# Can't get rid these darn fleas!



## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

That is odd that neither work. You might try Comfortis which is an oral type. It works well for my lab. It is a prescription type though. Your vet should have it.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

It may be that you are killing off all the fleas on him in one lifecycle, but then the eggs hatch and then you have fleas again. Perhaps give him Capstar once every few days or so for a couple weeks to make sure all fleas and all hatched eggs die (combined with regularly vacuuming and washing all bedding, etc)

You may also want to try Bug Off Garlic, which is a natural flea repellent and also has other health benefits


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Did you flea bomb the house? 

The topicals will take care of fleas on the dog. The flea eggs on the other hand get into the carpet and furniture, so the fleas keep coming back. You need to treat the dog, the yard and the house to get rid of the little buggers.


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## BearValley (Nov 30, 2008)

After battling fleas my entire life (it seems), I am so happy that the last two places that I've lived do not have fleas. It is so nice to not have to deal with the pesticides, I guess that's my main point, although it's also nice just to not have to deal with them in general.

Some years would be easy years and other years would just be impossible to control them. Wow, I had almost forgotten.

Poor Caleb! I wish you luck!

.


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## californiagirl (Dec 11, 2009)

I read that cedar wood deflects fleas (they don't like it for some reason!) Costco has nice dog beds that have cedar chips in them. Maybe try one of those as a new bed for your puppy. I haven't had to give Daisy any flea medicine, but we would go to friends houses and she would come home with one or two and get an immediate bath and now that we have the new dog bed I haven't seen any!


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

The fleas may be in your yard too, so you might need to treat your yard. When we moved into our current home, the previous owners had a dog and cat that had the run of the home. We never had a problem with flea bites, so thought the house was flea free. When we brought Sam into our family, a year and half later, we started seeing fleas....on Sam and on us. Seems they can hibernate and come 'awake' when they sense the body heat of an animal (their body temp is higher than ours). We ended up bombing the house, treating the yard, and treating Sam. That was 17 years ago and we've not had 1 flea since.


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## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

Thanks for sharing on an important topic for one who doesn't yet have a puppy. We have three weeks and two days, but who's counting. Wondering if anything that was posted about hot spots would possibly work in a localized area on a dog? I for one am not really into so many chemicals. I read that Listerine and Gold Bond are good for hot spots, if treating an area(perhaps a small area) with fleas using this method might help? I dunno, just a thought. I'd try it before the more aggressive chemical approach, maybe depending on the situation.


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## Phoebe (Feb 8, 2006)

On another board I belong to, I have a friend who owns a pest control company..mostly large contracts for apartment complexes, business, city animal control...pidgeons, mice, etc. For individuals who seek advice regarding environmentally safe pest control, she recommends Cedarcide. Many pet safe products to use in the yard and inside the home and directly on people or dogs. She takes a bottle with her when she goes on vacations to spray beds, furniture, her suitcase, so she won't bring bed bugs home with her. Apparently, bed bugs have become a huge problem.

Several people on the board are using this product and they are reporting good results, here is the website: http://www.cedarcidestore.com/ANIMALHEALTH.html.

I haven't ordered it yet, but haven't had a pest problem recently. We get ants in the spring/summer, so I am thinking about trying the product out next summer.


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## cinnamonteal (May 16, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I'm really intrigued by the cedar based insecticide. We rent an apartment so I don't know if we could flea bomb, even if I wanted to.


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## theKingLouie (Aug 5, 2010)

For the past month in a half I've been using nothing but natural products in an attempt to get rid of all the fleas but nothing is working!! I've used tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, ACV, Boric acid, vacuumed and washed everything, and the fleas keep coming! 

I'll find 2-3 a day, and then a week later, it comes back. It's usually near his inner thigh, or at the base of his tail. We just gave him a bath on Saturday and I found another one this morning. 

I'm beginning to think I should start using Advantage of Frontline but am scared of the long term affects of my golden or any skin irritations. I don't want to use toxic chemicals on my dog, but can't bare to see him scratching all day. 

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Should I remain using natural products, or get Advantage or Frontline? Also, which brand do you guys prefer on your Goldens and what kind of side affects have you've seen?

Any suggestions would be helpful! I also read that Bug Off Garlic Powder for Dogs works, but I'm not sure how effective it is. Thanks guys!


