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#391664 - 07/26/05 06:26 PM Help! Fleas....
LinMarie Offline
100 Club
LinMarie
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 243
I am having a horrible problem with freeing my home of fleas that our dog has brought in. The dog has not been let back into the house and I have used Foggers, sprays, vaccumed for hours and washed everything. Does anyone have some tips on getting rid of them once and for all?

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#391665 - 07/26/05 06:31 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Countess Kiwi Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,815
Minnesota
Move...just kidding.

My SIL brought over a dog for us to watch and she had fleas. We brought the animals to the vet to have them bathed (not a good experience for our cat) and they gave us some bombs for the house. But, we had to be out of the house for several hours (I think it was 6). The bomb worked for us. But the dog wasn't in the house for very long, maybe a day.

Good luck.
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#391666 - 07/26/05 06:34 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
someone else Offline
Power Poster
someone else
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,300
back to my roots
The best way to get rid of the fleas (at least in my experience) is to use Frontline or Advantage on the animals. It works better than foggers, even when the house is infested with the fleas.

Good luck to you!
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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. - Carl Sagan

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#391667 - 07/26/05 06:48 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Anonymous
Unregistered

best way to get rid of fleas...

let the dog out, for good

or, introduce it to the leg chewing dog, perhaps it will copy it

it may not get rid of fleas, but you will hardly notice them as you roll on the floor laughing at your dog.

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#391668 - 07/26/05 07:21 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
HRH Okie Banker Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,070
Oklahoma
As the owner of an average of 3 dogs for the last twelve years I have a wierd solution:

Take a shallow bowl. Add a small amount of detergent (enuf to get a slick in the water. Add water almost to top. Lean light over or flashlight against bowl. Turn off all lights. Fleas will jump to the light, fall in the soap and drown. It really works. And it is chemical free. It's worth a try.
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#391669 - 07/26/05 08:06 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Anonymous
Unregistered

My husband is ready to rip out the carpet in the living room as that is the room we have found the most. I think he should wait until we have solved the problem. Any thoughts??

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#391670 - 07/26/05 08:44 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Anonymous
Unregistered

Quote:

The best way to get rid of the fleas (at least in my experience) is to use Frontline or Advantage on the animals. It works better than foggers, even when the house is infested with the fleas.
Quote:



We have cats, but had the same problem. We had the cats dipped and use Advantage every month. I works great. Since it stays on your dogs they take the medicine to where the flee eggs are. DO NOT USE CHEAP STUFF. I have heard it doesn't work and can really hurt your animals.

Hope you get de-fleed!

Good luck to you!



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#391671 - 07/26/05 08:45 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
BethF Offline
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 90
Sunny San Diego
Here's a solution that has worked for me, but it can be messy and problematic if you have kids -

Dust your affected carpet heavily with Borax or Ortho Sevin (a pesticide). Leave the powder on the carpet for several days before you vacuum it up. It works, but if it's a room that you use a lot, it can clearly be messy.

Good luck!

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#391672 - 07/26/05 09:10 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Tricia Offline
Gold Star
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 458
Smack dab in the middle of IL
We used Terminix to get rid of our flea problem. Before that we tried the store bought foggers but they didn't work.

I like DKarbs idea though, I will have to remember that one.
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#391673 - 07/26/05 09:21 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
thomasj Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,063
Pennsylvania
Our house was infested when we bought it and we didn't find out until we moved in with our dog. After trying all of the home remedies and over the counter stuff we finally called an exterminator. He came and sprayed the house and guaranteed if the fleas came back that he would spray again until they were gone. He did have to come back one time (some of the eggs survived the initial spray as he thought they would) but we have not had a problem since. We did use frontline on the dog as well. The price for the exterminator was like $100 (15+ years ago) but we had spent many times that in over the counter potions that didn't work. Don't put yourself through this, call a professional.
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#391674 - 07/26/05 11:13 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
KK Offline
100 Club
KK
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 249
Southern California
We used to have fleas and solved the problem. On the same day, have the house and yard treated and start using Frontline on the dog. We used the Frontline spray, kept up the program and never had a flea again.

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#391675 - 07/27/05 01:12 AM Re: Help! Fleas....
Fraudman CFCI Offline
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Fraudman CFCI
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,189
Land of Steady Habits
This is exactly what I was going to recommend. Thank you for doing it first. The only change I would make is to use a candle instead of a flashlight. (USE THE CANDLE SAFELY)

This does work! Check Hints from Heloise!

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#391676 - 07/27/05 02:38 AM Re: Help! Fleas....
SMQ, CRCM Offline
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SMQ, CRCM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,828
Between the lines
We had the same problem this year with our cat that is in and out. The fleas have been vicious this year. You need to do pretty much all of these, attack all fronts at once. Use the Frontline (get it from the vet) on the pet (trust me the store bought remedies do not work). Use Sergeant's Household spray for the carpet and furniture. Used the water and soap in a bowl, but set it under a nightlight on the floor (amazing results). And, lastly, use a flea and tick treatment from the garden center on the yard.

