Okay, what are using for flea control? HELP!

[BeHereNow]

The fleas in SoCal seem to be immune to everything these days.
I live with five fur people who are cats and one who is a dog.

No matter what I use, the fleas seem to flourish.
I vacuum with moth balls in the bag to kill fleas and anything
else, like eggs. Everyone gets groomed every night-
just gave all the cats their baths, they LOVE baths and I am
at the end of my bag of tricks to control the fleas.

I'd really appreciate any ideas or new product information.

I'm telling you, the fleas where I live are on crack or something.

Thanks!

BHN

[Behind the Aegis]

1. I use Revolution.

IT is the only thing my one dog isn't allergic to, for some reason. The others, including a cat, tolerate it well and I have no fleas. You can also use garlic tablets (check with a vet for dosage) or, and this weird but when I was out of flea meds and it was another week before they arrived, I actually sprinkled garlic powder (a small bit) and rub it in. Took care of the fleas pronto. Used it on the carpet too! Only did that once...the house smelled like an Italian restaurant, normally not a bad thing, but when dieting... :)

[BeHereNow]

2. Is that over the counter or prescription?

I'm not real happy with my vet at the moment...
Thanks for the tips- maybe I should make garlic clove necklaces
for my FP. LOL! I'm willing to try anything at this point!
BHN

[Behind the Aegis]

3. It is prescription. You can order it online.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/dog-supplies/pr/c/3307">Drs. Foster and Smith* have it for the cheapest. They send the request to your vet who approves it, so you won't have to see him/her.

So you know, there are varying opinions about the use of garlic, especially in small dogs and cats. Google it and make a decision for yourself. If you want something OTC. I recommend Adam's Flea collars. I use their bath and mist products (and collars, in a pinch). I have found them to be the best. They also make a carpet sprinkle, which is AWESOME!

*The link goes to the dog section because the main page had some "|" which was fucking with DU's embedded link process. Sorry.

[BeHereNow]

4. Thank you!

I really don't want to see my vet right now-
He made me SO angry a few weeks ago-
He turned condescending prick on me about my
dog basically because I know more about the breed than
he does.
I have a Jindo dog. Not your typical dog at ALL.
Unfortunately, most shelters, trainers and vets
are completely ignorant about the breed.
http://www.kang.org/Jindo.html

Guess I should shop around, eh?

I will check out the Foster&Smith site.

Thank you!

BHN

[Behind the Aegis]

5. You're welcome.

You should shop around for another vet. It is just like anything else. Vets are doctors after all and they have an ego (I know, broad-brush, some are great).

The Foster and Smith site has the best prices (you find something cheaper, give me a yell!).

Good luck. I have suffered the heartbreak of fleas out of control! Do be careful with some flea meds because they can cause hot spots in the dog (it is rarer for cats) and trust me, you don't want those!

I'd love to see your Jindo. I am not at all familiar with them, so I am off to look it up! LOL!

On edit: Turns out I did know what a Jindo was. I just didn't think of the name. I watch lots of "The Dog Whisperer" and animal shows. Oh, if you haven't seen it, there is a great pogram about dogs on Netflix. It's a NatGeo special.

[roody]

6. Around here the farm stores have vet clinics on some Saturdays.

Shots and flea control are a little cheaper.

[beac]

13. I have a Jindo too!

He is a rescue and we didn't know he was a Jindo at first. Googling for something else entirely, I came upon a picture of a Jindo and made the connection. (The shelter had told us they thought he was some kind of lab-husky mix. LOL.)

I was so relieved when I read up on them and found out that my guy didn't have a skin condition after all... the daily self-nibbling was normal Jindo "grooming" behavior.

I found your linked page when I was researching. The pic of the Jindos on the roof in Koreatown always makes me smile.

My fellow looks a lot like the dog on the right in this pic, but w/ lighter ears:


We love our Jindo. He can be a challenge sometimes, but he's also a real joy and endlessly entertaining. :)

[RKP5637]

17. I use Revolution based on an animal dermatologist that saw my cat who

has a severe allergy to fleas. I've never had a prescription for Revolution. I get it from here, for years now, have never had a flea problem with my cat since I started using Revolution.

http://www.canadavet.com/

[Kookaburra]

18. That's where I get mine as well RKP

Not only do you not need a prescription, but their prices are also much better than anyplace else.

