The dog has fleas:(

[angie_nrs]

I had to take a dog into the vet a few weeks back and have been battling fleas ever since. It seems almost every time we go to the vet, we come home with fleas. The vet however, is a magician with the knife and has done some amazing surgeries on our dogs so I don't want to change vets. We were only there for a quick visit so I really didn't think it would be an issue this time. From now on, I will be putting the dog in the tub and washing with flea shampoo as soon as we get home.

I thought I had a handle on it b/c I went days without seeing any fleas or flea poop on the fur that I would check at least twice per day (usually more often if I was home). I've never seen the eggs but they are tiny (and white) making them difficult to see. I've vacuumed like crazy. I've taken the dog beds that were inside, out in the garage after washing them and replaced them with towels that I wash every few days. I've tried DE right on the dog, but it was drying to the skin. I give dog baths every couple of weeks. Baths are not fun. I don't want to over-do on the baths b/c dry skin is a concern. Yet today, I found 3 fleas in the fur again. Grrrrrr!!!!!!!

I went online and ordered some Andys flea spray (for the carpets to kill unseen eggs) and the shampoo for the baths. I'm a little freaked out over a couple of reviews that say the shampoo killed their dog. But overall, the rmajority of reviews are good, stating the product was effective. It looks to have the same ingredient in it that the flea meds do. Still, I wish there was a way to handle this without resorting to chemicals. I don't typically give oral meds or flea treatments b/c I don't normally need them, but I'm at the point of going there.

Has anyone else gone through this? What worked for you?

 

[havasu]

Seems the only dogs which have lots of fleas were homes with cats. Do you have cats?
My police dog had fleas once in 12 years, after doing a search inside a cat lover's home. I fleas dipped, steam cleaned the carpets, poisoned the yards, then dipped again a week later once the eggs hatched.

 

[Peanut]

What about your weather? I mean I've had more rain this year than in decades, crazy rain. Here, rain means lots of ants and fleas. Both my shepperds stroll over the pastures and woods, wild critters everywhere. Coyote numbers are extremely high this year - notorious flea carriers, or should I say - flea droppers.

I have battled fleas since May. Dogs got yet another dusting with DE last week. They are mostly outside dogs but do come in the house, sometimes long enough for a meal or a nap. This summer there's been weeks I couldn't even let them in the house.

Here there are many things that can be a source of fleas, some not so obvious. Maybe the neighborhood fleabitten tom cat likes to rub his butt on your fence.

A pack of ferrel cats had invaded the community 3 years ago. They'd come in my shop and out buildings. Fleas got so bad I actually used flea spray on my pants before going in my shop. And left as quickly as possible. That's when the cat war started.

I only thought there were a few stray cats until I went up in my shop one night with a flash light. There were 30+ sets of glowing eyes. A dozen cats ran off as I walked up!

I hate using insecticides in my house but this summer I had to break out the big guns a couple times. Even thought about a flea bomb. DE was helping but there were just so many it wasn't enough.

About your doc, if you've known him for some time and think he's a good guy? If this happened just the last 2 visits I'd check my records for the day and exact time. I'd let him know those details and what happened. There may have been other complaints but he cant nail down the details and figure out what was happening. Was it someone elses pet? or worse, someone else? Peaks in flea breeding cycles?

If they get snotty, to heck with them.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Edit to add... Have your tried Dawn dish liquid on your dogs? It seems to help some.

found this on the net.


Flea season is year-round
Fleas love temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity level between 75 and 85 percent. With that said, they'll make do with what they're given and are patient when they need to be. Pupae can remain dormant for up to 30 weeks and adults can emerge within two weeks or delay as long as 50 weeks.

As well, they can overwinter if it doesn't get too cold; the cat flea can survive 10 days at temperatures around 37.4 degrees F or for five days at 33.8 degrees. While freezing temperatures will kill exposed fleas, those that are tucked away in nests, your home or even on your pet in a dormant state in the cold of winter will wait until conditions are right to emerge. The bottom line: Fleas are a year-round proposition, in one form or another.

 

[JustMe]

I've had my dogs much longer than I've had the cat and they had fleas before she came along. It's a tough battle to win because during a fleas life cycle, when they are in a cocoon of sorts, nothing and I mean NOTHING will kill them. So if you have managed to kill the eggs, larvae and adults, those in that protected state will eventually hatch and you're reinfested again and have to start all over........maybe a few times to finally get rid of them all. It's like a never ending battle.