We kept trying one or the other until finally, we did all four one weekend and NO FLEAS!!!! That was 2 months ago and we must have gotten the eggs too. I don't know, how long before eggs hatch?

Keep up the yard treatment all summer, you neighbors will run them back and keep up the Frontline on your pet.
Good luck
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#391677 - 07/27/05 02:48 AM Re: Help! Fleas....
rlcarey Online
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rlcarey
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 83,227
Galveston, TX
Dip the dog, burn the house, move to Alaska
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#391678 - 07/27/05 02:30 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
LinMarie Offline
100 Club
LinMarie
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 243
Thanks for all the advice!!

SoccerMom: Where can I find the Sergeant's spray for the house?

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#391679 - 07/27/05 02:54 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
RR Becca Offline
Power Poster
RR Becca
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,249
out of the frying pan...
Borax or Sevin dust on the carpet works wonders! To take that great hint one step further - fleas will nest in dark, cozy spaces (under low furniture, hidden closet corners, etc) and leaving a scattering of the powder in those areas will discourage any reproductive activity. If you decide to do this, make sure to only leave the powder down in areas that the pets and/or kids can't get into.
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#391680 - 07/27/05 02:56 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
pjs Offline
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pjs
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,321
oHiO
Use Frontline from the Vet and they usually have some spray that helps. Last year was the first time we ever had fleas on a dog- I couldnt get rid of them until we took her to the vet for a checkup and told them about the fleas- it was a bad year (last year) for fleas- anyhow it worked.
Don't spend money on those products at the store because from experience they do not work.

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#391681 - 07/27/05 04:28 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
RR Joker Offline
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RR Joker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 20,654
The Swamp
Eggs hatch in about 10 days.
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#391682 - 07/27/05 05:04 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Anonymous
Unregistered

Quote:

Borax or Sevin dust on the carpet works wonders! To take that great hint one step further - fleas will nest in dark, cozy spaces (under low furniture, hidden closet corners, etc) and leaving a scattering of the powder in those areas will discourage any reproductive activity. If you decide to do this, make sure to only leave the powder down in areas that the pets and/or kids can't get into.




Totally too dangerous for pets and kids and for everyone living in the home- I wouldn't want that stuff in my home- just my thought tho.

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#391683 - 07/27/05 05:42 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Anonymous
Unregistered

You need to correct the situation properly and get a commercial insect pest control business. Fleas populate rapidly and ferociously, and by the time you see them you've already got infestation. Bite the bullet and hire a pest control business that will do it correctly.

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#391684 - 07/28/05 07:45 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Nanwa Offline
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Nanwa
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,564
Clintonville, WI, USA
You have to use Frontline or Advantage on the animal for several months. The fleas that come in contact with the drug will have eggs, but those fleas that hatch will be sterile, and will beget no more fleas. It takes about two months for the cycle to be complete. The older fleas will die, and no young ones will be born.

Vacummn frequently, wash and spray with flea spray whatever you can, any animal bedding, pillows they lie on, etc. Spray the carpet with flea spray, but don't shampoo until the cycle is complete, so you don't have a reinfestation.

Then, as a preventative, always treat your pet with Frontline or Advantage, even when you don't see any flea dirt. They are much easier to prevent than to clean out.
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#391685 - 07/28/05 09:15 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
WildTurkey Offline
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WildTurkey
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 921
Down South, USA
Quote:

Our house was infested when we bought it and we didn't find out until .....



...... two weeks later, and in the absence of their parents' earlier hosts, the newly hatched fleas were biting anything they could find - i.e. us.

Our cure - foggers, leave them for as long as possible, which in our case was a couple of days because we hadn't moved in. Then, and this is, IMO, the key part, get the carpets steam cleaned. WE've never seen the fleas since.
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#391686 - 07/28/05 09:27 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
thomasj Offline
Power Poster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,063
Pennsylvania
When our house was infested, we left for vacation for two weeks. When we came home I walked across the floor in white socks and within seconds there were dozens of fleas on my socks! That was when we called the exterminator. He knew when where and how much pesticide to use. He used a chemical that was harmless to humans and dogs (and kids) after it had dried for about 4 hours. I went to work and when I went home for lunch everything was fine.

Again, do it right, hire a professional. It will save you time, money and frustration.
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#391687 - 07/28/05 10:59 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
RandomName Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,373
Austin, TX
The infestation in my house was annihilated by applying Frontline to the offending pets. That was the only solution that worked for me. No amount of chemical bombing was effective, and trying to hunt them down and stabbing them with tiny swords was singularly ineffective.

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#391688 - 07/29/05 05:21 PM Re: Help! Fleas....
Nanwa Offline
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Nanwa
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,564
Clintonville, WI, USA
We (meaning people) were never bitten by fleas, but just finding them on the one cat made me feel my whole house was filthy and I was a poor housekeeper. Even after washing and shampooing everything. It is worth it to dose both cats every month to avoid feeling like my house isn't clean.

And so Kismet isn't scratching all the time.
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