[RKP5637]

20. Yep, I've never had a problem with them either, and yep, their prices are excellent. n/t

[Coyote_Bandit]

7. This is what I did a few years back

when I had a similar issue (and a dog with an immunity to both the Advantix and Frontline products).

Within a single 24 hour period:
(1) Spray your yard with a product that kills fleas
(2) Flea bomb your home to kill fleas
(3) Vacume home, upholstery, and curtains to remove dead fleas and flea eggs
(4) Give dogs Capstar, wait until the fleas die then bathe dogs

After completing that routine give the dogs a flea treatment. Revolution worked for us when nothing else did.

Two weeks later repeat the same routine. Repeat again if you cotinue to see fleas.



If you have a monitored alarm system call ahead and have the monitoring disabled while you flea bomb the house. You will activate the monitored fire alarm.

Some flea treatments which are safe for dogs are not safe for cats.

[BeHereNow]

8. Okay! Sounds like Revolution is the way to go.

I will check into whether or not it is safe for my cat fur people.
Sounds like I may need to check out a green extermination company
for the yard and house treatment.
I worry about the chemicals and the long term effect.
but I know there are alternatives.

Thanks for the outlined guide.
Very helpful!

BHN

[livetohike]

9. Having lived in SoCal for thirteen years, I feel your pain

Advantage has always worked well for us and our dogs. You put several drops, evenly spaced along their backbone from their neck to above their tail. It will kill any hatching fleas. You have to apply it once a month during flea season. We wait until we actually see that there are fleas. I don't like to give my dogs anything unless it's absolutely necessary. Here's the pet meds website and you don't need a prescription.

http://www.1800petmeds.com/Advantage+II+-prod10433.html

Have you tried boric acid, or peppermint oil? You can sprinkle the boric acid crystals into the crevices of your furniture and under the cushions. Soak some cotton balls with pure peppermint oil and put them under the furniture throughout the house.

Good luck. Knock on wood, but it seems we have dodged the bullet here in PA for this year's flea season.

[Enthusiast]

10. We also use Revolution.

We have used Program in the past with success. We were using Frontline once every three months in conjunction with Revolution but Frontline eventually lost all its effectiveness.

We have had a flea problem for years. One significant improvement we discovered was to vacuum using micro filtration bags. Before we discovered the micro-filtration bags we were vacuuming more or less constantly with seemingly little improvement.

Something else to consider. I have lived my entire life with house pets. I never personally had a problem with the fleas that were always present on our inside-outside dogs and cats. Then I was in a car wreck and sustained life-threatening injuries. I contracted a bad case of staph after a surgical procedure. To correct the staph the doctors administered massive doses of an I.V. antibiotic. Since that period of antibiotics the fleas not only crawl on me but they also bite me. The antibiotic did something to my immune system -something permanent. Tell you what, you will gain new found sympathy for your pet's flea problems when the fleas also bite you.

[Walk away]

11. It sounds like you have an all out flea infestation...

Sadly, chemicals are now unavoidable and even then it could take several months to get it under control. Bombing your house, washing all of your clothes and bedding, having your carpets cleaned and spraying your yard (possibly several times) may be necessary. While you are doing all of this you will have to find a groomer who will bathe your animals in some sort of flea bath and then get them on Revolution right away. Frontline may not be working in your area anymore.

You have to make sure that all of the products that you use not only "knock down" or kill the fleas but also work as a flea contraceptive so that future fleas lay eggs that won't hatch. Meanwhile, fleas have been laying eggs that will hatch all over your house for the next few months so you need to use a long acting product and reapply it as the label advises.

I have lived through a flea infection and I would have gladly made up with my worst enemy to solve that problem. It only gets worse until you go through every step. Going forward I would suggest you get all of your animals on a good preventative from whatever Vet you find and keep them on it. Normally you could go to your Vet to get the full range of products that you need.

I feel so bad for you and your animals.

[Zoigal]

12. I use Trifexis on my dog because it also takes care of

heartworm. Don't know if they have it for cats.
Get it from the vet. When we had whippets i used
a fine flea comb. Took time, but worked well.
We also live in so Cal. Also if your animals go outdoors,
that might be another problem. Good luck........z

[TorchTheWitch]

14. Frontline for the pets and bug bomb the house

They need a thorough extermination.

