we brush him practically every day and follow that with brushing him with a flea comb, putting the caught ones into a glass of water and then flushing them down the toilet to make sure they don't escape back into the house.
we vacuum every week and we've sprayed the house maybe 3 times now with this anti-flea spray stuff (its meant to break the whole cycle, not just the adults).
I've bathed my dog with flea shampoos, head and shoulders..tons of these shampoos etcetera but they only reduce the problem for a few days and then the problem just returns.
i have also used numerous brands of anti tick and flea solutions you dot on your dog and they haven't done anything.
please tell me what else i can do!
thanks x
Answer
Jack:
Have you been using flea products from your vet? Many to most over the counter flea products do not work well and only waste your money. Stop bathing your dog - you are drying out her skin and making the overall problem worse, not better.
Continue to vacuum daily - but put a strip of flea collar in the bag (be careful when handling they are very toxic) to take care of any eggs that hatch in the bag. You need to vacuum daily and that includes all surfaces including the furniture and under the beds.
The problem with bathing in anything only drowns the live fleas it does not do a think for the eggs or fleas in the environment. Do not bathe in Dawn - the effectiveness of Dawn is a urban myth. Wildlife rehabilitators use it on animals and birds that have been caught in oil spills due to it's degreasing properties. It has no magical flea killing properties and is rather harsh on the skin. Any bath will drown live fleas.
Again - stop the baths, vacuum daily, and get the dog in to the vet for a flea treatment that will actually work for her.
Knight:
Then start doing it right and just maybe you'll get rid of them.
Stop bathing the dog*, OTC products don't work and can harm and kill your dog, yes, including shampoos.
You may also be washing of any of the "anti tick and flea solutions you dot on your dog" which you found didn't work anyway.
If you you use a spot on recommended by a vet, the dog isn't suppose to get wet three days before and three days after application, other wise you might as well flush the preventive down the toilet for all the good it's going to do.
Vacuum daily and dispose of the bag outside, wash all bedding in hot water, get any exterminator for your yard and premises.
Get a preventative for you dog recommended/prescribed by your vet.
Shopie:
You're only supposed to use shampoos meant for dogs. Head and shoulders, even for humans scrape off the top layer of skin and flake worse.
If you're in hot weather well fleas love hot weather and you take your dog outside so that's where you pick them up again.
When you vacuum each time do you take the bag out to the trash? I used to fog my apartments with Raid fogger (read the directions very carefully, there are several things you need to know.
Did you wash your dog's bedding? I'd say talk with your vet and get the vet to flea shampoo your dog. The dog can eat the fleas and then it gets into their insides and will kill an animal from the inside so get your dog to the vet NOW.
Verulam:
It's been a bad (past) year for fleas, everywhere - too warm. We need some hard frosts to sort out all these bugs. I suggest you use something like Capstar, which kills fleas on dogs very quickly, and then launder everything the dog has contact with, vacuum everywhere and 'bomb' your house.
You'll need to use preventative treatment on your dog - see your vet for that. And probably re 'bomb' your home after a suitable interval.
I have always preferred to use flea collars - some of the better known drops apparently don't work now.
Prank:
Don't use "flea solutions", nor flea collars, nor powders, etc. They are dangerous and toxic.
Vacuum EACH AND EVERY DAY. This removes the eggs and larva from the carpeting. If you only vacuum once per week, there will be fleas hatching and jumping onto your dog.
Shampoo your dog only using normal dog shampoo or Dawn dish soap. Flea shampoos contain harmful chemicals. Yes, Dawn does work if left on long enough. Leave it on until all the fleas stop moving. You can use a doggie conditioner, if you like. Then, rinse him. Now, use the flea comb very thoroughly on his face/head/ears. This is where the fleas run who are the fastest. These guys can continue making more fleas, so you need to get rid of them, too.
For the carpeting, besides vacuuming, you can use simple baking soda mixed with salt. Sprinkle this mixture into the carpeting, brush in with a broom, and allow it to sit for a couple days. This will dehydrate and kill the larva and eggs. Vacuum in a couple days. You can safely repeat this in another week, or on a weekly basis. It won't hurt you or your dog, and it won't hurt you. Of course, if you have toddlers or babies, they can simply ingest a little salt that might have touched their fingertips, but certainly better than pesticides!
Vacuum your furniture and also sprinkle the soda mix on there.
Wash pet bedding in hot water and detergent, and continue doing this until you feel confident the flea problem is gone.
There are once-per-month drops, but these come with many side effects and can cause lots of troubles. If you are really having terrible flea issues you can use these, but they actually contain pesticides and you can easily look up what pesticides can do to your pet. After a couple incidents, I stopped using these for the sake of my pets.
We are currently using the methods as noted above, along with "Capstar" or its generic equivilent, because we have a multiple pet household, AND we cannot bathe our cats. Capstar is more easily cleared from the animal's system and simply kills all fleas on the pet THAT DAY. After 24 hours it is out of the animal's system, so you don't need to worry about ongoing toxic problems. If your pet happens to be sensitive to the ingredients, it will be gone in 24 hours, but most sites say it is tolerated quite well. I prefer the manufacturer-sealed containers over the ones that look like tan pharmaceutical bottles, from online sources.
Since you have bathed your dog, a LOT, you can decide if you need to bathe him again, or just use the Capstar or generic. It will work, either way but if your dog is really infested, the fleas will get a bit agitated as they die and bite harder for an hour, or so, causing your dog to also get agitated. Our dogs did not do this since we bathed first.
We are using the Capstar each few days until the fleas are gone, along with the baking soda mix, and it appears to be working. DO NOT continue using flea bombs. These are toxic to everyone in the house.
You also might want to ease up on the excessive brushing, since you are likely irritating your dog's skin. This could cause the flea bites to itch or hurt, more.
Nobby:
I think the problem is that we havent yet had a cold spell to kill them off, so they are in your garden, your lawn and your house.
So your poor dog keeps getting reinfested.
You are right to vacuum and pick them off, but I dont think the problem is your dog.
Go to your vet and get K9 Advantix, which is an effective spot on you put on the dog. Or whatever brand your vet prefers, but not Frontline. Or if its cheaper get a prescription then but them from Foster and Smiths website. (Nowhere else - you might get ripped off for a fake product)
Hire, beg or borrow a team cleaner and do your carpets.
When they are dry spread Diatomaceous earth around the house and yard.
You can get that from Amazon.
And look at plug in sticky flea traps. They have a warm, sticky pad.
Edit; I forgot - we havent had a problem with fleas or ticks in our garden since we got a hover mower that sucks up the grass clippings. We dump them in a heap and it heats up which kills them . Go over your grass twice a week with one of those if you can :)
