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Fleas,Fleas & more Fleas

21 years ago

We are getting eaten alive by fleas, They are in the house, yard, on my dogs. Dose anyone have any ideas on how to kill them. Without killing my dogs or children? I have bought the best brands of dog flea colors (for the dogs, not my kid lol) I give them bathes. But we are so overwhelmed by them nothing seems to work. By July our house will be so infested we have to leave home for 2 weeks or more so I can bomb the house every 6 days. This has been going on for 6 years sense we bought the home. And for the first 5 years we did not have pets. Please help!! before we scratch our legs off.

thank you for any suggestions

Comments (7)

  • 21 years ago

    You can place a shallow pan of water on the floor. Drop a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the water. The dishwashing liquid breaks the surface tension of the water. Place a lamp over the pan of water. Leave the lamp on at night to attract the fleas. When the fleas jump for the light they will land in the water and drown. I think it's a slow process but totally safe.
    There are also flea powders made to sprinkle on your carpet. I think they work fairly well and aren't too toxic. I'd also have someone spray your yard for them.

    WindsurfGirl

  • 21 years ago

    Instead of flea collars, I would recommend using Frontline on the dogs. You have to get rid of both the adult fleas and the eggs they have already laid which will start the flea cycle over again, even if you get rid of the adults.

    I've read that feeding brewers yeast and garlic to pets will get rid of them on the pets,and planting fennel, rue and rosemary is supposed to repel fleas outdoors. I've never tried that though.


    The link below is only one of many that you might find online. You can also search for the life cycle of fleas to learn more.

    Here is a link that might be useful: How to Rid Your Home of Fleas

  • 21 years ago

    Hmmmmmmmm, six years? New house? Wonder how much sand is in the soil. Are they sand fleas? I think WindsurfGirl is right, the source is the place to treat........the yard. Having pets, with a problem like this, makes the solution difficult to find. Keep us posted, as I just had 18 tons of sandy loam brought in for fill dirt. So far no fleas, just the largest earthworms I have ever seen in my life!!!

    David

  • 21 years ago

    I have good luch keeping fleas and ticks at bay with sulpher. I think it works better as a repelant. But some one told me it they avoid it because it causes them to dehydrate.

    When I was younger I had a few dogs and we hunted about every day I kept a bag of sulpher on the pourch. I would just dust the dogs about once a week and sprinkle it around the yard once or twice a year. In bad tick years I would keep the pourch dusted so I would pick up a little on my shoes when ever I went out.

  • 21 years ago

    You've got some good advice from the replies above. You will have to treat the dogs, the house and the yard. Find a product that contains PRECOR. It is an insect growth regulator. It will sterilize the fleas and eventually they will all die out. Many products contain Precor or other IGR's. Find flea collars that contain Precor or another IGR and bombs that contain Precor. Just read the label, you will find them everywhere. These are the only products that have ever worked for me. You can even buy straight Precor for around $8-$10 per oz and spray your house. Precor breaks down in sunlight, so you will have to find another product for your yard. IGR's are the way to go when ridding your house of any insect. They work!

    The link below says it's better than Precor. Research what will work for you. IGR's work very well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Says it's better than Precor

  • 21 years ago

    You are so right Wolfover! I always get good advice from this forum. And so much time given to my questions from others! I thank all of you!

    Sounds like front-line colors (for the dogs) , sulfur (for the yard) , precor (for the house) & a light bulb W/soap. Oh"ya oven mitts taped to the kids hands for all the scratching lol

    Sorrel OK, I was told I have a combo of sand fleas and just your common fleas. So you should be on the look out for sand fleas.

    Thanks again, I will keep you posted to let you know if I won the flea battle and what worked.

  • 17 years ago

    Please help me!! We have a place by a lake in Burr Oaks MI that we go to 6 months out of the year, April through Oct. Last year almost everyone was having problems with bites around their feet. Even the dogs where getting bites all over their stomachs. I put this stuff called Seven all over the ground and it seem to help a little. The wired thing is these bugs didnÂt bit everyone, my husband and I never got any bits but my daughter was getting eating alive and she was sitting next to me. I would say about 95% of the dogs where getting bites too. ItÂs like these bug are picky about who they bite! You canÂt see then or feel them when they are on you, but you see and feel the bites after they are gone. Some how we brought the bugÂs home with us! Now my cat is itching too!! She has licked almost all her fur out of her stomach and back legs. I have spent over $300.00 at the vets and he keeps telling me they are fleas!! I wish they where fleas, I know how to treat them!! I worked for this vet of over 8 years and he couldnÂt find a flea on either animal. But he keeps saying they are allergic to the bit and that is why they are getting the skin reaction. I use frontline" on both the cat and dog, it seems to work for only 2 weeks before they start starching again; its supposed to work for 4 weeks. I bought "Mycodex" to spray on the rug and furniture and I bought a flea and tick mist (a repellant) to spray on the animals every couple of days but still my dogs stomach looks beat red and my cat still isnÂt getting better either. ItÂs driving me nuts!! I was just watching the animal plant when they said something about sand fleas!! Could this be what I have?? Do these sand flies live on animalÂs likes fleas do?? Someone please help!! I wont to prove to my vet that I am not crazy!! Or am I ????

    I have pictures of my dogÂs stomach that I took tonight!! I can send them if you can help!! Can anyone tell me what to use to get these bugs out of my house? How do you kill something you canÂt see??
    Nancy