So, the past 3 days Luna has been kind of itchy, and I just thought "Oh, her skin's dry, I'll just give her a moisturizing shampoo .... Later." I feel so stupid now. I was brushing her today and a big- LIVING- flea came off onto the comb (which I thought was a deshedding comb but I guess is a flea comb)
I brushed her a lot, dipping the dead hair I pulled out into a bucket of hot soapy water. There were SO MANY FLEAS. Like 25, just on her lower back. Some would like sink to the bottom and explode. I felt so bad that I hadn't noticed Luna's itchyness. Poor Luna... When I couldn't brush off anymore fleas, I gave her a long bath and shampooed her twice. I'm pretty sure I killed all the fleas actually on her. I also checked my cats (they were both clear) and put all Luna's blankets in the washing machine. I'm going to get some nasty chemical flea preventative soon. Winter is officially over, I guess...
I'm still freaking out about this though. Luna hasn't itched since her bath, but I keep imagining bugs crawling all over me and I'm worried there are flea eggs in our carpet. Since my cats don't have any fleas, is my house safe? What do I do if there are fleas in the carpet? Would vaccuuming get rid of them all?
Fleas! :Þ
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: Fleas! :Þ
honestly, fleas aren't that big a deal - even though the thought of bugs crawling is a bit unsettling!
i lived with a dog for 17 years, and she was flea-free for probably 3/4 of that (i grew up in the country, she started life as an outside dog) - we used to do the exact same thing, comb our dogs through every few days but we used a comb dipped in warm water and eucalyptus oil which killed the fleas dead. once the whole chemical flea ointment thing came about we treated them with that every few months and never had any more problems, some people aren't comfortable dosing thier dogs with chemicals every month though, which is fair enough.
for now, given you know you've got some potential for additional fleas shared with your cats, i'd go with a once-off treatment for all the fur kids with something like advocate (just a drop on the back of thier necks). this one is great because it breaks the life cycle of the fleas - it kills the ones already on your pets, but also kills larvae and eggs from hatching and starting the problem again. after you've treated your kids, i'd give all bedding a good wash through with hot water (your own bedding too if your pups and kitties like to jump in with you!), do a good vacuum over and then just wait it out.
we use advocate which covers fleas / ticks / intestinal worms and heartworm all at once, but you can get different formulas that just treat for fleas if you dont need th rest of it.
i've also read a bit on here about folk that treat thier dogs totally naturally for fleas - they might have some more natural suggestions for clearing your house of any unwanted jumpies
i lived with a dog for 17 years, and she was flea-free for probably 3/4 of that (i grew up in the country, she started life as an outside dog) - we used to do the exact same thing, comb our dogs through every few days but we used a comb dipped in warm water and eucalyptus oil which killed the fleas dead. once the whole chemical flea ointment thing came about we treated them with that every few months and never had any more problems, some people aren't comfortable dosing thier dogs with chemicals every month though, which is fair enough.
for now, given you know you've got some potential for additional fleas shared with your cats, i'd go with a once-off treatment for all the fur kids with something like advocate (just a drop on the back of thier necks). this one is great because it breaks the life cycle of the fleas - it kills the ones already on your pets, but also kills larvae and eggs from hatching and starting the problem again. after you've treated your kids, i'd give all bedding a good wash through with hot water (your own bedding too if your pups and kitties like to jump in with you!), do a good vacuum over and then just wait it out.
we use advocate which covers fleas / ticks / intestinal worms and heartworm all at once, but you can get different formulas that just treat for fleas if you dont need th rest of it.
i've also read a bit on here about folk that treat thier dogs totally naturally for fleas - they might have some more natural suggestions for clearing your house of any unwanted jumpies
Re: Fleas! :Þ
Fleas are a pain in the rear..
Chances are if your dog has fleas, they are likely to be cat fleas - dog fleas are actually pretty rare [both in teh UK and the USA]. Each species has its own preferred host so there are cat fleas, dog fleas, HUMAN fleas, hedgehog fleas etc etc.
To really get on top of the little beggars you need to understand their life cycle.
Fleas of any type will bite anything alive - so cat fleas will bite dogs, cats, people, etc.
Fleas do not live ON the host - so sorry to say if you found 25 fleas on your dog, theres a billion more in your home. They hop on to bite, trundle around abit, any eggs they lay they toss overboard into your carpet, bedding etc.
Many of the ones on the floor or in things you wash will die when you hoover them up or wash something, but not all, the ones around the edges and down the creases of sofas, under things etc, will hatch, pupate and turn into fleas and begin the cycle again.
If you JUST use something on the animals, even if it is something that kills the adults on contact or ingestion, AND means that any eggs they lay will not hatch, you will STILL have a wide variety of flea life stages in your home, from eggs and larvae laid/hatched before you treated the animals, so it would take a LONG time to get rid of all the fleas in the home, ie you/your animals will still be being bitten for some time to come.