I had finally gotten rid of them all and my dogs were fine for several months. Took them to a groomer and they came home with them. At a vet or groomer or other animal service business, the other animals that come in can bring in the fleas, that eventually get on your pets as a new host. The vet or groomer doesn't have a problem or maybe even their clients, because most of the time the animals brought in are treated in that same space that your pets go. The other animals have the chemicals on them to rid the fleas and if your animals do not have the same type chemicals, the fleas move to them as a safe host. Make sense??????

I do treat my animals, but most otc treatments don't really work. So that money was basically wasted. Even so, when I do treat them, I do it outside, so if any fleas manage to escape it's not in the house. Then don't let them outside again right away. And maybe spray around the outside of the house too.

Best bet is to probably keep up with the baths, and use some mineral oil or lotion of some kind as a moisturizer, sprinkle the DE everywhere, including odd corners or out of the way places where they could be hiding and keep vacuuming. Best of luck with it. I'm right there with you

 

[Jay]

Had fleas everywhere, animal, house, everywhere. Tried everything and nothing worked. Then I heard about diatomaceous earth, I got it at tractor supply. Just sprinkled it around the house, especially around the base boards since thats where fleas go to breed, let it sit for a week or so and you will have no fleas. Wear a dust mask though as the powder is very fine and has a tendency to float. It's an additive to cattle feed as well, so be sure that you get the kind that can be injested without harming your petsl.

 

[Jay]

Had fleas everywhere, animal, house, everywhere. Tried everything and nothing worked. Then I heard about diatomaceous earth, I got it at tractor supply. Just sprinkled it around the house, especially around the base boards since thats where fleas go to breed, let it sit for a week or so and you will have no fleas. Wear a dust mask though as the powder is very fine and has a tendency to float. It's an additive to cattle feed as well, so be sure that you get the kind that can be injested without harming your petsl.

edit==Treating the house with the DE will take care of the animals problem as well as your pet will be laying around on the floor. Direct treatment to the dog alone didn't work for me. Don't vaccume it back up right away, but let it set for at least a few days as the fleas need the time to eat it.

 

[bamadeb48]

Had fleas everywhere, animal, house, everywhere. Tried everything and nothing worked. Then I heard about diatomaceous earth, I got it at tractor supply. Just sprinkled it around the house, especially around the base boards since thats where fleas go to breed, let it sit for a week or so and you will have no fleas. Wear a dust mask though as the powder is very fine and has a tendency to float. It's an additive to cattle feed as well, so be sure that you get the kind that can be injested without harming your petsl.

Wonder if you can put this on your dog or cat??

 

[Jay]

Wonder if you can put this on your dog or cat??

you can, it won't hurt them, just didn't seem to work as well as treating the house. found that the animal can just shake of the majority if it. If the pet has them, then the house probably has them as well. Just make sure you get the type that farmers use as a feed supplement.

 

[bamadeb48]

Lots of folks say Dawn dish detergent works good, Trixie had a few , I haven’t seen much, but when I gave her a bath, several dead ones in her bath water. I hate fleas, I used to take her to the vet for a pill every month, but I can’t afford to go to my doctor so I sure can’t afford to take her every month. I use apple cider vinegar to. I’m about dog tired. I sure don’t want another and am thinking about rehousing her.

 

[Jay]

The DE also comes in a large enough bag to be able to treat your porches and close by the house.

 

[TeeJ]

edit==Treating the house with the DE will take care of the animals problem as well as your pet will be laying around on the floor. Direct treatment to the dog alone didn't work for me. Don't vaccume it back up right away, but let it set for at least a few days as the fleas need the time to eat it.

I'll second using DE in the environment, it's done wonders for us. Another thing to think of is the vacuum itself - we realised at one point that we were sucking up eggs in it, which would go on to hatch back in the house. During flea warfare our vacuum will get steam cleaned and "lives" in the garage or back porch, far away from textiles and pets!

 

[Jay]

I'll second using DE in the environment, it's done wonders for us. Another thing to think of is the vacuum itself - we realised at one point that we were sucking up eggs in it, which would go on to hatch back in the house. During flea warfare our vacuum will get steam cleaned and "lives" in the garage or back porch, far away from textiles and pets!

My understanding on the DE is that it will suck the moisture from the eggs as well, thus killing them.

