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telly2_gw

War on fleas !

19 years ago

I think I need to treat my yard for fleas, but I've never done it before.....can anyone recommend a product ? We're having a terrible time with fleas this year, and nothing else seems to be working. Dog is treated with Advantage most of the time, sometimes we switch to Frontline Plus. Cats are treated with Advantage also. My house has no carpet other than 2 large area rugs; floors are mostly hardwood, with some tile. The flea treatments on the dog don't seem to last the week...he's miserable. So I think I must treat the yard next. Do you use a granular product, and if so, will it be safe to use around my free-roaming Muscovy ducks ? By the way, I live in Southwest Florida, so I don't have the advantage of cold weather to eliminate any of the flea population.......

Comments (7)

  • 19 years ago

    Telly2, I really feel for you. we had a neighbors dog come hide out under our porch. The fleas he left behind were terrible. We finally had to hire a professional to come out and spray inside and out twice. It cost $80 both times.
    We had tried everything else. The pro got rid of them. That was a year ago,no problems since.
    oakleif

  • 19 years ago

    I don't know what would be good around the ducks, since what kills fleas is usually not healthy for birds etc. When I lived in southern Calif we used Malithion (sp) very toxic. I only had to use it once in my yard and once at my parents who had a stray cat problem. There are some pest control companies that advertise things that are safe for the your pets, you may want to check the yellow pages and give them a call. It may cost you $100 or more but no more fleas is worth it!
    Cleaning up any dead plant areas that they live in helps, my parents had thick dead grass, the fleas LOVED it!
    I used one in the house that stops the fleas from maturing from larvae to adult. Not all brands that say they do this work. You are best spending the money and getting VETKEM in my opinion.

    Good luck, I don't miss the fleas. I have NONE in the area I live in, Tucson, they are in other parts of town though. LUCKY ME!!

  • 19 years ago

    You can buy a bag of DE - not the stuff from the pol supply store, it has other chemicals added, but go to thegarden center. Wait for a non windy not wet day and wear a mask, spread the stuff all over your yard, dont let the dogs out to sniff the stuff for a good 12 hours. Nobody should inhale it, it is not good for your lungs, wash it down before letting the out again. DE is a microscopic sharp diatome and it will cut the bodies of a hard bodies insect and cause them to dehydrate. Good thing is that it is natural and you can wash it into the yard after 12 hours, bad thing, it kills all hard bodied insects, it ust is easier on the environment. The settlers used to drink the stuff to control intestinal parasites. yuk. Good luck, let us know what you choose and what works.

  • 19 years ago

    Oh you poor thing! I'm in New England and the weather certainly helps, but not if the little buggers have moved inside your house.

    It totally sucked. I gave the 3 cats baths every however many days, and the 3 dogs, too. I vacuumed thoroughly, sprayed the perimeter of the rooms, the rugs, the upholstery. I kept it up for just about a month. Now we use one of those topical, once a month things. It works for us, but I don't have to deal with a frost-free climate.

    I'd probably call an exterminator, personally. And be DONE with it.

  • 19 years ago

    I agree with Mazer, diatomaceous earth is the best stuff around for fleas, It is totally non toxic. the only reason it is bad on the lungs is when it's being applied the particles are so fine that it is easy to breath in and the particles will cause lung irritation so you do have to use a mask when applying. Once it settles it's fine. You can put this in the yard, on your carpets, on the dogs, cats, etc.

  • 19 years ago

    Have you tried diatomatias earth (sp)? It's not toxic at all --I think it's made from fossil power. Sprinkel it around the yard and on your pets. I also wash my pets with Funky Dog Organic Shampoo and spray him with the deoderizer/flea spray. Both products use essential oils to repel the nasty buggers instead of harsh chemicals. You should go to www.themodernpet (The Modern Pet), that's where I get my non-toxic flea products.

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Modern Pet

  • 19 years ago

    Does DE work quickly ? I've heard of it before, and I would rather use something non-toxic if it really works. Calling a professional exterminator sure sounds tempting though.