The other CRUCIAL thing to remember with fleas is that they are themselves part of another parasites lifecycle - that of the tape worm.
Tape worm eggs are eaten by flea larvae - those then grow into adult fleas which are now carrying the tapeworm - the dog licks itself and eats the flea - flea dies, tape worm emerges inside dog [or cat, or technically human but its rare] - cycle begins again when tapeworm sheds segments containing eggs. So de-worm as well as de-flea.
So - you need to treat ALL the animals in the house. Never ever assume that because you have not seen them on an animal, that you do not need to treat that animal.
Treat the whole house - wash things on a high temperature. Vaccuum everywhere paying special attention to edges of rooms, crevices, seams on sofas and down behind cushions, i really do mean EVERYWHERE. Those cheap flea collars, whilst utterly AWFUL to put on a dog, are marvellous put inside the vacuum cleaner [cut into bits, i cut a medium sized one into three] so you know any live fleas going up the vacuum will NOT survive.
Then treat the house with something effective - there is no point mucking about with over the counter things or cheap 'fog/bomb' things either. Get something residual that is pet safe once it is dry and lasts six months or more. Treat everywhere again paying special attention to under things, cracks, down the backs of stuff. Remember to cover up any fishtanks and put away pet bowls whilst treating.
Also remember never to treat cats with flea products intended for dogs - they will kill cats.
As far as I am aware there are NO herbal remedies that will get rid of an existing flea/worm problem - HOWEVER, feeding certain things, such as a raw diet, such as garlic products - will mean your dog is a MUCH less appealing host to fleas and worms, and they are very unlikely to build up a huge or dangerous parasite burden.
I mix and match, I do not like the idea of stuffing chemicals down my dogs as a preventative every three months - so I de flea once a year [was twice when we had a cat], usually with something that puts fleas and ticks off of even getting ON the animal, and I do thsi before our summer holiday down south where there are more ticks than up north. Worming I do once a year as well UNLESS i have been feeding my dogs wild game, then its more regular as these are much more likely to carry parasites.
The rest of the time I feed a raw diet, which unlike commercial diets with their excessive carbs and sugars, really doesnt offer parasites a great environment to live in, and use a herbal wormer which helps the dog expell any worms, and also feed garlic which puts both fleas and worms off.
Chances are if your dog has fleas, they are likely to be cat fleas - dog fleas are actually pretty rare [both in teh UK and the USA]. Each species has its own preferred host so there are cat fleas, dog fleas, HUMAN fleas, hedgehog fleas etc etc.
To really get on top of the little beggars you need to understand their life cycle.
Fleas of any type will bite anything alive - so cat fleas will bite dogs, cats, people, etc.
Fleas do not live ON the host - so sorry to say if you found 25 fleas on your dog, theres a billion more in your home. They hop on to bite, trundle around abit, any eggs they lay they toss overboard into your carpet, bedding etc.
Many of the ones on the floor or in things you wash will die when you hoover them up or wash something, but not all, the ones around the edges and down the creases of sofas, under things etc, will hatch, pupate and turn into fleas and begin the cycle again.
If you JUST use something on the animals, even if it is something that kills the adults on contact or ingestion, AND means that any eggs they lay will not hatch, you will STILL have a wide variety of flea life stages in your home, from eggs and larvae laid/hatched before you treated the animals, so it would take a LONG time to get rid of all the fleas in the home, ie you/your animals will still be being bitten for some time to come.
The other CRUCIAL thing to remember with fleas is that they are themselves part of another parasites lifecycle - that of the tape worm.
Tape worm eggs are eaten by flea larvae - those then grow into adult fleas which are now carrying the tapeworm - the dog licks itself and eats the flea - flea dies, tape worm emerges inside dog [or cat, or technically human but its rare] - cycle begins again when tapeworm sheds segments containing eggs. So de-worm as well as de-flea.
So - you need to treat ALL the animals in the house. Never ever assume that because you have not seen them on an animal, that you do not need to treat that animal.
Treat the whole house - wash things on a high temperature. Vaccuum everywhere paying special attention to edges of rooms, crevices, seams on sofas and down behind cushions, i really do mean EVERYWHERE. Those cheap flea collars, whilst utterly AWFUL to put on a dog, are marvellous put inside the vacuum cleaner [cut into bits, i cut a medium sized one into three] so you know any live fleas going up the vacuum will NOT survive.
Then treat the house with something effective - there is no point mucking about with over the counter things or cheap 'fog/bomb' things either. Get something residual that is pet safe once it is dry and lasts six months or more. Treat everywhere again paying special attention to under things, cracks, down the backs of stuff. Remember to cover up any fishtanks and put away pet bowls whilst treating.
Also remember never to treat cats with flea products intended for dogs - they will kill cats.
