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RadioLau
LIF Adult
Member since 4/07 2179 total posts
Name:
Laura
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Fleas
Does anyone have any natural suggestions for flea prevention? I am having a hard time with fleas and my puppy. I do not want to use any topical pesticides on the puppy such as Frontline or anything else. I know it works but he's too young and I might consider it in the future but not this year. I have been bathing him frequently with an organic flea shampoo that does kill them. I have also been using a natural flea repellent spray but it really isn't working. Any advice?
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Posted 11/10/09 2:16 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Fleas
a good old flea comb...you grab those suckers and dunk the comb in a clear glass mixed with water and DAWN dishwashing detergent. You will literally see the fleas drown and die, and sink to the bottom of the glass.
ButI hate to tell you, fleas can be extremely troublesome and can make an animal (and humans) very sick. They multiply so quickly, nothing reallly works like the medications do.
Just be careful b/c fleas can kill a young animal by making them very anemic/sick if they become too infested.
Believe me I hate using Frontline on my dogs, but we had fleas once when I lived at home and it was a horrible long experience that I never want to go through again.
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| Posted 11/10/09 2:41 PM |
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vicky1125
LIF Adolescent
Member since 11/08 767 total posts
Name:
Victoria
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Re: Fleas
i've never tried this but the reviews seem good.
http://www.petco.com/product/102508/Sentry-Natural-Defense-Flea-and-Tick-Squeeze-On-For-Dogs-and-Puppies.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch
eta: if the puppy had fleas, make sure to wash anything he sat or layed down on in hot water. vaccum everything, and get a natural spray for anything you cant wash. my yorkie had fleas recently, it was not fun.
Message edited 11/10/2009 4:56:16 PM.
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| Posted 11/10/09 4:51 PM |
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twiceasnice
LIF Adult
Member since 2/08 1126 total posts
Name:
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Re: Fleas
I read somewhere that if you steep a cutup lemon in boiling water over night and use that as a spray for your dog and bedding..fleas stay away. They don't like the citric acid.
I just want to note that fleas are VERY hard to get rid of. What you see is just a small percentage of what there really is. Even if you get handle on them be prepared for an out break 2 weeks later when the eggs hatch. You have to break the cycle.
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| Posted 11/11/09 3:11 PM |
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RadioLau
LIF Adult
Member since 4/07 2179 total posts
Name:
Laura
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Re: Fleas
Thanks for your suggestions. I am running the flea comb over him multiple times a day, sometimes finding one or two, or a few more, sometimes finding nothing, not even flea dirt. I am washing all his towels, bedding at least once a week in hot water and vacuuming 1-2 times a week. I guess I'm doing what I can for now to keep it controlled without the pesticides. Next year I might have to consider it if it is still so continous. It should be over soon for this year though!
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| Posted 11/11/09 5:36 PM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Fleas
I thought we had a problem a while back but it turned out to be nothing. While researching, I read if you lay down table salt (esp underneath furniture/low traffic areas), leave it overnight, then vacuum, it will kill off the fleas.
I also read that most of the fleas are not on the host but elsewhere. I'd def call the vet to see what my options were for something safe because of the puppy's age.
Good luck!
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| Posted 11/11/09 6:05 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Fleas
Posted by RadioLau
Thanks for your suggestions. I am running the flea comb over him multiple times a day, sometimes finding one or two, or a few more, sometimes finding nothing, not even flea dirt. I am washing all his towels, bedding at least once a week in hot water and vacuuming 1-2 times a week. I guess I'm doing what I can for now to keep it controlled without the pesticides. Next year I might have to consider it if it is still so continous. It should be over soon for this year though!
Not to be negative, but they can live year round in a warm house....
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| Posted 11/11/09 8:14 PM |
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RadioLau
LIF Adult
Member since 4/07 2179 total posts
Name:
Laura
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Re: Fleas
Posted by Goobster
Posted by RadioLau
Thanks for your suggestions. I am running the flea comb over him multiple times a day, sometimes finding one or two, or a few more, sometimes finding nothing, not even flea dirt. I am washing all his towels, bedding at least once a week in hot water and vacuuming 1-2 times a week. I guess I'm doing what I can for now to keep it controlled without the pesticides. Next year I might have to consider it if it is still so continous. It should be over soon for this year though!
Not to be negative, but they can live year round in a warm house....
Yeah..I know that's why I am trying to hard to keep right on top of it. I haven't seen signs of them anywhere but on him at this point. I am really scared of them though. I know my DH will have a fit if we end up with a big problem. I am considering rarely letting him in the yard at this point when it isn't necessary. I can walk him in the street instead. We also raked up all the leaves too which supposedly they like to live in. That should help...
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| Posted 11/12/09 8:34 AM |
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BabyFever10
St. Gianna Pray for us
Member since 9/09 1326 total posts
Name:
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Re: Fleas
My dog had fleas when we first got him and he was too young for frontline - I was told to bath him with Dawn - that was the best way to kill the fleas.
But as soon as he was old enough we started the frontline. I hate using it but in the end - its for his benefit.
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| Posted 11/12/09 11:22 AM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Fleas
Posted by BabyFever10
My dog had fleas when we first got him and he was too young for frontline - I was told to bath him with Dawn - that was the best way to kill the fleas.
But as soon as he was old enough we started the frontline. I hate using it but in the end - its for his benefit.
Same here, as soon as my dogs were old enough we started using it. luckily we did b/c my male dog got fleas 2 times just walking in our non wooded neighborhood! I would have surely had an infestation if he had not been on Frontline.
Message edited 9/23/2015 12:09:13 AM.
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| Posted 11/12/09 11:39 AM |
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TheLorax
LOVE
Member since 2/06 5581 total posts
Name:
Suzanne / SuzBride
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Re: Fleas
Posted by Goobster
So thats the way I feel. The risk of the chemical isn't greater than the risk of fleas (to him, to us humans, to my home, etc). Frontline is generally a very safe product, I have done much research and called them many times to ask different questions.
Agree. WHen Jack was a baby, we had just started to treat him, so he didn't have a strong resistance yet, and he got fleas (note, he is an inside only cat, so one of the dogs, who were treated, must have brought one in).
Let me say - getting rid of those fleas was the biggest pain in the butt ever. We did the dawn baths, flea combing, washed all the sheets/blankets/clothing in the house over and over in hot water. My washer was on 24/7 - literally. Powdered the carpets with flea stuff, and vacuumed continuously. They would not go away. Jack would sit next to me crying because he was so miserable with all those fleas, and I called the vet totally hysterical because he was not due for another Frontline treatment for over a week and I had no idea what to do. Jack was miserable! My husband had flea bites all over him (I guess I wasn't as delicious), and our house had fleas in the carpets.
End result. We gave the pets Capstar (the vet said we could treat Jack a week early) and booked it to the ILs. An organic, natural exterminator had to come in and do a whole house treatment - twice! Over $800 (actually probablyl closer to $1000 with all the antiflea crap we tried before the exterminator) and we were finally flea-free.
So this is my cautionary tale. I never miss a flea treatment. Jack hates when I put the Frontline on, but every time I tell him the story of little Jack's sad face crying to me (I am actually tearing up thinking about it - it was sad).
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| Posted 11/12/09 12:42 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: Fleas
my ex bf...well that kitten was not taken care of properly by he and his family, the kitten never got rid of the fleas, and sadly died...I believe they gave him too many fleas baths, etc and he was weak from the fleas biting him. Very sad story all around. 
Message edited 9/23/2015 12:08:22 AM.
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| Posted 11/12/09 12:57 PM |
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