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Cleaning Up:  Help with fleas  |
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Rusty pins
True Blue Farmgirl
91 Posts
Paula
Oelwein
Iowa
USA
91 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 12 2006 : 10:08:01 AM
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Don't know where I should have asked this...but since I've got them in the house...i thought here would be a great place for this question.
HELP!! I've got fleas in the house...not bad yet, but I know it can be. Do any of you know of any natural products that will help with this? the cats have all been powdered, sprayed and dropped and I'm tired of all the cemicals and I've got 2 cats that are allergic to some of that stuff. So any help would so wonderful. Thanks bunches.
"Life shall judge us harshly enough. Let us at least be gentle with each other."
http://www.rustypinsandoldlace.com/
'Antiques & HandMades for your heart and your home.' |
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sonflowergurl
True Blue Farmgirl
349 Posts
Katee
Tampa 'Burbs
FL
USA
349 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2006 : 10:46:35 AM
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We had TONS of them back in March/early April with our dog, so bad that I was finding them in my daughter's hair when I'd fix her hair in the mornings. I went to the vet and got one of those monthly applications of flea/tick/mosquito meds tubes and it's worked wonders. I didn't see another live flea, and haven't since! That's the only "chemicals" we got, and it worked and I didn't have to put it all over my house for my kids to breathe and stuff, so it made us all happy here. Good luck, they can be really pesky!!! (not to mention they're a health hazard too)
Katee
The end will justify the pain it took to get us here.
"Looking Toward the Son"---- http://sonflowergirl731.blogspot.com
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2006 : 10:59:11 AM
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My experience echos Katee's. We tried all kinds of natural methods, herbs, garlic, you name it until I was seeing the odd one in the carpet. We vacuumed daily, steam cleaned carpets and upholstery, everything. It just plain did not work. So we got Advantage from the vet and put four little drops down the backs of both our dogs and our cat. Haven't seen a flea since. I don't have the package insert anymore, but if you research the active ingredient, it's not all that bad. Better than fleas imho!
Di
http://www.daisyfarm.blogspot.com |
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Cottage Girl
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Selena
Port Orchard
Washington
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2006 : 12:28:06 AM
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Yeah, there's nothing nastier than having a competition with your DH as to who kills the most fleas! I started laying down pans of flea shampoo spiked water beside the nightlight by our bed. The light attracted them, and they drowned. I ended up getting the Advantage (although it's quite pricy!!!)and trying to turn our 2 independent cats into house cats. Now we only see a rare flea on the cats. Usually after one of them has snuck out of the house.
"The more we take, the less we become.
The fortune of one man means less for some."
Sarah McLaughlan, "World is on Fire."
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lawsec03
True Blue Farmgirl
112 Posts
Melissa
Richmond
KY
USA
112 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2006 : 06:26:16 AM
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| I use Frontline Plus on my dogs. It works wonders. If you use a flea medication like this regularly, it will get rid of all you fleas, even the ones in your carpet, becausr they will jump on your pet and bite them. However, if I am not mistaking, I have read somewhere that borax can be sprinkled on your carpet and then vacuumed up, Double-check that one before you do it, since I am not 100% positive (but almost!). I do knwo that sevin dust will kill the fleas, too, I don't think that is natural, and it stinks, but it does kill them. We have a lady at out grooming shop that keeps sevin dust on her dogs for the fleas. Gosh, how I hate how those dogs smell! |
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berries
True Blue Farmgirl
475 Posts
gloria g
Florida
USA
475 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2006 : 07:15:57 AM
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Good Morning, I haven't had fleas in my house in years, but I will say, that when I had carpet years ago, (no more carpet, just wood floors) a pest control man told me to use just a plain old Borax. Like Mule Team Borax in the soap isle at your grocer. It is made of (salt). You sprinkle the borax onto the carpet, pretty heavy. Leave for a couple of hours. Walk, do whatever, and some will fall down in the carpet. Smells clean, it's all natural. Then vac after that. The fleas (eat) it, and kills them. Because it is a salt which is a mineral. It just dries them up. Doesn't hurt anything else. No stains, no ugly odors, not harmful to children, any pets. I used it every week when I did have carpet. Never had any problems with any fleas, bugs or anything else. I had been worried when I asked the pest control man, because I had birds. And they are sensitive to so many things, I didn't want any sprays, or such. Read the ingredients, and I think you too will be happy with the results. It won't hurt to try it! Just for your info.
Have a wonderful 4th, and I just love this site!
gloria g.
Richards, TX
strawberry fields forever and ever! |
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santa_gertrudis_gal
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Kim
Groesbeck
Texas
USA
198 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2006 : 08:24:25 AM
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Gloria is exactly right. We only use it once a month because there is enough residue left in the carpet to kill the fleas for that long. We also use Revolution on our dogs because of the heart worm problem living along the Gulf Coast.
Kim
Heaven is a day at the ranch with my Santa Gertrudis! |
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connio
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
connie
springtown
texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Jul 03 2006 : 4:37:43 PM
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Hey Farm Girls!!
I am fighting the flea battle right now here in North Texas. We were fine until 3 dogs (pet sitting) came to visit for a month and brought those little pests with them. Instead of borax, I just use plain table salt on the floor. It is most effective if you can apply the salt and then turn off the ac and close off the room for about 2 days.
Years ago I employed a housekeeper from Mexico, and she taught me this trick.
I also use Advantage or Frontline on my cats because they are indoors/outdoors, and I use a petstore brand like Zodiac spot-on for my dogs because I have so many. Simply can't afford to use Advantage or Frontline for the dogs, but I have to for the cats because I have heard that the cheaper brands can be fatal to cats. The cats are always fine. I do use the expensive brands on one of my dogs who has seizures because his health is rather precarious. The Zodiac works pretty well, but not as well as the expensive vet brands. I have also started using Muenster pet food which helps immensely with chewing, scratching etc. It is the best pet food that I have ever used. In addition, I just bought some tea tree oil shampoo to use on the dogs. Might also start putting a little vinegar in their water as was posted on the cleaning forum recently. I have also heard that adding food grade DE and "Missing Link" to their food will help immensely.
I don't use any kind of sprays or bombs because I have cockatiels; birds have extremely sensitive respiratory systems.
Connie
Texas Farm Girl
cozycottage |
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sleepless reader
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
CA
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - Jul 03 2006 : 5:24:27 PM
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Go Borax! I've gone that route before and it works! Good luck :)
Sharon
Life is messy. Wear your apron! |
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Cleaning Up: Help with fleas |
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Help with fleas