As far as I am aware there are NO herbal remedies that will get rid of an existing flea/worm problem - HOWEVER, feeding certain things, such as a raw diet, such as garlic products - will mean your dog is a MUCH less appealing host to fleas and worms, and they are very unlikely to build up a huge or dangerous parasite burden.
I mix and match, I do not like the idea of stuffing chemicals down my dogs as a preventative every three months - so I de flea once a year [was twice when we had a cat], usually with something that puts fleas and ticks off of even getting ON the animal, and I do thsi before our summer holiday down south where there are more ticks than up north. Worming I do once a year as well UNLESS i have been feeding my dogs wild game, then its more regular as these are much more likely to carry parasites.
The rest of the time I feed a raw diet, which unlike commercial diets with their excessive carbs and sugars, really doesnt offer parasites a great environment to live in, and use a herbal wormer which helps the dog expell any worms, and also feed garlic which puts both fleas and worms off.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Re: Fleas! :Þ
Fleas are commonplace year around here in the US. Not only do they attack your dogs, they attack every warm-blooded animal, including humans, and suck the blood like the little vampires they are! 
The best thing in my area for the outside is to lime my yard twice a year and keep vacuuming my house, using different chemicals to kill them. Of course, when it comes to using any chemical, I using it but other choice do I have?
As for treating my dog, I also use flea-killing products in which I put the product in one area of my dog, where she can't get at it to lick off. Also, I get these "Flea shots" which only lasts three months, but are kind of expensive. This is in addition to bathing and grooming my dog. I get the shots for my dog for the peak season. Preferably, I would prefer something more natural, which I hope someone can recommend, so I can get away from using chemicals?
The best thing in my area for the outside is to lime my yard twice a year and keep vacuuming my house, using different chemicals to kill them. Of course, when it comes to using any chemical, I using it but other choice do I have?
As for treating my dog, I also use flea-killing products in which I put the product in one area of my dog, where she can't get at it to lick off. Also, I get these "Flea shots" which only lasts three months, but are kind of expensive. This is in addition to bathing and grooming my dog. I get the shots for my dog for the peak season. Preferably, I would prefer something more natural, which I hope someone can recommend, so I can get away from using chemicals?
"Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius." -author unknown
Re: Fleas! :Þ
What does that mean? I've never heard of it.wvvdiup1 wrote:The best thing in my area for the outside is to lime my yard twice a year
:
@emmabeth- a billion? Literally? *hyperventhilates*
I can't really afford to buy flea treatment for my cats, especially if they don't even have fleas (they're indoor only). but I'll have to get it for Lunna, since she already got fleas and will be going outside.
So far I haven't seen a single flea and Luna's stopped itching. The cats aren't itchy either. Hopefully I magically dodged a bullet again. Last year (or maybe the year before that) someone got fleas and they were randomly jumping all over our house, till they suddenly vanished (the fleas, not whoever got them)
Re: Fleas! :Þ
If you really can't stretch to doing the cats as well, then just do the dog and the house. That way, well IF there are fleas around they may bite the cats but they wont last long. Cats do not seem anywhere NEAR as prone to flea allergies as dogs are.
You will still need to worm everyone though...
You will still need to worm everyone though...
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
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Re: Fleas! :Þ
TxPepper,
While doing research on medicinal plants/herbs for dogs, I found out three very useful plants you can make a tea out of, and then use it as a rinse on your dog's coat. Rosemary, Lavender, and Common Sagebrush. All three plants grow very well in Texas. They contain special oils that help to repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes (mosquitoes spread heartworms), and also is recommended as a skin soother for dogs who are prone to allergies, itching, eczema, and other skin problems. So give one or all three of those plants together a try, and see if it helps! You might be able to get some clippings for free from some generous neighbors, and from the hills.
I just went out in the hills and brought home a sprig of sage today-- after what I've learned, I plan to get some more-- I just read that the early Native Americans used it to make a compress to treat rheumatism, so I'm hoping it will help my Annie in more ways than one!
While doing research on medicinal plants/herbs for dogs, I found out three very useful plants you can make a tea out of, and then use it as a rinse on your dog's coat. Rosemary, Lavender, and Common Sagebrush. All three plants grow very well in Texas. They contain special oils that help to repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes (mosquitoes spread heartworms), and also is recommended as a skin soother for dogs who are prone to allergies, itching, eczema, and other skin problems. So give one or all three of those plants together a try, and see if it helps! You might be able to get some clippings for free from some generous neighbors, and from the hills.
I just went out in the hills and brought home a sprig of sage today-- after what I've learned, I plan to get some more-- I just read that the early Native Americans used it to make a compress to treat rheumatism, so I'm hoping it will help my Annie in more ways than one!
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
Re: Fleas! :Þ
Eucalyptus is recommended several places for dogs, but DO NOT use it on cats. They're extremely sensitive to just about everything.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Re: Fleas! :Þ
Eucalyptus is far too strong for dogs too. Unfortunately not everyone who knows herbals knows dogs.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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