Fleas multiply like crazy. It's not the area where you live that has a massive infestation, it's your house that does. Every single one needs to be killed along with the eggs they've laid.

Bug bombing the house is a bit of a project, but there's nothing else that is going to kill them all and their eggs. Once the pets are protected and the house has been bug bombed you have to keep up with the pets protection or the house will just get reinfested.

Stay out of anyone's house that has a flea infestation or if their pets have them as well (if their pets have them, so does their house)... you will carry some home on your own clothing whether or not you realize it and reinfest your own house.

[Curmudgeoness]

15. I have some tips for you to use after you get the infestation under control.

To make sure that there are no fleas left in the house, or to find where the fleas are still active, put on a pair of white socks and walk around the house. If there are fleas, they will jump on you when you walk by them, you will see them on the white socks, and know that this is an area that still needs treated. Another way to see if there are fleas in an area of your house is to put saucers of vinegar around the house and put a light above the saucer. Fleas will jump at the light and end up in the vinegar---and die.

Neither of these things should be used when you know you have an infestation or it will totally gross you out.

[Walk away]

16. Lot's of good advise but once again, the products that you use must have IGR..

without it the cycle will just keep going.

[Warpy]

19. Frontline or Revolution for cats will keep them off the beasts

and once those have had a chance to work, you need to go nuclear. By that I mean putting the cats outdoors, setting off flea bombs, and leaving for a few hours while they work. Vacuum everything you can get to when you come back, including any wood trim because fleas love to lay eggs in cracks and crevices. If you notice any fleas a week or so later, consider setting off another flea bomb to get all the little bastards that hatched from eggs that were too far into cracks to get killed by the first bomb. That should take care of the problem permanently.

It is possible to get rid of an established flea infestation but being polite and non toxic is just not going to do it.

Been there, done that, got rid of them, and that was in the bad old days before Revolution and Frontline came out.

[kestrel91316]

21. Advantage or Frontline. MONTHLY. Year round if pets go outside at all.

No resistance has ever been documented. Bear in mind that fleas can reenter the environment and make it seem like it's not working.

Avoid feeding stray cats or wildlife - they will bring them onto your property. And try to educate your neighbors to control THEIR fleas, too.

Oh, and don't use cheap knockoffs - they are not the same thing and will disappoint you.

Oh, and I do NOT own stock in Bayer or Merial, and Bayer rep doesn't even bring us a measly package of M&Ms anymore on his quarterly visits.

[Dover]

22. Diatomaceous Earth

I haven't used it myself, but was recently over at a friend's house for lunch. She had a couple of kitties
she had rescued and told me how she had been suffering for the past few weeks with terrible flea problems.
I must have looked a little puzzled because I didn't see any signs of fleas on me, in the house or on the
kitties. She explained that she had panicked because the kittens were too young to use flea medicines, so
she read about diatomaceous earth online and tried it. She sprinkled it all over the house and also on the
kittens. She also sprinkled it outside. She said within a week there were no more fleas. She will repeat
the process in a couple of weeks for any hatched flea eggs. I was impressed! Anyhow, here is some online
info if that sounds like it might help:

http://www.fleacontrolbook.com/naturalfleacontrol/diatomaceous-earth-the-a-miracle-cure-for-flea-control/


I have had several cats (mostly strays that I've taken in) and they don't have flea problems. There may be
several reasons for it (like hardwood floors with carpets rather than wall-to-wall) but I think the main one
is that they get a healthy diet and I use a seaweed additive in their food that keeps their skin healthy and coats shiny. The brand I use is called Seameal by Solid Gold. (good for cats, dogs and horses).

Wishing you luck with this problem.

[murielm99]

23. I have heard good things about this substance.

It is supposed to help with bedbug infestations, too.

[Walk away]

24. It's a nice thought and it might help as a preventitive but if you have a flea infestation....

it won't help very much.. It's the crushed up skeletons of tiny critters. The sharp edges are supposed to cut up the fleas. There is a natural pest control company in NYC that sprinkles it around your house and pounds it into your carpet. Remember to get food quality. They also sell non food quality for backyard pools and that can make your animals sick. It doesn't really work but it's very cheap and harmless.

[quakerboy]

26. Varies in effectiveness based on climate

Every study I have seen on the effectiveness of this points to its activity as a dehydrating agent, not its purported sharpness, as how it works for some. Which means its unlikely to be effective in damp or high humidity areas.

