Flea help!

[fludo]

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.

[Corlz]

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]

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!

[Corlz]

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

[FiveInTheBed]

thanks Corlz!

I have some Dolomite lime that I use on the worm farm...will give that a go


...now..got any magic for mozzies!?? OMG there are swarms of them!!

[kk88]

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

[MrsBeee]

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]

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]

eeek...won't do the garlic.

will add Advantix to shopping list.... I can do the kids with that too - right??? [bad joke]

I use tea tree oil for heaps of things already - cleaning especially.

oh & cheers for you thread fludo!

[Corlz]

Garlic is poisonous to dogs.

Have heard that once b4 too, but have had it recommended by 2 different vets, so