View Full Version : Flea help!
We have 2 labradors and are having terrible trouble with fleas for the last few months - since the rain started (Brisbane). They've very rarely had fleas before now.
We've been using frontline plus with little effect. I'm assuming the problem is the fleas are living outside and they keep picking more up all the time. We also give them a weekly bath in a medicated shampoo for fleas.
Any suggestions? I have a 20 month old and am pregnant so I don't want to flea bomb the house or anything like that. We only have a 2 small rooms with carpet, the rest is tiles, so I wouldn't think too many are living in the carpet.
Add garlic to their food, that'll keep the fleas off the dogs, as for the ones in the ground. I know there's something u can spread outside on the lawn to help, cant remember what it is, will have a look for u
FiveInTheBed
18-03-2010, 14:42
i'll be watching this thread - we have two border collies and same deal...loads of rain (we are used to livin in the remote outback,,HERE we have green stuff growing!!! OMG!)
and they were able to get under the house, stopped that, shaved them, wash them, flea collared them..and still they are chewing there backs poor buggers...
the fleas made it inside EEEEEEEEW!! - i set off 4 bombs (and i HATE using chemicals inside!) ...but ocassionally inside and when we are outside they [fleas] are visable.
Our dogs have no bedding or anything...
the garlic in their food seems doable!!
would like to GET RID of the fleas though!
'tis yuk!
Ok, there's a product called Diatomaceous Earth which you can use outside, for fleas and insects.
Lime (which u can get from bunnings) will also help kill ground fleas.
Lime is what i was trying to think of before :D
FiveInTheBed
18-03-2010, 15:00
thanks Corlz!
I have some Dolomite lime that I use on the worm farm...will give that a go:thumbsup:
...now..got any magic for mozzies!?? OMG there are swarms of them!!
I mix tea tree oil with a bit of water in a spray bottle and spray inside, kills knits and it always has worked for fleas with us
I'd switch spot ons. Frontline is useless I've found. I use Advantix, and it's more expensive, but our dogs never have fleas (while our neighbours dogs are absolutely overrun with them, so there's plenty of opportunity for them to get them).
There are tablets you can get to give to the dogs to kill fleas, but they're pretty expensive, they're called proban.
You can get a tablet that you mix up with water called KO Tabs, you use it to spray your yard/dogs outside bedding etc. you get 2 tablets in a pack, make it up to 5L with water and that does 50 square meters of dirt (100sqm of cement/hard surface). In protected areas (verandahs/under house etc) it will have a residual effect for 12 months.
Vacuum the house every day or two (tiles included) until you get the problem under control. This means under and behind couches and furniture, as the eggs can get EVERYWHERE.
Wash your dogs with a rinse called Fidos Rinse. You put it on after shampooing the dog, just pour it over them and let it dry on them. only lasts about three days, but will kill any fleas on the dog dead. You can also make this up in a spray bottle to spray their bedding/fur every couple of days, which will do the same thing.
Garlic can help, but some dogs are allergic to it, so be careful.
GOOD LUCK!!
ETA: Advantix deters mozzies too - we live on a river and they're awful here, but the dogs aren't bothered :)
Guest1234
18-03-2010, 16:04
Add garlic to their food, that'll keep the fleas off the dogs, as for the ones in the ground. I know there's something u can spread outside on the lawn to help, cant remember what it is, will have a look for u
Garlic is poisonous to dogs. It thins their blood and as a results makes their blood unable to clot.
DF used coopex and sprayed it outside. Its a residual insecticide that you can get from bunnings. Best to treat them outside as well as inside.
FiveInTheBed
18-03-2010, 16:09
eeek...won't do the garlic.
will add Advantix to shopping list.... I can do the kids with that too - right??? :p [bad joke]
I use tea tree oil for heaps of things already - cleaning especially.
oh & cheers for you thread fludo!
Garlic is poisonous to dogs.
Have heard that once b4 too, but have had it recommended by 2 different vets, so :confused::confused::rolleyes:
RedPanda
18-03-2010, 16:16
I think Frontline is designed to be used on flea-free dogs. If your dog has fleas when you use Frontline, I don't think it works but if you use it on a flea-treated dog, it will prevent new ones from hatching.
