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Cleaning Up:  Getting rid of fleas in home and outside  |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 8:54:11 PM
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Hello ladies. I know this is not a subject anyone wants to discuss. But since we have been so dry and the winter was REALLY mild we have been having a problem with fleas. The vet even said it was the worst this season. I dont like to have pestisides in the house with my grands around and I have a cat that doesnt go outside but she has them because the dog goes outside and he stays in most of the time. Does anyone have any suggestions about getting rid of these pesty critters?
Thanks
Deborah |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 9:41:53 PM
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Oh Deborah I sure feel for ya..we had them so bad where we lived in CAlif before we moved here..especially in summer. I fought them all the time. I resorted to Advantage on the dogs and cats and tried all manner of stuff inside. They were even just in the grass outside..it was awful. I hope someone has lots of great suggestions for you. I was releived when we moved here that there just arn't any fleas! It is wonderful.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 10:10:37 PM
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Here is my story about fleas and how I got rid of them.
My roommate's dog brought fleas into our house (this was two years ago when we _had_ roommates). By the time she told me her dog was infested it looked like his fur was swarming. My dog had a horrible reaction to fleas, but at the time I didn't know why she was scratching herself bloody. I almost putmy dog to sleep because she was mutilating herself and nothing the vet or I was doing was helping. Finally when we realized it was fleas I did A LOT of research.
Here are several things you can do.
First start washing EVERY textile in your house that can be washed- blankets, clothes, pillows, Everything! Even if it has been hanging up or in a drawer.
Buy boxes of borax. Sprinkle the borax on every textile surface that can't be washed. Mattress, box springs, couches, carpets. Leave on for 8-24 hours. Borax is poisonous to animals and children in massive quantities. A 25lb dog would have to eat a whole box before getting ill. So it is pretty much not a concern.
Also you can get a bright light bulb and suspend it over a pan of soapy water. The fleas will jump towards the light and drown in the soapy water.
Any and all pets should get bathed.
Do not use flea collars as they can give your pet nerve damage. Also if you decide to use a flea liquid like Frontline- don't use the grocery store version. It too can give your pet nerve damage (this information was from my vet). If you do use a liquid- use Frontline or Advantix or one of the similar brands supplied by your vet.
Also vacuuming tons is key. It helps capture the fleas and their eggs. During our crisis I vacuumed 2-3 times a day. Initially when you vacuum up the borax, empty your vacuum- bag and all into a sealable plastic bag and get it out of the house- The fleas might jump out before the borax kills them.
I hope this helps!
Alee |
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TheSoapMaven
True Blue Farmgirl
691 Posts
Susan
LA
USA
691 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2007 : 05:11:44 AM
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There is also a plant called "Merkel Bush" around these parts. My mom can identify it. You just break off a branch and put it under your sofa or chairs or beds. The fleas will flee! Seriously. I am off to take Husband to the airport to go back to Tunisia today but I will do some more research and get back to you. I dont know if that is the real name or what...but will do my best.
Susan
http://www.thesoapmaven.com
http://notquitejunecleaver.com
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2007 : 06:12:27 AM
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First: Treat the dog with a good bath and flea repellent such as Frontline (internally which I won't use on breeding dogs), or Bio Spot (liquid applied after the bath and last for 30 days which I use on my dogs not pregnant or who have puppies) Both kinds will kill the flea so that it does not reproduce. This will stop the problem at the dog. Note" I don't believe in flea collars as they do little except make the animals sick. Be very careful when applying flea dips as these can make your dog sick and should be left to a professional.
Second: Treat the house, bedding, etc. I usually bomb the house with a product made by Zodiac. I go this route because I breed dogs and have many. It does not leave a smell, continues to kill for 120 days, and I have not had any problems around newborn puppies or when my children were small. You can check out more natural products too. Just be sure to read the directions twice.
Third: Continue with step one and you should not have anymore problems.
Hope this helps,
Tina
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
Edited by - doglady on Jun 04 2007 06:14:12 AM |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2007 : 07:50:33 AM
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I don't use flea collars on my cats, but I do put one in the vacuum bag. It kills fleas you might vacuum up. I use Revolution drops on my cats when it is flea season and so far so good. Knock on wood.
Years ago I adopted two little kittens that were eaten up with fleas. At eight weeks of age, one weighed 4 oz. and one weighed 6 oz. They should have been close to 2 pounds but the fleas just were sucking the life out of them. The littlest one couldn't be saved but the other one lived and is now almost 14 years. But she is still only five pounds. The vet said the flea infestation stunted her growth. So please get rid of those nasty fleas.
May God bless those who love the soil,
Patsy
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2007 : 6:45:10 PM
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Thanks ladies. Can I use Brewers yeast in my dog and cats food? I usr Advantix...Frontline didnt work. I bath the dog once a week and vaccum a couple times a week. We have hard woods and I only have one rug in the living room and we have carpet in a smal room where my computer is. I spray it and vaccum it a couple times a week. My husband is going to get some granuales for the yard where the dog goes out. Maybe this will work.
Thanks again
Deborah |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9468 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9468 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2007 : 03:40:16 AM
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Yes, Deborah you can give your dogs Brewer's yeast.
