We have two dogs, a boxer/rott mix, and a Siberian Husky. We have tried Advantix and Frontline, and both flea controls worked for about 2 days, and the fleas are right back on them. Our carpet and their beds are cleaned regularly, and we have bombed our house. Still, the fleas just wont die. Does anyone have any other suggestions because we are at wits end and our vet just keeps recommending Frontline even though it does not seem to be helping at all. This is the first summer we've ever had a problem with this, we just moved to a new area, I dont know if that has anything to do with the problem though. Have fleas ever been this big of a problem for anyone else? If so, what did you do to get rid of them?
Answers:
First let me tell you that I own a pest control company and what I will recommend is the complete treatment that should help you completely get rid of the fleas.
First, treat the pet with Capstar. This is a pill that you get from the vet that will kill all of the fleas that get on the animal for the first 24 hours. Second, use either Frontline or Advantage, these can also be purchased from the vet. Frontline can be used on pets 12 weeks old or older. Advantage can be used on animals as young as 6 weeks. If the pet is old enough for either product, switch back and forth between the two. One month use one, the next use the other. The reason I recommend this is that there are two main types of fleas that infest pets. One product works better on the first type and the other product works better on the second type. By using both, you make sure you have covered all your bases.
Once the pet has been treated, you must treat your home and yard. The best products to do this would include not only a killing agent, but also a sterilization agent. Inside, I would use Ultracide, if you can get it. (Many on line sites sell it.) Follow the instructions on the label! Wash all animal鈥檚 bedding and vacuum frequently. I WOULD NOT put any chemical in the vacuum bag or catch container, other than a flea collar. It is too dangerous to risk the vacuum accidentally spreading that chemical through the air. Throw out the vacuum bag or dump the catch container after every vacuuming. You can never vacuum too much! DO NOT STEAM CLEAN YOUR RUGS! This can hatch flea eggs and make your problem worse.
Outside I would use Demon WP mixed with Gentrol or Nylar, carefully following label instructions. Treat the entire yard, paying special attention to under bushes and low hanging branches. Most of these products can be bought at any Do-It-Yourself Pest Control company either on line or in a store.
Treating your house and yard is just as important as treating the pet!
It is also very important to stay away from the grocery store or box store products like Zodiac or Hartz. Many of these products can cause severe allergic reactions in animals.
I have the same problem with my two big dogs! I have them on Advantix every 2.5 weeks it gets so bad, however, we traced the problem to the grass outside. The fleas start out lower than their elbows and then migrate to the carpet as soon as they're tracked inside. My suggestion would be to spray your yard every 1.5-2 weeks, or if you live in an apartment area, ask them to do it. Trust me, if you raise a big enough stink, and show them you're doing everything on your end to prevent the fleas, they WILL do it.
i would treat your yard. fleas can still jump on him from outside.
my dog has advantix, but sometimes, i'll still catch a flea or two on him, after we take a walk. if they bite him, they will die, and they certainly wont have babies or lay eggs.
try adams yard spray. i got it at petsmart. its about $17 and it hooks up to your hose. it totally helps, but you have to spray once a month.
Fleas are hard to deal with... frontline may not work for your animals - if frontline is not placed directly on the skin it is not effective. Try a flea collar and ask your vet about an alternative flea treatment.. Adams flea spray is great and can be purchased at any pet store... simply spray your animal and watch the fleas drops.. and it can be done daily :) Good luck
I would call the 800 number on the Frontline box or call your Vet to get that number if you can't find it on the box. They at least will replace the Frontline you have used at no cost to you. Maybe you have many fleas in your yard, but the Frontline or Advantix should have taken care of them. Please call and see what they say. They may want you to use there product more often, like every 10 days or so, until you get rid of the fleas. Call and they will probably give you enough product to take care of your problem. that has been my experience when I worked for a Vet.
Try Advantage. It is a little more costly but is the only one that does the trick for my beagle and pit bull! Also, try eucalyptus branches around the area they sleep in and in the yard. You can also purchase eucalyptus oil from a health store and prepare a solution with a few drops of the oil with water, soak a bandanna in this solution and then tie it around their neck. My beagle doesn't like the smell but the pit bull doesn't mind it and it sure does deflect the fleas!
The answers here are correct. You need to treat the yard. They are carrying in fleas from the outside. And it's true, if you don't get the Frontline directly on the skin, the absorption is minimized. If you are seeing fleas after two days, it is probably new eggs hatching, but they too will die. One thing you can do is sprinkle Borax( the laundry powder) down once a week. Leave it overnight and then sweep/ vacuum it up. It won't hurt your pets or ruin your carpet, but it does kill fleas. You can also spray your pets with Skin So Soft from Avon, and diluted olive oil works. just a light spraying will work. It also makes the pets' skin shine and won't harm them.
You have to get rid of the fleas on your pets, in your house, and in your yard. THEN, if your pets go other places-- like to the park-- they can pick them up and bring them back and the problem starts up all over again.
Here's what you do: First, spray your yard WELL (front and back and concentrate on areas of sand, mulch, and gravel-- fleas like it here) with a multi-insect killer. You can get a bottle at Home Depot and attach it to your hose. Check the label and make sure it kills fleas. You will need to re-spray once a month.) Take plants out of your house. Plan some place to go with your dogs for the day-- maybe a friend's house, maybe the park?-- and turn your HEAT on as high as it will go and close all windows. Fleas will all die. They can't live above like... 90 degrees, I think. This will cook them without using chemicals.
Take your pets and do whatever you want for a couple of hours, then take them to PetSmart and have them bathed and flea-dipped. Go home, open the windows, and vacuum well. Do NOT throw the vacuum bag in the trash! It could have flea eggs in it! Put it in a trash bag, tie it, and put it in the freezer. This will kill the eggs.
Now, you should have a flea-free house and yard. Capstar is a product that kills fleas instantly on dogs-- they will fall off in about 30 minutes. If you seem to get a re-infestation, you can try that. Frontline PLUS is what you need also. Then, don't let strange dogs come over or let your dogs go to places where they will pick up more.
Also, if your dogs are itching, it may be from the flea bites and not fleas. You can spray an anti-itch treatment on them.
First, do like Katslookup suggests. You should also start putting a small bit of garlic in the dogs food. Smash one clove and mix it with canned food or mix it with water or gravy for dry food. Add garlic once a day until fleas no longer hop on earth. A small clove should be good for one feeding of both dogs.
I live in NW Oklahoma and the fleas this year are the worst we have seen in years! I am head of the pet department in my town and people are telling me, and I found out myself, that everyone is having to spray their yards to any success at controlling them. I, too, gave up and got Frontline from my vet even though we carry several lines at the store i work at, and had no success either until I sprayed my yard with a new yard and kennel spray we got in. You just hook it up to your garden hose and spray, but any lawn care store will also carry granuals that you can sprinkle, or liquids you measure and spray! People are finally having success by doing both things, the drops and the yard coverage.
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