Give the dog a bath in flea shampoo and eucalyptus wool wash. Make sure its bedding is washed just in case the fleas are living in its cushion or something.
You can get capstar tablets that literally makes the fleas JUMP OFF the dog. So if you use it make sure you administer it outside.
I use Advocate. Its exxy but does fleas, all worms except one type (can't remember which one but I just get a tablet for a couple of buck each month to cover this) mites and mange.
Thanks for all the replies. I never come this far down in the forum so wasn't sure how many people visit here so was surprised to get so many replies! :D
You've given me lots of ideas, (and lots of googling to do!). Especially thanks for all the ideas for outdoors.
I'd switch spot ons. Frontline is useless I've found. I use Advantix, and it's more expensive, but our dogs never have fleas (while our neighbours dogs are absolutely overrun with them, so there's plenty of opportunity for them to get them).
There are tablets you can get to give to the dogs to kill fleas, but they're pretty expensive, they're called proban.
You can get a tablet that you mix up with water called KO Tabs, you use it to spray your yard/dogs outside bedding etc. you get 2 tablets in a pack, make it up to 5L with water and that does 50 square meters of dirt (100sqm of cement/hard surface). In protected areas (verandahs/under house etc) it will have a residual effect for 12 months.
Vacuum the house every day or two (tiles included) until you get the problem under control. This means under and behind couches and furniture, as the eggs can get EVERYWHERE.
Wash your dogs with a rinse called Fidos Rinse. You put it on after shampooing the dog, just pour it over them and let it dry on them. only lasts about three days, but will kill any fleas on the dog dead. You can also make this up in a spray bottle to spray their bedding/fur every couple of days, which will do the same thing.
Garlic can help, but some dogs are allergic to it, so be careful.
GOOD LUCK!!
ETA: Advantix deters mozzies too - we live on a river and they're awful here, but the dogs aren't bothered :)
Lots of great ideas here :thumbsup: I'm in the process of doing a thorough clean of the house (due to the hayfever problem I've had since the rain too - I wonder if that could also be flea eggs!) so hopefully that will help too. I like the ideas of the products you can spray around too - sounds pretty doable.
Mrs Nietzsche
18-03-2010, 20:55
We have 2 labradors and are having terrible trouble with fleas for the last few months - since the rain started (Brisbane). They've very rarely had fleas before now.
We've been using frontline plus with little effect. I'm assuming the problem is the fleas are living outside and they keep picking more up all the time. We also give them a weekly bath in a medicated shampoo for fleas.
Any suggestions? I have a 20 month old and am pregnant so I don't want to flea bomb the house or anything like that. We only have a 2 small rooms with carpet, the rest is tiles, so I wouldn't think too many are living in the carpet.
Sorry if this has already been answered. Frontline PLus doesn't work - they changed it to a new 'eco' formula which doesn't work at all. Use Advantix. To kill them immediately use a product from supermarket.. can't think of the name but it starts with C adn its cheap. It kills them but doesn't prevent them. Then do flea bombs in the whole house.
Your main problem will be the frontline though.
Guest1234
18-03-2010, 21:24
Also, after vacuuming, empty the vacuum bag and get rid of the contents as best you can, coz the fleas will be able to jump out :p
You can buy a cheap flea collar and put it inside your vacuum bag so it will help to kill the fleas in there.
I use a combo of advantage and the capstar tablets (instant kill) I also wash her bedding with Eucalyptus oil, and mop the floors with it too.
isn't that onion that's poisonous to dogs? that's what i heard. my mum has 2 dogs and my sister/her bf who live with her have another so 3 dogs all up. she cooks up their food with garlic and never has to flea them. and they live in samford so practically flea heaven
i have been using advantage and haven't had any problems and the neighbours have a dog so if fleas are gonna travel they're gonna travel fast
Guest1234
18-03-2010, 21:45
Onion and Garlic, more so onion but garlic is too. It thins their blood which causes it stop clotting, just a tad bit too much garlic and it can be fatal. Its hard to say how much would be too much coz it would also depend on the breed and size of dog.