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## jadellies (Sep 20, 2011)

Well, I went through this years ago with our cats. We tried everything - have you ever tried to give a cat with claws a bath?! Yikes! We bug bombed our house twice, and finally resorted to ripping up all of the carpets! The fleas were in the house/carpet when we moved in and the carpet was shag - no great loss. Otherwise, Penny Royal is supposed to work too.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Comfortis (chewable flea med for dogs, worked when Frontline didn't)
Diatomaceous earth all over your carpets, furniture (vacuum it up off the carpet and furniture), and lawn
Wash ALL of your dog's toys and bedding in hot water 
Wash your dog!

That's how I got rid of fleas.

ETA: That pic of your dog in his little coat is super cute!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I've NEVER had any luck with any of the topical flea products, not sure if living a block off the Intercoastal Waterway has anything to do with it or not, it's very damp here, very humid in the summer months. 

A couple of years ago I switched to Comfortis, next month I am going to start giving my two Trifexis which is the flea and HW preventative in one. I keep both my guys on HW/flea preventative year round.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I have never had a flea issue. Even with 30 + yrs of doing rescues. All of my dogs get brewers yeast with garlic. I start giving this around the end of march I live in northern MN and contintue to give them daily doses until the end of Oct. I also use ceder shaving around the house and around each tie out when I had dogs tied outside. I dont have carpet but I would vaccuum the rugs with a chopped up flea collar in the vaccuum bag once a week whenever a new dog came into the house. All the dogs were flea dipped too. I cant remember the name of the dip but we used at the vet hospital that I worked at. I have not done rescue work on that large of a scale in about 3yrs but this treatment worked great.


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

remember that the toxic flea remedies have long term dangers for the dogs health down the road..... look into natural alternatives.... I always say- a flea or two is not going to kill a dog.... products like frontline etc just might.


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## theKingLouie (Aug 5, 2010)

Thank you all for your input and advice, I really appreciate it! I bought brewers yeast with garlic and it seems to be working. I also bought Adams Water-Based Flea Spray but am holding off on that. I live in the SF and its been a pretty bad flea season this year, lets hope they stay off my dog!


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## dinky do (Oct 19, 2011)

After years of fostering dogs from shelters and uncaring releasing owners and fighting the flea problem here in the Pacific NW, I have found that the old fashion nasty flea collar has a use. I cut them into pieces and tuck them into furniture under rugs and other places the dogs can't get to them. This eliminates the indoor flea problem, is inexpensive and easy. I change them about every 3 months and of course treat the dogs monthly with a topical.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

newport said:


> remember that the toxic flea remedies have long term dangers for the dogs health down the road..... look into natural alternatives.... I always say- a flea or two is not going to kill a dog.... products like frontline etc just might.


True. But they can make a dog VERY uncomfortable. Flora scratched herself until she bled, developed hot spots, and contracted tapeworms from the fleas. As much as I would have loved to have given natural remedies a chance, I wasn't going to make her suffer any longer than she had to.

I can see the use of natural remedies in less dire circumstances though!


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I've NEVER had any luck with any of the topical flea products, not sure if living a block off the Intercoastal Waterway has anything to do with it or not, it's very damp here, very humid in the summer months.
> 
> A couple of years ago I switched to Comfortis, next month I am going to start giving my two Trifexis which is the flea and HW preventative in one. I keep both my guys on HW/flea preventative year round.


We had the same great luck with Comfortis. My vet said that she has noticed lots of clients telling her that the topicals just aren't working for their pets anymore and she feels that the fleas are developing a resistance to those commonly used chemicals. Comfortis has worked wonderfully for both my dogs.




kdmarsh said:


> True. But they can make a dog VERY uncomfortable. Flora scratched herself until she bled, developed hot spots, and contracted tapeworms from the fleas. As much as I would have loved to have given natural remedies a chance, I wasn't going to make her suffer any longer than she had to.
> 
> I can see the use of natural remedies in less dire circumstances though!


I agree. I used to try to use only Bug Off Garlic and other more natural methods, but when Dillon presented with a bad flea bite allergy and was getting red rash all over his body from even just a flea bite or two, I knew I had to use something stronger. It wasn't fair for him to be miserable all the time because I was worried about the flea control chemicals hurting him later in life.