 

[sonya123]

We have 4 dogs , 2 in the house one of which is allergic to everything including flea bites so we use Bravecta. It's not cheap but it works 100%, no fleas no ticks. Here we have more problem with ticks than fleas, so that's what I get. Dogs can get lyme disease too.

 

[Pearl]

Lots of folks say Dawn dish detergent works good, Trixie had a few , I haven’t seen much, but when I gave her a bath, several dead ones in her bath water. I hate fleas, I used to take her to the vet for a pill every month, but I can’t afford to go to my doctor so I sure can’t afford to take her every month. I use apple cider vinegar to. I’m about dog tired. I sure don’t want another and am thinking about rehousing her.

Lemon Joy works great too!

 

[TeeJ]

My understanding on the DE is that it will suck the moisture from the eggs as well, thus killing them.

LOL - that may be the case. Maybe if we hadn't dumped the vacuum out right away and left the DE in the machine to do it's work we might have had better results!

 

[angie_nrs]

Do you have cats?

Nope. We don't have many stray cats around here either. I see one outside every few months or so and they never come anywhere close to the house. They do have a permanent cat at the vet office though.

What about your weather?

About your doc, if you've known him for some time and think he's a good guy?
Flea season is year-round
Fleas love temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity level between 75 and 85 percent.

We have a blanket of snow on the ground now. Although, we take the dog for a walk at least daily. He's a house dog and we keep the house in 'their' comfy range, except the air is dry and not humid.

The doc is a good guy. But really, what are they gonna do? They clean the metal tables after every pet and they mop the floors every night. They have a mat when you walk in, but they need to have that for slip and fall purposes. Typically I have only seen the problem when they have an afternoon or overnight stay. But this time (even a quick visit) we still had problems afterward. I can't prove that's where the problem started. He might have picked them up in the woods when he did his business......who knows?

Then I heard about diatomaceous earth, I got it at tractor supply.

I use the DE around the outside of the house every spring. It seems to cut down on bugs and spiders. I also used it on him when I found out he had fleas. But, as I stated, he has sensitive skin, so I have to be careful with it b/c it makes him scratch all the time and he'll bite off his hair. I have also used it in the dog beds as well. I'll keep at it.

We have 4 dogs , 2 in the house one of which is allergic to everything including flea bites so we use Bravecta. It's not cheap but it works 100%, no fleas no ticks. Here we have more problem with ticks than fleas, so that's what I get. Dogs can get lyme disease too.

Do you use the chewables or the tablets? Where do you get it? I see they have it at WM online, but not sure if that's a good price or not.

Maybe if we hadn't dumped the vacuum out right away and left the DE in the machine to do it's work we might have had better results!

I did some research before posting this thread and this was mentioned in one of the sites I looked at as being false. Apparently it doesn't matter if the vacuum is emptied or not, they will still die. It makes sense since the dust in the collection bag or tube would likely dry them out and deprive them of oxygen. Still, it wouldn't be a bad idea to put the vacuum in the garage just to make sure.

Thanks for the replies all. Keep the suggestions coming.

 

[Grimm]

My go-to for fleas is this...


I use this on all animals. It started 12 years ago when the dogs we had got fleas from the crappy nasty carpet in the apartment we rented. I used it on the dogs and the fleas DIE in the tub. They seem to float to the top of their coats while bathing.

I later contacted the company about how they should make a carpet shampoo. The OWNER called me to share that their shampoo concentrate can be used in a carpet shampooer then sent me a 1 gallon bottle that I am still using. Never had flea issues again.

And we have cats. Never had fleas with our cats except in that apartment.

 

[Peanut]

Wonder if you can put this on your dog or cat??

First, there is DE and then there’s DE. All DE is NOT the same. I only buy Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth, 50lb bags “Perma-Guard” brand.

It’s OMRI listed, meaning certified organic for use with pets, livestock and people. Yes people, it's used to filter the apple juice you drink from the store, OJ and countless other foods/liquids. Food grade DE is also used in every grain silo in the country to kill insects. It you eat corn meal or flour you consume DE daily.

Not only do I buy it in bulk I used to sell it at the farmers market and various other stores. I'd buy 100lbs at the time, repackage and sell 50lbs in 1.5lb bags. This way I could pay for the DE I used. Below is the product info I’d hand out to customers when requested.

