capsule. Under 25 lbs, you can use 1 tablet/capsule. If it gets worse or no better, it could be flea dermatitis and may need a stronger anti-histamine or even an antibiotic. Good Luck __________________ Proud Mom to a Spoiled Rotten Arabian Gelding ~Fame Fortune~ Last edited by For8tune : 09-06-2008 at 09:52 PM.

09-07-2008, 04:04 PM
A J Greenbroke Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 3,353	I actually just had this problem myself, I've never had a flea problem before, or at the very least they were minor and simply treating the pets (because I was late doing it) worked fine - not this last time! I think ours were getting the fleas from our neighbor's dogs - they are poor pets owners and treat their pets similar to how they would have in their original country - which means no training, letting them bark all day and night, allow nasty behaviors (as in attacking the fence), etc. I doubt they have a regular flea program. Here is what I ended up doing before things really got better: Getting the flea powder that you rub into the carpets and using that. Washing all bedding (human and animal, including furniture covers that cats sleep on) in HOT water - you have to use HOT water or it won't work. I have been doing this weekly. Vacuuming regularly and wrapping and tossing the bags. Pets got treatment in the following order: flea shampoo bath, flea collars, and my regular flea treatment. We also spread some cedar shavings around the edge of our yard - it's not proven to work, but we figured it wouldn't hurt. We seem to have gotten the problem under control. It wasn't cheap - all the flea stuff added up pretty quick, but we were going insane as none of our "normal" methods were even slightly effective. And yes, giving the cats baths was a nightmare, but there were numerous fleas that came off in the rinse water, so they were infested. I couldn't see what came off the dogs as they got their baths outside (also figuring it wouldn't hurt for the shampoo to get out there). __________________ Try not, do. Do or do not. There is no try.

09-11-2008, 04:43 PM
trinabug Weanling Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 237	I have always used frontline and it has always worked...well not this year..wonder if they have changed the ingredients...anyway tried advantage ..no luck...did manage to get rid of them in the house but dog still has them and I am sure we will have to treat the house again soon...seven dusted the yard ..dog stays inside so yard wasn't a very bad problem..dog sleeps in my ber head on other pillow so fleas are a problem..poor thing is miserable..

09-14-2008, 06:48 PM
BabyMay Coming two Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,890	I never had any luck with Frontline. It really let me down last year. IF you dont' have cats, get Advantix for the dogs. Just keep spraying and vaccuming. It is a pain in the A**, but better than putting up with fleas. I swear by the Raid flea spray in the purple can. It works great. There is nothing that kills the flea pupea so you have to kill those as soon as they turn into fleas. Usually about a week or so. You want to catch the fleas before they can lay the eggs. __________________ Animals don't need a reason to love.