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

I use Adams Flea/Tick Shampoo, but the spray is good also. I highly recommend doing the flea fogger or flea bomb. Get a few canisters for your home, that way you get the eggs that are hiding in the carpet or furniture. No these things aren't all natural, but sometimes nature plays dirty. If you do the flea bomb, be sure to read the directions on the back! Good luck and I hope the brewers yeast and garlic fixes the problem!


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## theKingLouie (Aug 5, 2010)

Unfortunately the brewers yeast tablets don't seem to be working. I've used Adams Flea/Tick spray on him and combed his fur all over and that didn't work as well. I also did major grooming last night and found 3 more. One was hiding near his front paw, the other in his belly area, and the last one hiding deep into his tail. These fleas are sneaky! 

I might give him some sort of flea bath this time and will have to re-wash everything all over again. Oh boy, these fleas are killin' me!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I am a big fan of oral Comfortis. I was leery of it at first but my spaniel, Tess, has a severe flea allergy and was having bad skin problems from even one or two flea bites. For a long time I gave her Comfortis on the first of the month, then use a topical flea product (like Advantix) on the 15th. Her skin has finally cleared up (involving a lot of other expensive medications...). But I try to keep the fleas off her to prevent a recurrence, although now she just gets the oral dose. I want to put Tucker on it but vet wants to wait until he's bigger. 

I've never found the herbal remedies to do much.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

LittleLouie said:


> I use Adams Flea/Tick Shampoo, but the spray is good also. I highly recommend doing the flea fogger or flea bomb. Get a few canisters for your home, that way you get the eggs that are hiding in the carpet or furniture. No these things aren't all natural, but sometimes nature plays dirty. If you do the flea bomb, be sure to read the directions on the back! Good luck and I hope the brewers yeast and garlic fixes the problem!


If you do bomb your house, be sure to repeat the bombing in 9-10 days to get the next batch of fleas that will hatch after the bombing but before they lay eggs.


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## samchu_mammy (Jun 20, 2008)

We just had some minor flea issue too!

Bathed Sam with Amazon.com: Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo with IGR for Cats and Dogs, 12 oz: Pet Supplies

Seems ok now... 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.h...38039-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

theKingLouie said:


> Unfortunately the brewers yeast tablets don't seem to be working. I've used Adams Flea/Tick spray on him and combed his fur all over and that didn't work as well. I also did major grooming last night and found 3 more. One was hiding near his front paw, the other in his belly area, and the last one hiding deep into his tail. These fleas are sneaky!
> 
> I might give him some sort of flea bath this time and will have to re-wash everything all over again. Oh boy, these fleas are killin' me!


It's been a while now that your dog has had fleas. Call your vet and ask for a prescription for Comfortis (you need a prescription for it). Get it filled as quickly as you can and in the meantime give him a Capstar caplet and a nice bath. Don't use flea shampoo once you've dosed him with Capstar or Comfortis, it might be overkill. Dawn shampoo works just as well at killing the fleas. Then wash his bedding, toys, vacuum your house (sprinkle furniture and carpets with DE first), and treat your yard.

I would also keep an eye out for tapeworms, since he's been exposed to fleas for so long.


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

Just wanted to bump this. I'm wondering if any progress was made or, better yet, a solution that put the end to those fleas!


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Recently I read that bathing a dog with mild soapy water kills fleas instantly if you use Dawn dish detergent. The blue one works best. Some people follow up with a general pet shampoo.
Some folks at work tried it and were amazed at how fast the fleas died and went down the drain with the bath water. I haven't tried it because Honey's surgery prevents us from giving her a bath.
One trap we used years ago came from Mother Earth News. It was hang a light over a cookie sheet with water & Dawn in it (or vegetable oil). The fleas jump for the light and drown in the tray of soapy water (or oil). We prefer the oil but our animals had to be kept out of the area being treated because they would lay under the light and lick the veg. oil. Kinda defeated the purpose!!


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## theKingLouie (Aug 5, 2010)

LittleLouie said:


> Just wanted to bump this. I'm wondering if any progress was made or, better yet, a solution that put the end to those fleas!


Thanks for your concern! I've been grooming him daily and luckily haven't found any fleas since. I plan to take him to the vet and will put him on flea preventatives. Would like to get some insight from a vet on Advantage, Frontline or Comfortis. 

Thanks again for everyone's help. I will send another update shortly!


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## theKingLouie (Aug 5, 2010)

Just another update, I went to the vet yesterday and ended up going with Comfortis. Lets hope I never see those fleas again on Louie!


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