Now, I haven’t checked recently but… But all the DE I've seen at farm stores is not food grade DE. (food grade meaning safe for humans to consume.) It’s not even pure DE. If you check the packaging it will usually list Bentonite clay as an ingredient. There is nothing wrong with these products, they have a place in the market. As an anti-caking agent and when treating wormy livestock Bentonite has it's own benefits.

But, when it comes to killing insects like fleas I’ve found pure food grade DE is far superior to these mixed products. I also use DE as a wormer for my chickens, horses, cows, dogs, cats… And of course to control fleas. I don't bother with bentonite for livestock, I'd have to buy 2 kinds of de

Organic Pesticide​

This is Food Grade, Fresh Water Diatomaceous Earth. It’s listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute for use in organic production.

Diatomaceous Earth, also called D.E., is completely organic. It’s a natural pesticide for; households, yards, pets, gardens, flower beds, field crops, livestock and grain storage. It’s also used as a de-wormer in pets and livestock.

D.E. is the fossilized remains of one celled “Diatoms”. They died in ancient lakes and formed rock beds. When mined and crushed these microscopic fossil shards are incredibly sharp.

D.E. kills by physical action, not chemical. When insects crawl through or land on the powder the insect’s exoskeleton is cut/sliced causing dehydration and death. The dry powder absorbs body fluids speeding up the process.

It can kill any insect as well as soft bodied parasites. Here are just a few examples: aphids, beetles, mites, roaches, silverfish, ants, bedbugs, flies, fleas, ticks and lice.

On any surface, including the ground, it has a remarkable repellency factor. As long as it is present, insects tend to stay away. D.E. is Nature's product with no harm to the environment, plants, animals or people.

History: In the early 1900’s it was used in livestock feed as an anti-caking agent and to kill intestinal parasites, used as a dust for fleas, ticks, and fly control.

Foods: If you've eaten anything made with flour you've eaten food grade D.E. Its EPA approved for use in commercial grain storage as a means of natural, poison-free, insect control. It’s completely safe on vegetables and fruits. Again, it’s not a chemical, its rock dust. Just rinse it off.

Household: Apply liberally around baseboards, window seals, under heavy furniture and under cabinets etc. Put around the foundations under and outside the house.

Pets: Rub D.E. into their coats, dust kennels and beds. When using as a de-wormer thoroughly mix D.E. into your pet’s dry or wet food. General guide lines: Cats – 1 tsp/day, Kittens – ½ Tsp/ day. Dogs – 100lbs+ -2 Tbsp/ day, 50 – 100 lbs – 1 tbsp/ day, under 50lbs – 2 tsp/ day, Mini-dogs – 1 tsp/ day

Plants: For all inside plants, home or greenhouse. Use outdoors on fruits, vegetables, lawn, flowers and shrubs. For use up to and including the day of harvest. With a duster cover entire plant, apply to both top and bottom of leaf. For young plants, as little as two pounds per acre may be adequate. For larger plants, five lbs per acre is probably sufficient.

D.E. will need reapplication after a rain. Applies best when there is dew or after a light rain. If the plant leaves are damp when you apply the DE it will stick to plants leaves and be dried by the sun. It’ll adhere better to the plant until the next rain washes it away.

Livestock: All livestock, Horses, Cattle, Swine, Sheep, Goats, Rabbits, Chickens and others will benefit from the use of D.E. Dust their coats. Dust in and around Barns. When mixed in feed it stimulates basic metabolism, converts feed better, reduces odor and moisture in barns and stalls, results in better coat and hoof condition. It keeps fly larvae from developing in manure noticeably reducing the fly populations.

When mixing into feed: Weigh the feed and add 2% of that weight in D.E. Your livestock will also get the benefit of over 14 trace minerals that make up D.E.

Note: Over time DE will slowly be covered by natural dust whether under your refrigerator or in the barn. This reduces its effectiveness so DE will have to be re-applied from time to time. If you start seeing unwanted insects it’s time to re-apply.

Safety: When using diatomaceous earth regularly and/or in large amounts, wear a dust mask and goggles.

Application Methods:

Sprinkle liberally by hand into hard to reach areas, around plants, around and on ant beds. Remember; apply so insects walk through the powder.

For in home use or just a few plants or shrubs use a duster like the tiny” Pest Pistol” - www.amazon.com - $9.95

For larger gardens, lawns, kennels etc you might want to use the “DUSTIN-MIZER - Amazon.com - $39.99” or any good duster from a garden center.

This Guide is included inside the package.