I keep with the Advantage. We had trouble with fleas years ago. My parents brought their dogs with them on a visit and left the fleas behind.
We used the granules in the yard and Zodiac on carpets. That was all we had to do. We didn't have dogs at that time. But using something inside and outside took care of the fleas for good. We also had moved into a house that was infested and that was so bad they were biting us so we bombed the house with something by Zodiac i think. We were going to be gone a week anyway and since we were not totally unpacked we just washed things that were already out in the open after we bombed for them. It killed every other bug in the house too! If you want to go the no chemicals it would be better for you and the animals. We did not have animals at the time we did this. We have never had a flea problem here or since we have had dogs(knock on wood) but we do use the Advantage in the summertime.
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and all that dwell therein."
www.torismimi.blogspot.com |
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Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2007 : 07:26:38 AM
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Thanks for all the help ladies
Deborah |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2007 : 11:07:30 AM
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We use the flea/tick control from the vet. I think it's Advantage. Never have had a problem since then.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. http://boinglink.blogspot.com/ |
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At home with Mama
Farmgirl in Training
16 Posts
Erica
Jacksonville
FL
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2007 : 06:41:20 AM
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all good comments except - Avoid harsh things like frontline and advantix at all costs.. it's not good for your pets or anyone touching them or breathing near them. Yes, Use brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast mixed into your pet's food.. fleas won't go near blood with it in it. Also, one thing I've found that's safe is called pets alive.. you can check it out on this site..
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000015384840
also to treat bites on humans try reallllly hard not to itch, as you can easily scare. try calandula cream to disenfect and help with the itch. (breast milk works great too, if available  )
www.at-home-with-mama.com |
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kitchensqueen
True Blue Farmgirl
521 Posts
521 Posts |
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sunshine78
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
Cynthia
Western
Nebraska
106 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2007 : 5:46:17 PM
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| Use frontline plus on the dog, make sure he/she stays away from the cat and small children for atleast a couple hours after application. The fleas do not leave the animal to lay the eggs, they lay them on the animal and the animal will shake or brush up against something in the house and the eggs will fall off. The remain in the carpet for awhile (I had to know the exact life cycle right down to the number of days in each stage in vet school, but some of it has left me) and develop, then the animal will pick them up again and the cycle continues. The best way to get the eggs out of your house non-chemically is to vaccuum like there's no tomorrow. Vaccuum everyday or even after the dog has been inside(so multiple times per day may be needed initially). There are flea treatments for cats out there, but unless your problem is persistent, I would treat the dog and the house first. Cats are just so sensitive to pesticides. Anyways that's my two cents. |
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Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl
1438 Posts
Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2007 : 10:49:08 AM
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www.earthclinic.com/Pets/fleas.html
This is a very good site with holistic approaches to ridding ourselves of these pint sized pests! Good luck, I am gearing up for the same fight here in France with our three cats!! Nance |
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Persephone
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Katrina
Indiana
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 10:59:19 AM
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I have not had the ahem, honor, of dealing with a bad case of fleas, but when I was in my first trimester, we were cleaning out my grandmother's estate, and her carpet had gotten fleas- I didn't want to use poisons, so we cleaned it out with borax- I wouldn't "sprinkle" it, I would grind it deeply into the carpet, and make sure it was amply applied. Leave it for 24 hours, and vacuum. That was enough for our mild flea problem.
Some other things I've read about and saved in my mental file are southernwood strewn about your floors and between your mattress. And pennyroyal planted in your yard will keep the fleas away from your yard- plant it near doors and close to the house. Let it spread- this is a pretty permanent option, just so you know. :)You can also strew it inside. And feed your pets garlic on their food. And there are essential oils you can put on your pet's collar (in the back where they can't reach), but I would save that as a last resort, since animals can't process EOs the way we can, and it can kill them- particularly cats. |
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Trace
True Blue Farmgirl
247 Posts
Tracey
Canton
New York
USA
247 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 2:27:19 PM
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From just my trial and errors with fleas after running an animal care service for 17 yrs and having hoards of cats and dogs of my own ( all my dogs have been inside dogs and the cats are inside/outside ones) plus I used to raise ferrets and thet get fleas too. I have used anything I could get my hands on, from pennyroyal oil rubbed on collars to the brewers yeast and garlic feeding thing. But for me (my experience only) they never really worked. They say if yor animal has healthy skin, there is nothing for the fleas to feed off of. But that is all theory, lol. As much as I hate to put the toxic stuff on my animals, it can be pretty nasty when the fleas invade your home and start feeding off of the humans that live there. I too have resorted to Advantage, just for fleas though. In my area of Nothern NY we are seeing ticks like we have never seen before. And a few of my friends switched to the treatment that has the tick stuf in it, but they are finding it is NOT working on tics, and it costs more.
So far we have found ticks just on our cats and we simply tweeze them off and dump them into alcohol to kill them. Last year we were still having ticks even after a hard frost. I think it is like everything else, and goes in cycles.
good luck ladies with whatever works,
Trace
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
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Cleaning Up: Getting rid of fleas in home and outside |
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Getting rid of fleas in home and outside
