UUUGGGHHHH FLEAS! HELP!

TerriL · June 16, 2006, 03:49:37 PM

Help! I've tried EVERYTHING! Buelah keeps getting flea bites! I honestly am at my wits end here. The poor girl gets bit and they turn into big sores. She has to then go on antibiotics and a spray for the itching. She gets regular baths. She gets the monthly flea treatments and I have even started to put a flea collar on her (which incidently she hates and it smells yucky). I have had our yard treated twice in the last two months. I thought that we had it under control and then tonight she was sitting on my lap for her nightly mommy time and sure enough....FLEAS AGAIN! What is interesting is that neither of the boys have a problem with them. I've even had her hair cut hoping that the fleas will not hang out on her long belly hair.
My vet says to just keep doing what we are doing and he's usually right on with my babies but honestly, how long can she stay on the antibiotics? She has several new bites and I'm taking her in the morning for him to look at her again. I know that she is uncomfortable and I also know that bathing her to often is not good but it seems to be a relief for her.
Anyone have any other suggestions because I am all out of ideas here!

Etta21 · June 16, 2006, 04:17:12 PM

Try putting DE (totally going to spell it wrong - Diatomaceous Earth) it is for pool but it helps get rid of fleas & we havent seen a flea once. Hope this helps!

Barb · June 16, 2006, 04:18:51 PM

Dang - sounds like you are doing everything possible. Could the fleas be in the house? You said your yard was treated - just wonder if the treament included inside the house?

Poor baby - nothing worse than the itchies -

Sorry - I don't have any other ideas.....

TerriL · June 16, 2006, 04:29:27 PM

Nope Barb, haven't seen a single one in the house...and we have the house treated for bugs every three months. Gotta love Florida! He usually just goes around the foundation outside but we had him start to do a complete outside treatment as well as in. I'm going to talk to the vet tomorrow. Hopefully he can give me some suggestions but I do not know what more I can do! She is so uncomfortable! The spray helps but I hate to use it all the time. Basically it anesthetizes the area and I just worry about her licking it. Although our vet said it won't hurt I still worry!
This is a horrid flea year! YUCK!

TerriL · June 16, 2006, 04:30:11 PM

Do I just sprinkle it around the yard or what???????

Julie · June 16, 2006, 04:31:10 PM

Terri, we have the same problem with Libby. We have tried every flea treatment, treated the yard, treated the house and she is still getting them. Sgt only gets them when he is close to the end of the month with the treatment. The vet said we can put the treatment on every two weeks, but that still doesn't help, and you can imagine the cost! I have been told it is so bad because we haven't had a good freeze in a couple of years to kill them. There is something about LIbby's skin that just seems to attact them. If anyone has any other remedies I would love to hear them.

Barb · June 16, 2006, 08:37:42 PM

Quote from: Etta21 on June 16, 2006, 04:17:12 PM
Try putting DE (totally going to spell it wrong - Diatomaceous Earth) it is for pool but it helps get rid of fleas & we havent seen a flea once. Hope this helps!

Interesting......we haven't seen any fleas....but we have had a horrible past couple years with no really good freezes. I see lots of different kinds of bugs. I will be interested to hear whether you just sprinkle this stuff in the yard too. Terri - do you use DE powder in your pool? If so, a remedy may be in the garage !!!!! Sure worth a try !!!

Etta21 · June 20, 2006, 11:29:06 AM

Sorry i just saw this today (hada horrible migrane - and spelling probs. lol) yes you can just sprinkle it in the yard, but i do know that if it gets wet right away it looses a little of it affectiveness but it still works. I havent heard of anything else other than the sparys, I dont like them 'cuz, I am always worried about Bish's paws getting into the sprayed area where as the DE it is not as bad. Hope this helps!

PattyInAK · June 20, 2006, 11:40:45 AM

MOVE TO ALASKA!
No, really, we have fleas up here, too, but my dogs have never had them. I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions. It sounds like a real bummer for your little weener girl.

TerriL · June 20, 2006, 04:28:47 PM

LOL PATTY! That was GREAT! I'm cracking up here...
Count your blessings dear...these sand fleas are horrid!

Leslie · June 20, 2006, 04:46:05 PM

RE: The diatomecus (sp?) earth, use a hair dryer to very gently blow it into the crevices of your floor moulding and other creepy crawly places.

Another weapon for your arsenal: Getcheryerself the biggest, baddest, nastiest chemical flea collar they make. WEARING RUBBER GLOVES cut the thang into pieces. Put a piece in your vaccuum bag and vacuum everything--not just the rugs, but the uphostery and under the chairs, sofa, etc. Remove the vaccum bag and seal it up in a plastic bag and take it out to the trash.

What you can, wash in hot water and bake in the dryer. This means all bedding, pillows, pillow covers, curtains, etc. Seal up anything you don't need right away in a tight plastic bag with some lavender in it.

