Fleas…another new thread!

[Javalita]

Did a search on fleas before I posted. See that some people recommend Advantage over Frontline for fleas.

This is what I have noticed. Ruby has had a bath and has Frontline plus put on recently - a week or two ago. Before we noticed the fleas! Now, I see multiple fleas on her every day and itching like crazy. I'm thinking that she is getting them from the yard. We have a creek at the back and lots of animals live in there - squirrels, raccoons, fox, deer, etc.

I'm wondering if maybe she just picks up new fleas every time she goes outside. Any experience with this? I'm guessing there ins't much I can do about fleas outside, especially if I don't want to go with full chemical warfare.

I am feeling bad for Ruby right now - she is itching like mad. Should I try flea powders when she goes outside to keep them off? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I remember that flea powders are bad for the dog/cat????

Thanks! Sean just said "Why don't you just ask on Google?" I told him that I trusted my pug friends more!!!

[thminis]

Have you attacked the house yet? They have carpet cleaners/powders, bug bombs (everyone will have to leave the house for a while), and other items at pet stores. Flea infestations can be repeating if the house isn't treated strongly enough. They will live in your couches, carpets, beds...they're really good jumpers.

Also, if Frontline isn't working, I'd switch brands. I know a lot of people who like Advantix (or Advantage...but I believe Advantage is only fleas and not ticks). Your vet also may have an oral feal treatment that they prefer.

Good luck! We haven't dealt with fleas in my household, but I know how much of a pain they can be!


ETA- Just saw you don't want ot go full chemicals outside, which makes sense (and yes, raccoons seem to cary the most fleas around us), but you may have to in the house? I would call your vet and a local petsmart to see what they reccomend as well. Doesn't hurt to get more opinions, and you know they hear of flea infestations a lot.

[Not Afraid]

I wrote this in Blanche's "Ants" thread but thought it would bear repeating here. Also, I prefer to use Revolution over Frontline. It just seems to work better:

My DE Post:

A little late to the party but.....put a dab of syrup on a piece of
paper and let it sit. Ants will find it. Trace the line of ants back to the
source and treat with DE. You might have to puff it into the cracks of
your walls or baseboards, but it will get the little buggers.

How
DE works is that each particle (which is a dematoid fossil - the White
Cliffs of Dover are DE) is a very sharp crystal. The crystal scratches
the skeleton of ANY exoskeleton bug (which is most bugs) and they
dehydrate and die. It also works on fleas, termites, cockroaches,
tomato worms and other nasty creatures.

You need to get the
food grade DE - NOT the pool kind. You can also comb it into your pets
fur and it will kill fleas. The Food Grade DE can also be given
internally to pets (and humans) and will kill tape worm and other nasty
parasites.

You can use it on your garden and it is
non-pesticidal, organic and safe to eat.

It's pretty much the
answer to anyone who hates bugs and parasites but hates chemicals just
as much.

What I DON'T know about it, is if it has any effect on
heart worm. HW is the only reason I still have for giving Frontline or
Revolution to my dogs.

[Renee]

Sorry - this isn't about fleas....

Does DE work for spiders?

[pugasaurus]

My dogs would get fleas from the other dogs at Petsmart about twice a year. I used Advantage initially and noticed that it quit working. So I switched to Frontline and it worked for a few years and then it quit working. So this year I tried Advantix and it worked.

I don't know if other animals have access to your yard, they bring in fleas. We (the humans) had a horrible flea infestation at this place I worked at because of the squirrels that lived in the crawlspaces above our office.

[Javalita]

I think it is definitely the yard from creek wild animals. I've never once seen one jumping in the house or on us - only Ruby. We rarely use flea medicine at all since we have no regular issues.

Is flea powder bad for dogs?

[Katie & Stella]

I'm having the same problem. I give Stella her Revolution every month when it's warm out. She keeps getting them from all of the feral cats we have at my apartment complex. I will try the DE on her, I'm wondering though if it's bad if she breathes it in?

[Javalita]

Where do you buy the food grade DE?

[Not Afraid]

This is the brand I have.

Here is the store locator for the US.

This type of DE is pretty heavy so it doesn't fly around as much as other brands I've used. I still only apply it to the bodies of my pets and, when I apply it to bedding, I let it settle first before letting anyone use the bed. I never apply to their face or neck.

I also use a flea comb on the dogs and on the cats when they will let me.

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