Flea Troubles

Years ago, when I rented a house, i thought it would be nice for my baby daughter to have a pet. I read an advertisment in the newsagent's window that kittens were being given away for free - well, i stuck my daughter in her buggy and i zoomed around to the address and this kid opened the door, with this scruffy little ginger haired kitten in his arms. He said it was the last one and seemed mighty eager to give her to me...well, i was a happy bunny, my daughter had her pet, and it didn't cost me a thing!

A few weeks later, i started to scratch, then i noticed little bite marks on my legs. I found a bite mark on my daughter though and that was like an alarm bell going off in my head. I began to pay a little more attention to the cat and discovered that she was riddled with fleas - yuk!

I covered her ( cat, not daughter) with flea pet powder, asked my parents to have my daughter and totally fumigated the house with can after can of flea killer spray - I actually had to leave the house for a couple of days while they all died off, and then had to reapllicate the house with spray about 6 weeks later ( as is usually recommended on the can) - it was a very long and annoyingly difficult process, i'm itching just thinking about it!

aria384gp:) said:

I knoew this isn't exactly the greatest thing to talk about, but has anyone ever had a problem with fleas? Does anybody have remedies for getting rid of fleas?

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I assume you have a pet?

Frontline and Program. Frontline will get rid of the majority of the fleas on the pet, and program will make it so if a flea does bite your pet, the eggs will mutate and won't hatch, so it will break the cycle.

This little tip prevents your pet from being miserable while you're taking care of the problem. In the past, when we had problems with fleas, I used garlic powder. I'm not sure about cats, but it can help with dogs. Just sprinkle a little on the dog's food. The odor keeps fleas from biting. Yes, my dog had bad breath, but unless you get really close to your dog's face, you don't notice the odor. I've also used oatmeal-based shampoos that I get from my vet. Good luck!!

We use Advantage on our cats and dog. It takes around a month or two, but eventually, all the fleas, even those in the house, die off, and as long as you keep using it according to the box instructions (I think you apply it once a month) the fleas don't survive and everyone's a lot happier LOL.

By the way: fleas spread tapeworms when they are digested by animals (this is a major problem with cats because they eat fleas). If you have multiple pets and a flea infestation, I'd suggest having all pets tested for tapeworms.

However, pet tapeworms DO NOT spread to humans unless a human digests an infected flea-so don't be too worried about yourself or your children or anything.

I'm having this same problem. I have three dogs and last month they all started itching like crazy. I discovered flees so right away they all three got a bath. This was easy with my little dog but my German shepard didn't care for it much, lol. After the bath my husband put some of that Hertz once a month stuff on them.They stopped scratching for about two weeks. Now they are at it again. I feel so bad for them, they look miserable. Now, I'm wondering if this time I should skip the bath because maybe it washed away some of the natural oils in their fur and the medication didn't last as long. Is this possible?

Advantage or Frontline works the best.

http://www.purina.com/dogs/health.asp?article=150

BATHING

When your dog starts to look dirty or smell "doggy" it's time to put the dog in the tub! Bathing should only be done when your dog is truly dirty, since overbathing removes natural oils and can dry out your dog's coat.


doesn't really say anything about effecting medication

Thanks Inspired!!! Can you get that stuff OTC or only from your vet?
I've had dogs for over ten years now and have never had a flee problem. I don't like it and want it to end ASAP. I feel so bad for my babies, they are in agony!!

I get it from my vet but yea you can get it OTC, I get it from my vet because she orders it wholesale and I can get it for $12 verses $23.

"Little dogs have little fleas
Upon their backs to bite 'em.
Bigger dogs have bigger fleas,
And so ad infinitum."

Don't get me started on fleas!

Well, lastnight hubby and I decided to strike back against the flees, lol. We douced the dogs with Hartz, sprayed the carpet and their blanky with Hartz Home Flee Killer, and put garlic power in their food. I also put some olive oil in their food cause their fur and skin seems a little dry. I think cause they are scratching so much. I think it mght have worked, we'll see soon enough. Thanks for all the tips everyone!! God Bless!!

Inspired said:

I get it from my vet but yea you can get it OTC, I get it from my vet because she orders it wholesale and I can get it for $12 verses $23.

