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RE: Fleas

amandahagarty — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:17:22 GMT

I have always used advantage myself. As soon as the flea bites it pretty much dies so basically the dog ends up being like a flea killing machine and clears up an infestation in the house. Dunno about outdoors tho...whereever he poops will be the worst location for reinfection as thats where fleas liek to hang out waiting to catch a ride.

RE: Fleas

gcwpapillon — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:43:21 GMT

JasonP (12/15/2009)

Frontline was ineffective in our house. I tried BioSpot, but it was worthless. However, the Advantage Multi worked GREAT! It killed the fleas that were able to resist the frontline and biospot.
Price is similar to the Frontline - it is worth a shot!

be careful with anythign you get from walmart and tsc (those "affortable ones") may end up costing you more...we bought one while waiting for our frontline to arrive (which frontline no longer works for us) and my dog was allergic to it...he was on the verge of mild seizures...I was up all night scratching his was for him....finally I got up and gave him a bath with dawn....it seemed to help, but we went to the vet anyways because my dad was worried he was seizing.....

long story short, my dogs fine....but upon closer inspection on the box, they have a department for these cases! they warn it may cause seizers and one mentioned the heart stopping! long story short, it's not worth trying cheap stuff from walmart....

RE: Fleas

gcwpapillon — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:36:24 GMT

(though our vet said, use frontline plus) Front line and front line plus hasn't been working for us (or alot of people, I went online ALOT of people said it's not working, including my aunt)....we switched to advantix or advantige....I forget....but they seemed to work. We treated our yard, washed all of our bedding and treated the house with those stinky bug bombs, used salt and vaccumed....it's a battle....once the fleas are GONE, stay on track, make sure to keep flea meds on the dogs....

it's a battle and after two years, we've won.

RE: Fleas

ksbreiding — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:10:56 GMT

Flea the worst 4 letter word in the english language!! I to had the problem, used the same products as you did, washed the dogs, cats etc. Then I ordered a pill from 1800 pet meds, It is called capstar. You give one to your dog or cat, and in 24 hours the fleas are gone. They just fall off. I then wash the dog, and use frontline. It is a miracle. I treated my dogs twice this winter. My old shepard was actually anemic because of the suckers. Hope this helps. I know it is about 25.00 but it is well worth it!!! Good luck

RE: Fleas

JasonP — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:47:26 GMT

RE: Fleas

little tague farm — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:58:48 GMT

hello there. i didnt read wat everybody eles put down but the wife puts sum stuff down its a powder stuff you spread out with a seed spreader befor it rains that and the chickens been helping out. but also try advantage that works good for us.

RE: Fleas

hotrodryder — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:19:23 GMT

A vet friend told me to not bathe my dog before I put on the flea drops. The drops need the skin oils to spread properly. She said to put the drops on then do a bath a couple days later to remove the dead fleas and eggs and flea droppings. This year, I have strictly been bathing or dipping twice a week and it is helping but I agree they are worse than usual. I also did the Martin house and have tons of them, They are most active when I mow my grass. I bought some flea killer for the grass but haven't used it yet. My yard is so large I figure it would take a ton of the stuff and my dogs go all over it. But I will treat the areas they use most. I definitely don't think the guineas would make fleas worse, they eat so many bugs I would think they would help. It's just a bad flea year. Plus if you have the dogs in the same areas all the time, the soil would be more infested in that spot. I would move the dog area and see if that helps some.

RE: Fleas

Budding Chance — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:46:33 GMT

We had such problems with our dog and cats and we tried using vinegar. It smells a bit, but it actually worked better than having to pay all that money for flea medicine. It's not 100% curable, but it's better than nothing. Just try giving your dog a vinegar bath.