Anything like drapes that you cannot wash or vaccuum, shoot with the steam from your steam iron.

The trick here is to kill the layers and the eggs, which I suspect you might have. The little boogers can live a long time and are very stubborn.

Also check your window and door screens for holes or invest in the very tightest mesh screen you can find.

It's not uncommon for one dawg (or hooman) in the family to get bit. Fleas really like me and Zuzu, but seem to leave Loki and DH alone. Try asking yer vet if there is a food additive that might make Beulah less tasty.

and p.s. I always toss this info out as a precaution: a lot of herbal remedies use pennyroyal. Don' use it. Toxic results can include spontaneous miscarriage in pregnant women, so ya know it's bad news.

Jen · June 21, 2006, 01:23:24 PM

I know you said you use monthly flea treatments mind if i ask which ones? There are some that are better than others i think it must depend on the area you live... i have had good luck with Advantage but haven't needed it for the past 5yrs or so since moving back to VA. One important thing to remember about the monthly treatments is you must get it down on the skin and the not just in the hair and also NO bath for 7-10 days following treatment. I wish i could give you move suggestions but i haven't had to deal with fleas much thank goodness ... man i don't do bugs!!

Jen

Laurel59044 · June 23, 2006, 10:07:14 AM

I am in Montana, and I put up with transplanted California fleas for two years before finally getting rid of them. We dog sat for relatives when they moved here. Their doggies shared them with ours. The groomers here didn't know what to do. When bathing you have to keep as much of the dog under water as possible for at least 5 minutes to drown the fleas, you have to massage the fur to get them, because the fur will trap air pockets and the fleas survive. Any shampoo will work. Then after, before letting the dog back into the environment, spray, powder, flea collar, what ever you are treating them with.
I agree with the previous postings, never let up for longer than two weeks on treating the house. Vacuum and vacuum!!! My house was never cleaner, the flea cycle is about every two weeks and the eggs can lay dormant for months, even thru winter. Sorry, but its true.
One flea can lay hundreds of new eggs and it starts all over.
We found a "pet safe" flea powder, I think the main ingredient was pyrethins?--I hope that is right, the vet told us what it was. And we sprinkled it right on the carpet and furniture, under the cushions, etc. then vacuum, like they said, get rid of the bag, dump the stuff and seal it up. I also used Raid Flea product spray, I'd let the doggies out, and let the spray sit for like half hour to dry before letting them back in. The spray would go behind the couch, under furniture, etc. Places I could not vacuum easily. My hubby and one dog were not bothered at all, I was bit like crazy, thats how I knew they were gone, I didn't get bit anymore. Keep at it, it does take time!! good luck.

papbouv · November 08, 2010, 10:40:32 PM

Just good advise, I was told by the receptionist at my vet's that when you use Frontline plus the fleas go crazy right before they die.So they run all over the dog then die ??? That is why you see them on the dog and the dog still gets bit the flea Sylvia makes the dog itchy for weeks even after the fleas are dead.
Hugs & Rays hope the hives leave quickly.

Dr. Beau Leaky · November 08, 2010, 11:12:10 PM

One year Cooper-Angel got a bad case of fleas. My vet gave him an injection and warned me that the fleas would all drop dead in the car on the way home. Yup, he was right! The carseat Cooper was sitting in was covered with dead fleas!!! Don't ask me what it was.

And . . . I just read something about giving your dog (or cat, I presume) garlic juice. Fleas evidently are not Italian. Haven' tried it, so can't say if it works.

Auntie Karen

vferraro99 · November 09, 2010, 07:13:33 AM

Quote from: Dr. Beau Leaky on November 08, 2010, 11:12:10 PM
And . . . I just read something about giving your dog (or cat, I presume) garlic juice. Fleas evidently are not Italian. Haven' tried it, so can't say if it works.

Auntie Karen

That is correct! Fleas (and other insects) can't stand garlic, and yes, they're not Italian

. We do not have fleas in Las Vegas (thank doG), but I still put garlic on my kids' food, just in case.

P.S.: Forgot to mention. When using DE (Diatomaceous Earth), don't use the pool kind. It is mixed with certain chemicals, and not food grade. You should use the food grade DE.

papbouv · November 09, 2010, 06:47:41 PM

SPCA did have garlic down as a food not to feed to dogs since garlic is related to the onion family might check the SPCA web site look for the list of foods bad for dogs i read this some time ago.

vferraro99 · November 10, 2010, 05:10:02 PM

Quote from: papbouv on November 09, 2010, 06:47:41 PM
SPCA did have garlic down as a food not to feed to dogs since garlic is related to the onion family might check the SPCA web site look for the list of foods bad for dogs i read this some time ago.

Garlic is toxic if fed in quantity. Some garlic is actually beneficial. I cook for my kids, and put one tablespoon of minced garlic in their food every week.