My doodle got fleas :(

Hi All,

I'm new here, and I'm the proud owner of Charlie, my beloved Doodle :)

Recently I found out he has fleas, plenty of them.

I'm vegan and a healthy environment believer. I'm trying to avoid any artificial or chemical stuff.

I'm looking for a natural flea treatment for him. I don't wanna use any of the well known brands, like Advantix, Frontline etc. I think it's not healthy for dogs and humans.

I read here http://www.bestfleamedicinefordogs.com/articles/natural-flea-killer/ that I can use salt to kill fleas. My question is - do you think it's too dangerous to use salt with my Charlie? I'm afraid that he will eat the salt, which probably not good for him.

Please share any other recommendation for home remedies you have experience with. Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo on March 2, 2014 at 11:07am

I have no advice on a natural treatment, but I will tell you this. You are going to have to treat everything....bedding, areas he sleeps, etc. And then again in 2 weeks, when the eggs fleas have laid begin to hatch. Fleas are horrid and will infestate quickly if not treated quickly.

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Permalink Reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on March 2, 2014 at 11:44am

Yep, that was my experience too.

Nothing "natural" worked at all. Even the chemicals required several treatments over a period of a month. Fleas can survive for a year in a dormant state in an unoccupied house. They are a nightmare to get rid of. I had to replace my mattresses, that's how badly infested everything was.

I would never fool around with unproven treatments again.

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo on March 2, 2014 at 11:49am

LOL...starting to itch just thinking about fleas! Frankly, I would rather deal with the chemicals then the fleas....which are a nightmare if let to their devices!

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Permalink Reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on March 2, 2014 at 11:52am

I still have scars on my feet from flea bites. They were everywhere!

I agree completely. With everything, you have to weigh benefits against risks. The damage done by a flea infestation is far greater than the risks of using chemicals, IMO. Not to mention that flea allergy dermatitis is the number one type of allergy in dogs, and is incurable.

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo on March 2, 2014 at 11:57am

Not to mention, the greater chance of heartworm. Especially in Tenn. Sort of surprised fleas are active this time of year....even in Tenn.

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Permalink Reply by Adina P on March 2, 2014 at 1:45pm

Do fleas transfer heartworm or do they just transfer tapeworm?

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Permalink Reply by Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau on March 2, 2014 at 2:18pm

Saw this online and probably more than we really want to know!

"Fleas carry several types of internal parasites. Flea larvae feed on tapeworm eggs which then makes the flea a carrier of the parasite. As your dog grooms, he can ingest an infected flea and become infected himself. The tapeworm attaches itself to your dog’s intestinal wall and sheds eggs, which pass through the dog’s system and out of his body. These eggs are then eaten by flea larvae and the cycle continues. Symptoms of tapeworm infection include weight loss, loss of appetite, nervousness, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and rectal irritation. Humans, especially children, can become infected with tapeworms through contact with infected fleas and contact with the waste of infected animals.

Fleas can carry the mites that cause sarcoptic mange, demodectic mange, and chyletilla deramatitis, all of which can be transmitted to humans as well.

Severe flea infestation can cause flea anemia, which is characterized by a reduced level of red blood cells or hemoglobin and causes lethargy, decreased appetite, discoloration of the skin, and episodes of collapse.

Fleas are also the carriers of the bubonic plague, and murine typhus. "