RE: Fleas

dekay — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:13:25 GMT

I don't know health wise how good this is for them but i have 1 dog who loves garlic (will eat any cloves he can find). I went to putting them way up out of his reach but well he was eating them he didn't get fleas our other dog did. Then I was not able to get any garlic for awhile and the 1st dog got fleas as well. I have gone to adding little bits (well ground up) into both my dogs food. Also have bathed our dogs and cats in olive oil (wont hurt them if they should lick it but they do not like the taste.) Left it on for 1/2 hour then used regular flea shampoo to wash off this seemed to work a lot better then the shampoo alone. When i tried the Palmolive it only seemed to stun the fleas and they would wake up and start jumping up off the concrete where I was combing the animals. Good luck!

RE: Fleas

cweick — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:02:27 GMT

Have you tried 20 Mule Team or DE the food grade stuff?

RE: Fleas

LopersNLabs — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:42:53 GMT

Amoung other suggestions, a Palmolive bath. Put the Palmolive on straight, just enough water to allow it to lather. Give it ten minutes and rinse really good. The Palmolive actually sufficates them. Then I would start with the flea medicine.

RE: Fleas

Mother Hen Shel — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:53:33 GMT

Wow. Thank you for the info. We have lots of cedar chips.. We will try that method. Shel

RE: Fleas

Mother Hen Shel — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:51:09 GMT

Hi! I know what you are going through. This has been a bad year for us with fleas. Never before has it been this bad and in our home. 2 months ago we got chicks and guinea keets. I am wondering if this is the reason. I keep everything so clean inside and out. Nothing works. We are using a user friendly fungi that is suppose to work and ionized salt. We will see. I am afraid to use strong bug bombs in the house. If you some up with solution...love to hear it. Shel

RE: Fleas

teddybare812 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:04:21 GMT

Read everyones comments on the flea problems on the outside, but what about if they have already spread into the house? Have never had a flea problem in the house, but in the past week it seems I have been under attack with fleas and also with a lot of spiders. Raid is not working. Someone told me I could put Borax detergent on the carpets, does anyone know if this will work? And where are all the strange spiders coming from?

RE: Fleas

Amber29 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:06:30 GMT

I use Frontline on the dogs, collars on the cats, and I sevendust around the house, in the yard and areas we mow. I also use old fashioned fly tapes in my barns for flies and I dust the corners. We haven't had any real problems, knock on wood, doing this.

RE: Fleas

medowbrook — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:19:24 GMT

I've rotated my cattle just this moment and saw very few flies and no stress.

I know they have been treated well this year. Ivamec, rubber oil and a block with a product in it to kill fly larva. the pasture is possibly 60 ares and has a side A and B.

I think just have'n them move'n around a bit has added to the lack of insects, rather than letting them do as they wish all day.

however I am going to keep up this spray ritual.

RE: Fleas

CathyW — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:29:34 GMT

Last year I had a bad flea infestation in my tool shed where my barn cats were living - couldn't go in there without getting bitten crazy...I used to work in a pesticide lab and hate to use the synthetic stuff (aside from Frontline/Advantix and wormers for the animals that need it) when I can avoid it...so I tried this "natural" stuff that I got at the feed store. I forget the brand, but it was a spray that contained cedar, thyme, peppermint and rosemary essential oils. It was very oily and left a sheen on the shed floor and walls - but no more fleas (it really did work!) - and it was safe to use in a place where my sheep/goats/dogs could go also. Even smelled pretty good! This stuff was NOT designed to spray on the animals - strictly for surfaces - and not sure I'd want it in my house (the barn was fine) and it might be worth a try in your yard. I guess you could try making your own if you can get hold of the essential oils: dissolve/dilute them in a carrier - like vegetable oil - before spraying. Good luck

RE: Fleas

britboy — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:49:45 GMT

We have a load of bats as well and they are really busy in the late evening and possibly during the night as well. This year we have a pair of Martins or Swallows nesting in the Garage rafters and they are also awesome hunters. The only problem is I have to leave the garage door open all the time for them to get in and out. I am hoping they will return next year and hopefully there babies will return also.

We have been here six years and this is the first year I have seen fleas, We have checked the cats and dogs but have not seen any there but I have found three land on me!! (I killed them but were there is one there are many?)

