Anyone else having a flea problem?

[SocalPitgal]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

You don't need to bomb, or even vacuum. Just use the Advantage or Advantix that you bought. The fleas will jump on the dogs, bite them (unfortunately) then die. It really will take care of the problem, just using the Advantage (I've never used Advantix, just Advantage). I've treated dogs that were covered in fleas, and within 24 hours, no more fleas. These were papillons that I fostered. And no fleas ended up in the carpets, etc. It truly is all you need to do.

My dog will pick up fleas outside sometimes, but they quickly die because I use Advantage on her once a month. I never actually see the flea, but I'll see her scratching once in a while after being outside. One bite, and they're dead.

I don't trust buying flea meds on Ebay. I'm worried they're selling counterfeit medicine from China, for them to be able to sell it so cheap. I have found Drs. Foster and Smith to be a good source online, and reasonably priced. Or get it on sale from Petco, Petsmart, a regular store, at any rate.

I agree that you do have to be careful where you buy the stuff, but if you just check the sellers ratings and comments, if the product didn't work or killed somebodies dog, it would be posted all over their ratings. And if the seller sells the same product for years, it is doubtful that they are going to start selling counterfeit products. The key is to watch for the auctions, rather then the buy it now, sometimes you get lucky and get it really inexpensive.

[bassetluv]

This year seems to be a particularly bad one for insects. My dog and both of my rabbits wound up with fleas; it's the first time I've had a flea problem in almost 15 years, and it's the first time I've had such difficulty getting rid of them. My dog was already on Sentinel when he picked them up, though I suspect they initially came into the house on the rabbits (my bunnies are indoor pets, but every spring I take them into the backyard to get some fresh air and sunshine).

At any rate, I wound up having to treat the rabbits with Revolution and my dog with extra flea medication (Capstar). I had to wash everything in hot water - pet bedding, clothing, sofa throw, etc. - scour the entire room the rabbits are in, and spray the house with an area spray. Every time I vacuumed I put some flea-srpay-soaked tissue inside the canister, then dumped it as soon as I was done. And I bathed all three pets with a homemade flea shampoo: a mixture of one cup of lemon-scented Dawn dish soap, one cup of vinegar, and two cups of warm water. I found this to be a great way to deter the fleas that stubbornly remained, even after the animals had been medically treated. I always recommend getting meds from a vet rather than buying Hartz or any other type of over-the-counter medications...professional medications work much better, tend to be safer, and the vet can check to make sure you are using the correct dosage for your pet (as well as to let you know if there is a medication you should not be using on your dog/cat/rabbit).

Even after all of this, I still have to retreat with the Revolution, as the rabbits still do have some small fleas remaining. I've never seen anything like it before!

(Side note: if you have rabbits with a flea problem, never self-medicate them or spray their environment without a vet's consult...many medications that a dog or cat may tolerate can cause neurological damage and/or death to a rabbit. You should also only bath them as a last resort...rabbit fur is notoriously difficult to get dry, and many rabbits will panic if exposed to a bath.)

[ssg II]

Although there is much controversy on this forum about Trifexis, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My dogs have always been on Heartguard and were on Advantage and Advantix. The fleas eventually became immune to both flea meds. And by the time you actually see a flea, it's too late. The chewing cycle begins. Now they have dermatitis or worse. Another vet visit......special shampoo....maybe antibiotics or cortisone. $$$$$

I was at my wit's end with the flea thing and reluctant to try an oral flea med. I tried dips, home remedies. Nothing worked. I figured I was already giving them Heartguard, so I gave it a shot. At that point I would have done anything to keep my babies from scratching and chewing.

I understand that some of you want to do natural remedies, but fleas and heartworms don't respond. It's like treating cancer....you have to poison the victim to some extent, which you're doing topically anyway.

That being said, my dogs have been on Trifexis for a few years and have had no side effects. They had other health issues long before they started this med and like I posted on another thread, fleas are one less thing I have to worry about.

It's all about THEIR quality of life, isn't it?

If your animals have been properly treated, then the fleas have no hosts and will die off.