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Also, if you get it from your vet it's most likely to work better. Usually OTC things for pets don't work as well as what the vet supplies. Just something I've learned over the years with pets

aria384gp:) said:

Hey guys, wouldn't it be funny if I didn't have a pet.

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No, not really. But it dosn't really matter since I'm sure this thread has helped some that do have pets....

aria384gp:) said:

Hey guys, wouldn't it be funny if I didn't have a pet.

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It would be funny. Sort of like saying "I have a friend who has this problem and I was wondering..."

I suppose that in the interest of legalities, I shouldn't use the products' name, but I have to say, since this topic came up, that I have seen more than a couple of pets dying and/or extremely sick from using some POPULAR OTC flea stuff. including collars, powders, sprays, what have you. I am amazed every time someone brings in their pet with this reaction going on. (I work at a vet's office.) IF you choose to use these products on yolur pets,please be sure to read ALL the instructions. And they MEAN it when they say not to use the dog stuff on cats!
Blessings!
4GivnGrrl

I thought I had replied to this but I guess not

Here is a great natural flea shampoo:

Collect a batch of citrus fruit. Oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, they
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]all work, and I've used them in combination.[/size][/font]


[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1] Squeeze out the juice (fresh orange juice is wonderful stuff). It would[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]probably be a good idea to remove all of the inside pulp, but it's a lot[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]more work, and I don't bother.[/size][/font]

[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1] Put all of your squeezed-out rinds in a big pot, and fill it with water.[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Bring it to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for several hours.[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]I have turned it off and let it sit when leaving the house, then turned it[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]back on.[/size][/font]

[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1] When the rinds have reached a pretty limp, squishy state, scoop them up[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]and mash them to sqeeze out as much liquid as possible. Return that liquid[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]to the big pot, and continue to simmer for a few more hours, allowing the[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]liquid to cook down to some degree. Cool the liquid, and pour through a[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]fine strainer or cheesecloth to remove the pulp. Bottle it up and[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]refrigerate. In case you end up with more than you can use in a reasonable[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]time, the stuff freezes well, and works fine when defrosted. (Remember,[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]this stuff doesn't have "preservatives.")[/size][/font] [font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1] We add a quarter of a cup or so to the dog's bathwater when we mix up the[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]shampoo concentrate. It's never caused a problem for any of our dogs, does[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]not stain coats, is NOT sticky and kills fleas on contact. I would doubt[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]that there would be any residual action -- there rarely is with organic[/size][/font]
[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]pesticides.[/size][/font]

[font=Arial,Helvetica][size=-1]Jeri Jennings, NorthStar Dalmatians[/size][/font]


http://www.touchmoon.com/dotters/deflea.html

I've been using it for a few years with my fosters and mill rescue dogs.

Also, as for flea medications, it know and published, so I have no qualms about saying that Ivermectin can and does cause death in COLLIES, so it is something to avoid with a breed of that nature.

Personally, and its my own decision, I stay away from the product totally due to this fact, no matter what breed or mix I may have at the house at any given time.


Here's a general google search to back what I've said about the product - and I can say that YES, I have seen the outcome (once) of a Rough Coated Collie under the treatment of said medication.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=ivermectin+and+collies&spell=1

You can just pray over your livestock to get rid of fleas, ticks, lice, etc. Because it says in Deuteronomy 7:15, "And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee."

All you have to do is claim this promise of The Lord because livestock were affected the same as humans when The Lord tried the Egyptians. However, the livestock of the Jewish people were unaffected!

When I have a dog or cat, the first thing I do is to pray to God to rebuke the fleas, etc. In the name of Jesus through The Holy Ghost and I find this works great. The only time it doesn't work is when the animal has an evil soul. Pests on animals is a form of punishment, much to the chagrin of the owner.

Do animals have a soul? Yes -- it says so in Genesis. Genesis 1:20, "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life..."

The word "life" has a note in my Bible and in the Hebrew, it is the word "soul". So, animals do have a soul. The Bible says it again a second time as follows:

Genesis 1:30, "And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life..."

Again, there is a note in my Bible and this time the word "life" is "a living soul."

God created soul life in us and the animals. Now, God told me that "anything that hunts its food has a soul."

So, there you have it: Pray for your animals and believe God to get rid of fleas, ticks and lice! Let the "un-believers" buy the flea powders!!!!