[Walk away]

27. If it works at all it stops working after you vacuum it up. Flea eggs...

hatch, mature and spawn month after month. If you don't mind living with an infestation for several months I guess it's worth a try but even the most "natural" kennels would never rely on it for their flea control.

It is regularly marketed as killing fleas by cutting them up as they move through it's microscopic sharp edges. If drying fleas up worked then you could just use corn starch.

[quakerboy]

29. If it works at all, it obviously cannot work if it is not there.

You are absolutely right about any effectiveness ending when you vacuum. If its not there, it obviously cannot be working. Same as any other flea remedy.

I suppose it would work better as a long term deterrent, laid out in unused spaces, in crawl spaces, around the foundation, that sort of thing, rather than as an active offense. I have trouble seeing it as a way of dealing with a current flea infestation.

I have seen it used, and it appeared effective at keeping roaches from a nearby infested apartment from crossing the wall. There were occasional visitors prior to putting it down, but none after. Of course, the level of cleaning jumped drastically at around that time, so there was no food for them to build a colony from, but the lack of advance scouts would seem to indicate they didn't want to cross the line of it laid out around the baseboard and ay every other available potential crossing. That said, this is fully anecdotal, and we know what one data point in isolation is worth.

As to the proposed method of effectiveness, I am just relaying what I have read, which is that despite the marketing of the stuff, persons of scientific bent who have actually attempted to research the stuff seem to indicate any effect it has has nothing to do with "sharp edges". However, reading the wikipedia page on it, apparently its not what I recalled either. I thought it was due to inherent anhydrous qualities in the stuff, but that page indicates it absorbs lipids in the wee buggies shells, which then leaves the little critters unable to regulate their own hydration.

[Walk away]

30. I thought the white powder used to deter roaches was Boric Acid

it is commonly used in "lines" as you describe and with the effect you describe.

[quakerboy]

31. that is one way

My understanding is that Diatomaceous earth is used in lieu of Boric Acid(to inadvertently borrow the phrase from the Wiki article) by some people, presumably looking for a "natural" or "safe" product to use around pets and other living creatures.

I am willing to credit diatomic as having valid useful properties, mainly based on its use as a commercial grain additive, as I have a hard time believing they would spend money on that scale for something that did not help their bottom line.

[tnlefty]

25. Have you tried the product that is advertised on leftwing radio...

Cedarcide? I didn't put it directly on our cat, but I did spray it around our property, and I learned that it will kill ants, cockroaches, etc. before they become pests on her (fleas) and before the pests get into the house. (Better than the exterminator)

It is also deadly if those pests get into the house, just saying. And some of those pests seem to get into the house after the exterminator has been here. It's as if he runs some of them into the house...the cedarcide takes care of them.

[Walk away]

28. Cedar also repels rodents. I don't know about it killing fleas....

but I wouldn't be surprised to hear it repelled them. Plus it smells great!

[tnlefty]

32. I did read that one chemical in Cedarcide is dangerous when

applied directly to felines so we didn't put it on her and the spraying that we did as a preventative measure required her being indoors for a couple of days, which she didn't like. She doesn't have fleas.

It was so hot and dry here in July/August and we had ants, and other critters trying to get into the house/pool/poolhouse in search of water it was ridiculous. We made small ponds far away from where we didn't want the critters so that they could find water, and tried to disuade them where they weren't wanted.

Cedarcide worked great for eliminating ant colonies and keeping the 'pests' in places where we didn't care where they lived. We have a feline for the rodent population. :evilgrin:

We had a wonderful male cat, who we moved this female in with when she was a kitten, and we were supposed to be her foster family 5 or so years ago, and he taught her to hunt, to come inside when we heard coyotes...he was rather nasty about her not coming in when the coyotes were out, but he taught her a lot, and he taught her well.

I still miss him.

[Walk away]

33. I would love to have a cat because I love them and they are great for the meeses...

But I have a little Terrier who is willing to share his home with any dogs but NO KITTIES please! So I have been using packets of cedar soaked in cedar oil and it's been doing the trick. I hang them up out of reach of the dogs in the basement and the enclosed porch and no more little friends! Plus, it smells like Christmas all year long!

There is plenty of fresh clean water around here. Our pests are just being pesty when they come to visit.