Dog Flea Control

[scbatz33]

If you're looking to treat your yard "naturally", check out nematodes. They eat all kinds of insects and they will eat fleas in ALL stages of development. Unfortunately you can't use them indoors.

 

[cheeps]

Great info! So, if I use it outdoors, will I harm the cats that are causing the flea problem?

I know that might be a wonderful idea to my DH, but I couldn't stand to do something that could make those poor strays sicker than they already are.

Is this the same stuff as Sevin, etc? I do have some of that for the mites on my birds.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Are you sure it's comfortis you're thinking about that smelled terrible? Comfortis is a tablet, given orally. I just gave the dogs theirs last night and I can't say that the tablets have any smell to them at all, except maybe they smell a little like dog treats. It's what our vet recommends for the fleas we have around here, as they've become immune to just about everything else.
The biggest problem we have with the comfortis is making sure that both dogs, but especially our older one, eat a good-sized meal before taking it, so it doesn't make them sick to their stomach.

 

[scbatz33]

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Nematodes are a very minute worm. They eat the insects and are not harmful to other animals.

 

[cheeps]

Gritsar- you're right! I am getting comfortis confused with another product...whoops. now I'm trying to remember what I was talking about...maybe promeris?

Scbats33- I was refering to the permethrin in my questions, not the neamotodes, I'm sorry I didn't clarify. But I'm pretty interested in the neamatodes, told DH to check that out. Thanks!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Citric acid is a repellant. Mix a tsp. with water in a spray bottle & mist your dog. It doesn't have a residual, so do it several times a week. As far as the yard, squeeze about 1,000 lemons......

 

[cheeps]

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[Akane]

I find permethrins and moxidectin (found in some advantage products) to be too risky for a variety of reasons. I would recommend revolution over most of the advantage products, revolution can also replace your monthly heartworm medication, and a spray on like Sentry natural defense (made with essential oils) or their chemical based products over permethrin shampoos and treatments. I spray my dogs every day with Natural Defense to repel mosquitos and ticks. It should work for fleas. I also dumped a bunch of it on the doorway of the chicken coop when the gnats were so bad they were actually killing chickens. It worked great for about 3 or 4 days.

The problem you have is most of the flea medications like advantage, frontline, and revolution don't do much to repel fleas. They mostly just kill what bites. When dealing with a limited population that works just fine. With an unlimited population fueled by something else new fleas will just keep getting on and biting as fast as the medication kills them. You need something that repels. It may be helpful to spray the yard too. I haven't done it so I don't know what's available but I'm sure something exists that will continue to kill the fleas for at least a short time and may provide a few months of relief before the population recovers and the dog starts picking up new fleas again every time it goes outside.

 

[chicksbestfriend]

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I was given a home remedy that is more natural to use on the animals vs all those chemical flea treatments (that do get absorbed into the animals skin) and it is very effective, and not to mention, more friendly to your budget.

Wash the animal in blue dawn dishwashing soap. (Its got to be the blue one) It works as a degreaser and removes any ticks and fleas. You will see them dropping of as you shampoo with it and when you rinse.

Second, you have to put the oils back into their skin and coat. Get a small bottle of pure lavender oil, pour it into the cheapest and biggest bottle of baby shampoo, mix well. Wash the animals with the baby shampoo mixture next.

To use as a daily or weekly repelent, get a bottle of the cheapest mouthwash you can find, and put in a spray bottle and spray it like you would any other flea spray.

Dont forget to treat your house and the yard. Good old salt on the carpets, if you have any, works well for the fleas in the house. Dont know of a natural remedy for the outside of the house. I have had neighbors before that were not taking charge of their flea and tick problems and was definitely an uphill battle, but finally got them to allow me to come and assist them in washing their dogs and treating their yard at the same time as me. It was a bit costly, but well worth keeping my property from getting infested.

I have 7 dogs and have been using this method for quite some time, works very effectively. Good luck with your battle of fleas!