How to get rid of fleas?

[Smartie_Pants]

I've tried collars, shampoos, and powders for my two inside dogs, but nothing's working. I don't want to spend a ton of monet but I want them gone. Any home remedies or things that really work.

 

[Skyesrocket]

I think that Advantage is the easiest way to take care of fleas. If you add up all of the shampoos and flea sprays and collars the price to buy it on Ebay would be comparable and MUCH more effective. I buy the tubes for large breed dogs and measure them out to use on my small dogs. PM me if you would like the name of the seller I buy from.

 

[KDbeads]

Have you been using any spot on treatments like Frontline??

I ask because this year they just haven't been working for us out here with our TX sized fleas. I've been buying the Adams spot on stuff for the dogs and it's working, DO NOT USE ON CATS!

And for the cats I've been using the Sentry naturals, it really is oily for the first day or 2 and if you've never used clove or mint oil before the smell with drive you crazy but it works.

For the bedding I've been washing weekly with a half cup of borax added to the load. And if I see any inside I dust with the borax. Works great for us.

 

[NateinFL]

Get them on Advantage, I had bad luck with Frontline. Also treat the carpets with boric acid weekly until the problem is under control. I went on an all out war with fleas 2 years ago, it was horrible. In Florida, its best to keep them absolutely flea free as the situation will QUICKLY get out of hand...I'm just speaking from my experience. And Dawn soap does not kill fleas, I watched the bath tub 15 minutes after bathing those fleas were coming back to life, they're unbelievably tough parasites. I also used Capstar whenever they were still scratching after Advantage treatments.

 

[Beekissed]

Try feeding a little garlic powder on the dog's food each day to repel fleas. To get rid of an infestation is a little harder. I think a combination of things work best but, ultimately, I don't think dogs are EVER without a flea or so and those fleas just keep breeding. And if the dogs go outside they always seem to pick up more fleas to bring back in.

I've heard of sprinkling salt in your carpets and vacuuming this up in a couple of days. Also borax laundry booster.

Tough one. I solve this by not having dogs living inside, but I'm sure that isn't an option of a lot of folks.

 

[wombat]

Brush, wash, and re-brush the dogs.

Put Advantage on them.

Vacuum the whole house and then put the vacuum cleaner bag out in the trash immediately.

If you have cats, check them too ... even if they are inside cats, once the dog brings fleas in, the cats will become hosts.

 

[KotaDVM]

Your veterinarian should have a pill called Capstar that kills all fleas on the dog within 20 minutes. My clinic charges $14 for the pill.

Bathe- a medicated bath would be ideal so ask you vet if he/she have any samples they can lend you.

Apply a flea preventative like Frontline Plus.

Yes it will be pricey compared to regular home methods, but this is guaranteed to work and will make your animals more comfortable sooner

 

[gritsar]

Both Jax and KiKi came to us with fleas.

#1 - I started keeping our other cat, Kitty, inside full-time.
#2 - I treated the furniture with an Adams flea product (recommended by our vet)
#3 - I put borax on the carpets and let it sit for three days before vacumning up.
#4 - I applied a once only treatment of Advantage to both cats.
#5 - We put our pup Jax on comfortis ($12 a month from the vet)

I haven't seen a flea since that first horrible month. As soon as the weather turns cold and stays that way, we'll be taking Jax off his comfortis for the winter. We'll resume giving it to him in March. His heartworm preventive he'll be staying on all year. I've already been thru that heartache once and once was more than enough.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Move to the desert... we don't have to worry about fleas.

 

[bwebb7]

If you do decide to go with Advantage, (I recommend) be sure your dog has not been bathed in a day or 2. The natural oils in his coat help with absorption and thus success