We seem to have a lot less flies this year and I think it is because the chickens have been really thinned out by a fox. I think all the chicken poo attracts the flies.

RE: Fleas

medowbrook — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:32:51 GMT

It's that way we look at money again. Carries over into other things as well. Bats eh?

RE: Fleas

Drawbar — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:14:22 GMT

Good question but you are going to laugh...I put up Bat houses.

I love bats anyway. I think they are cool to watch fly at dusk as they dart and literally fly making square corners. Better yet though they eat their weight in bugs every night. I am all for that. Unfortunately only the insects that are out between dusk and dawn get eaten, but it makes for a significant difference. I am working with the NRCS now in the WHIP Program to have even more bat houses installed.

I'm not organic by any means, but as I said in another post yesterday, the tactics I use must stand on their own fiscally. Buying fly control in this state, where the insect problem is only a few weeks in length does not make much sense.

Of course the dairy farm is different. There we use pour on dewormer/insecticide for dairy cows, but its very expensive.

RE: Fleas

medowbrook — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:14:04 GMT

what do you do for pest control on your animals Draw?

RE: Fleas

Drawbar — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:19:55 GMT

Got any softwood trees on your property? Softwood trees have resin in them that fleas will not tolerate. If you can take softwood branches, chip them in a chipper and layer the ground with them, then you can organically and naturally rid your dog areas of fleas. I do this in my kennel. Wood chips also has the added benefit of scrubbing the soil of excess nitrates which can come from excess dog poo.

You are better to get the biggest chipper you can though because as I found out, a small 5-10 hp chipped makes for a small chip that the dogs can drag into the house by getting stuck on their paws and coats. This was not good as my dogs lay on the couch a lot.

It does work however. Cedar is ideal but other resinous trees like Spruce, Fir and Hemlock will also work.

RE: Fleas

bhford — Sun, 24 May 2009 13:42:48 GMT

The products that you are using on your dog are probably working, however, if you have a bad infestation on the ground, your dog is probably constantly picking up new fleas. The only way to get rid of them is to treat the source. Can you treat the areas that your dog spends most of his time in? For example, his favorite sleeping places. Does he come indoors? Treat the house. There are some products that are safe to use outside, I would definitely check with your veterinarian. I worked as a licensed vet tech for 16 years before I quit to raise my family. This is a common problem. Also, if you treat the ground and are still seeing fleas on your dog, try a different product on your dog. Revolution, Frontline, and Advantage are all good, but I have found that some products work better on some dogs than others. I don't know why this is true, but it is.

Good luck
bhford

RE: Fleas

medowbrook — Sat, 23 May 2009 16:53:36 GMT

I'll ask my vet and check the bottle.

3 good friends are Vets and that has helped me very much. They give advice and I don't feel like it's a sales pitch.

it wasn't anything to fancy. I also spray the livestock down with rubbing oil that one would use on those rubbing bags in pasture. Rather than hoping they rub on it, I put them in the head locks and spray them down with the sprayer. I also use a product in the grain to kill bugs in there waste.

today lots of bugs hatched....but our stock look very happy. 0 flies or critters. Stress cost's 20% of your yield.

RE: Fleas

jenlaar — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:30:37 GMT

i ve been told by people around here that I should not put anything on the ground. What did you spray on the ground? I am looking for any help.

RE: Fleas

medowbrook — Sat, 23 May 2009 09:22:33 GMT

why can't you spray your ground with those animals?

Just a question...

I for the first time in my life have found 2 ticks on my dogs. I have started to spray my cattle and get them sulfur blocks because I don't want any of my cattle to stress. It costs money and upsets them.

personal preference? or some other reason?

Fleas

jenlaar — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:22:40 GMT

Does anyone have an idea of how to get rid of fleas from my dog? I have done bathes, flea collars, frontline, etc. I can't treat the ground becuase of the goats, sheep, and other animals. Any ideas?