Just 'cos I am a serial 'googler'... amazing...you learn something every day!!
from www.dog-first-aid-101.com (http://www.dog-first-aid-101.com)
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic contain thiosulphate, the chemical that makes them toxic foods for dogs.
If you feed onions or garlic to him regularly, his red blood cells may weaken and literally fall apart.
The thiosulphate can reach toxic, even deadly levels, if he eats too much of either food.
Without treatment, severe anemias and death can result from overeating these toxic foods.
Humans have an enzyme that allows us to digest onions and garlic (although some people do have digestive problems with them).
All dogs (and cats) lack that enzyme.
This can result in vomiting, diarrhea, gas or gastrointestinal pain and distress.
These symptoms might not appear for a few days, which makes it much harder to pinpoint the poison.
Hey I was having the same problem with my Labrador!! We just moved house closer to Brisbane and I was going to let him be anindoor dog until I saw that he had fleas. I was using frontline plus every 2 weeks, he wore a flea collar and I washed him with flea shampoo every weekend and he was still crawling with them!! The vet recommeneded me with a tablet called comfortis. Within 4 hrs majority of fleas are dead and within 24 all are dead. It is about the sameprice as frontline plus if not a tiny bit cheaper. It's one tablet once a month. It's fairly new on the market so not sure if all places have heard of it but I am recommending it!!! Of course the fleas will still live in the dirt just not on the dogs so u would have to get in a pest guy or do some spraying urself. Eggs can live in carpet for a whole yearbefore hatchng tho so make sure u do get rid of them in ur house!!!
Mum2Tyla
18-03-2010, 22:45
I have hear dof this comfortis but do not know much bout it, frontline is crap, advantage is good and you can get combo ones liek revolution that do other stuff as well
danielle13
19-03-2010, 08:03
We've had a flea issue here lately too, though I have cats, not dogs.
But I read somewhere about giving the animals a little bit of brewer's yeast with their food, it's not harmful like garlic and onion can be, and it's working pretty well for us so far.
I had a 'de-flea' day, I cleaned EVERYTHING, changed all bedding, vacuumed the mattresses, washed soft toys etc, with a flea-spray soaked tissue in the vacuum cleaner to kill any hatchlings in the bag (as nothing kills eggs).
I then used a 1:20 mixture of water and eucalyptus oil and sprayed everything -carpets, walls, furniture, toys, kitchen, it's non-toxic so you can go for gold with the stuff.
I'm pretty happy with the result, there are still fleas around but there's been a drastic drop in numbers and the cats are alot happier now too.
Mum2Tyla
21-03-2010, 13:16
not trying to be nasty and burst your bubble but if there are still fleas around within a month or 2 the numbers will be back up to what they where, you have got rid of some of the adults but not all and it doesnt take long for 2 adults to breed, you need to get rid of the fleas, larvae, pupae as the pupae can lay dormant for up tp 9 months, frontline is no good, flea shampoos will kill the adult fleas on the dog but not the ones in the hosue and not the larvae etc, advatage is the best product available, may be expensive but it works and saves you money and time in th elong run.
blackdog
22-03-2010, 14:17
My dogs get Sentinnel (sp?) and then Capstar if they have been out and picked up fleas from somewhere else. Sentinnel destroys the lifecycle of the flea, and Capstar kills any outside fleas that bite them.
My friend was having trouble with fleas and she spread lime around the perimeter of her yard, as it was suggested they may be coming in from the animals next door. This seems to have worked.
I agree with whoever wanted to give the same treatment to the kids! I have always wondered why someone hasn't invented a tablet for head lice!
FiveInTheBed
22-03-2010, 14:24
Gave the dogs Comfortis on the weekend...a big wash with flea and tick shampoo.
Got some coopex there ready to go.
:fingerscrossed: for a flea free yard soon!
I have always wondered why someone hasn't invented a tablet for head lice!
:iagree:
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