For large quantities or 50lb bags contact me:

Frog Level Farms
Azomite - Volcanic Ash, Mineral Supplement – Its OMRI Listed
Diatomaceous Earth, Organic Pesticide – Its OMRI Listed

 

[Woody]

I had Black Labs, so frequent baths were not good for their oily coats. But… Whenever a flea issue arose I used Adams Flea and Tick shampoo. The oil based one, not the water based one. Even with frequent swimming/mudding, it lasted a good month.

 

[Peanut]

Just to clarify... if you want pure food grade DE look for the OMRI symbol on the bag.

 

[backlash]

I used the Seresto flea collar on my dogs and cats and the flea problem has disappeared. Not cheap but it lasts 8 months.
There have been some reports of reactions but my dogs and cats never had a problem.

 

[Camalot]

Use the cheapest powdered laundry detergent you can buy and sprinkle it where needed. It got rid of my fleas but I still have the clapp they keep saying. So apparently it doesn't work for everything. lol

 

[Curmudgeon]

I used the Seresto flea collar on my dogs and cats and the flea problem has disappeared. Not cheap but it lasts 8 months.
There have been some reports of reactions but my dogs and cats never had a problem.

I tried the Seresto flea collar this year on my young Malinois. He is reactive to trying to use the K9 Advantix liquid between the shoulders, although I might try it again in the spring.

I had good luck with it. I'm not a fan of having a collar on the dogs all day everyday as it flattens down the fur and leaves the dreaded ring, lol.

 

[The Lazy L]

I had to take a dog into the vet a few weeks back and have been battling fleas ever since. It seems almost every time we go to the vet, we come home with fleas....

Have tried having a polite discussion with your Vet? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Grimm]

CAPSTAR

https://capstarpet.com/

 

[Alaskajohn]

One of the benefits of living in Alaska are no fleas. One of the reasons behind the saying that Alaska is heaven for man and dogs, but hell for women and horses. My wife begs to differ on the hell for women part as she loves this place as much as I do.

 

[havasu]

Is it just me or does anyone else read this thread as, "My Dog Has Fleas", as the way to tune a ukulele?

 

[angie_nrs]

Have tried having a polite discussion with your Vet? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I haven't talked to him about it. However, I do know one of the employees in the office on a personal level. I'm not going to bring it up to him, but I might mention it to her.

Today I went through their fur a couple of times and only found one flea and no flea poop (the small black dots) so maybe we're headed in the right direction. Still, I'm getting annoyed with all the vacuuming and laundry but I know I can't let up until they are completely gone for a couple of weeks. I'm waiting for my orders to get delivered so that I can spray the carpets.

 

[angie_nrs]

I spent all afternoon today trying to de-flea the dog and house. I vacuumed out the dog boxes, then sprayed them with the Adams spray. I put all the dog towels, blankets, and beds in hot water in the laundry. I vacuumed the house and sprayed Adams in the favorite dogs spots and shut the door so they can't get in there. Thankfully we do not let dogs in our bedroom and have not seen any issues in there. Thus far, I have only seen fleas on the dog and not in the carpet or furniture. We also don't allow pets on our furniture, so I'm hoping that's not going to be an issue either.

I borrowed some Adams flea soap and did the dog bath. It was strong smelling so I had to have a fan in there to blow out the fumes and cracked a window. There was only one flea in the tub after the bath. However, after cleaning up the bathroom and laundry room, I did an inspection and found about 6 fleas on the dog. I don't know if that's normal or not, but with the wet fur, it was a bit easier to see down deep where they like to hide. Most of them were on the move, so I'm thinking maybe the soap was working??? I would have preferred that they came out in the bath water but that didn't happen.

I'm still waiting on the rest of my order to come in. It would be nice if I didn't even have to use anything else but I doubt I'll be that lucky. I'm praying that all the work I did today wasn't for nothing. I worked up quite a sweat and it was not fun! Now I'm ready for a cocktail....or two.

 

[Patchouli]

Maybe giving your dog(s) the flea treatment at least a day before you take them to the vet would be better than after. I also used food grade DE, but remember it is also dehydrating to your pet. I thought we had a thread about this another time.
Our dog used to get them from the backyard and bring them in to kitty, but no other critters hang around much anymore that I’ve seen. We’ve been free of fleas for about a year with no other preventative. No more dog parks either tho she is still walked in the hood and the park. And the dog has picked up fleas at the veterinarian before too. Sorry, I know it can be very nerve wracking to deal with such pests.