Flea CRAZY

[Stacy, Bruno, Molly and Gracie]

OK, I have used Frontline Plus, vacuumed daily, sprayed, washed bedding etc and washed again and I AM STILL FINDING a couple of fleas about every other day on Bruno! I feel like I am going crazy. I have been avoiding "bombing" but am beginning to feel like I cannot get ahead of this.

 

If you have used a "bomb" or fogger what have you used?  Did it work?  

 

Also, he had a dose of Frontline plus on the 15th of July. is it safe to give him another dose?

 

He is going to a friends house for the weekend while we are away and I cannot, in good conscience, take him there if he has fleas!

 

I AM GOING CRAZY!!!!!

 

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Frontline does not repel or kill fleas that are not on or biting your dog. Try Cedarcide (cedarcidestore.com) and Food Grade Diatomacious Earth (earthworkshealth.com). Both are are natural and will not hurt your dog as giving too much Frontline could.

[Stacy, Bruno, Molly and Gracie]

Thanks, Lynne, I would prefer to do something more natural that Frontline. I will look at these things today!

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

They work. I haven't used any of the spot-ons in three years now and I live in NJ in the woods. There have been many discussions here on DK about this and many natural products tried. These two work. Read all the directions for the Frontline, it is poison you are putting in your dog. One warning is to not get it on your skin. But it's OK for your dogs skin? I personally do not believe so.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

I am looking at the Cedarside website, which products do you use? 

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

The Best Yet! I have a quart size and a few of those personal silver pumps so I keep them in several places, including my car. I got them a few years ago and haven't run out yet.

[Heather & Brinkley]

We had this issue and it kept returning. My vet said they've never had the flea conversation as much as they have had it this year... and that Frontline just isn't doing its job anymore for fleas.  The ONLY thing that helped was Frontline for ticks and Comfortis for fleas.  We also gave him one Capstar to kill the current fleas on him in four hours.  Its worked... finally!!!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Stacy, give him a capstar before he goes to your friends house, that will kill any fleas that are on him.

[Angie, Hudson and Lily]

I would say if you really want them to be gone, you will have to flea bomb your house. You can keep killing the fleas you find on him, but you most likely have flea eggs hatching in your house. When I worked at a vet clinic, owners who didn't bomb the house seemed to fight fleas forever because they didn't break the cycle. I would give him a flea bath and then set the bombs off and leave. The female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, so if you have even just one female flea, it would be hard to end the cycle by only treating your dog. I would ask your vet what type of bombs to get. You may also want to consider treating your yard.

This information also says that the cycle can last up to 2 yrs-

PUPA (plural = pupae): The pupa is the last stage before adult. The adult flea can emerge from the cocoon as early as 3 to 5 days, or it can stay in the cocoon for a year or more, waiting for the right time to emerge. When is the right time? (Never, say pet lovers everywhere!) Stimuli such as warm ambient temperatures, high humidity, even the vibrations and carbon dioxide emitted from a passing animal will cause the flea to emerge from the cocoon faster. This brings us back to the adult flea.

The entire life cycle is quite variable, as evidenced by the variability in each life stage progression. As mentioned above, the cycle can be as short as two weeks or as long as two years. That is why it is so important to remain vigilant, even when a flea problem is thought to be under control! The duration of flea season varies with location.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You need to throw out the bags after every vacuuming, a big waste of money I know, and also put borax in the bags before using. If you have a bagless vacuum, put borax in the container that gets emptied.

There is no natural product that will get rid of a flea infestation once you have one. Believe me, I searched, researched, and searched again. Fleas would survive an atomic bomb, like cockroaches. Their life cycle has 4 stages, and the larva can live in cracks and crevices for a year.

I used Zodiac bombs for the house several times, but that didn't do it. I ended up having to have the house bombed professionally, twice. You will need to seal up or remove all open food products (like cereals, pasta, etc.) and plan to have your whole family, including pets, out of the house for several hours. I left my dog & cat at the vet's office for flea baths while the house was being bombed.

 

[Stacy, Bruno, Molly and Gracie]

I have been vacuuming every day, all the furniture, floors (wood) and carpets (we only have area rugs). I use Borax each time and empty the bagless container outside and then wash it.

I ordered the suggested items that Lynne Fowler (thanks, Lynne) today as I really want to try not using harsh pesticides in the house.

If need be, I will keep it under control and the first cold night leave all the windows open and freeze the suckers :)

I so appreciate the collective wisdom I find at DK. This is now the first place I look :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Nobody likes pesticides, but many more dogs and even people have actually died from flea infestations, or been left with very serious diseases like Flea Allergy Dermatitis, than have been harmed by the chemical treatments. It's a risk VS benefit issue.

When you read about a flea's life cycle, and see how many millions of eggs can be left in your home, you realize what you're up against with these creatures. I believe the eggs can even survive a freeze, since there are many known cases of them remaining dormant in empty homes for a year and more, only to "hatch" when stimulated by the movement and carbon dioxide of people and animals coming into the empty home.

Good luck, I hope you find a way to get rid of them.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You might also want to watch Bruno's stool, since fleas cause tapeworms. Even in humans.