on 11/22/2005
Don't bother to flea-dip your pet if you already have fleas in your home. It kills them, but it does not prevent them. The fleas will simply jump back onto your pet. Using Dawn sounds like a great idea, I think I might try that.
on 11/22/2005
We had fleas 8 years ago. Here is a free cure for fleas:
Gather the following items:
One cake dish Some water Liquid soap One candle
Steps:
Just before bedtime, fill the cake dish with water 3/4 of the way and place it in the infested area. Place 2-3 good squirts of liquid soap in the water and mix it. Place the candle in the middle of the soapy water. It should be short enough that if the candle were to fall over, the water will put out the candle. Finally, turn out the lights. Fleas will jump for the candle, landing in the water, and the soap will not allow them to get back out.
The next day, my containers looked as if someone had poured a lot of pepper into the water. By the fourth night, there were no more fleas.
on 11/22/2005
In reply to the softener advice, I am sure that it would work, but it may have devastating results. Liquid softener will make any material (such as clothing and lint) highly flammable. I don't think I would want to take a chance with my animal's fur.
on 11/22/2005
In addition to using carpet flea powders, you can put it or an over the counter pet spray into a carpet cleaner (Bissell, Hoover). Use it with the recommended carpet detergent. Depending upon how your cleaner works, go slowly over your carpet to get a deep clean. It works better than foggers. I would also suggest that you go over your carpets the next day with just the regular detergent. You would be amazed at how many fleas this gets up.
on 11/22/2005
Using Dawn on your pets is great for getting rid of fleas, but be careful. It can dry their skin. After washing and rinsing, apply a mixture of any liquid softener diluted in half with water. It works just like conditioner and your pet smells like they just came out of the dryer!
on 11/22/2005
I have a 6 week old kitten and I recently found out she was covered with flea dirt and had a few fleas. I totally agree that Advantage is the best solution as it kills fleas in the surrounding areas as well.
on 11/22/2005
I have the ultimate answer to kill all phases of the life of a flea. I had a total infestation in every inch of every room. Every single expert told me that it would take months to get the situation under control. Not having slept for a week for fear of fleas covering me in my sleep, I was a total wreck.
I live in sandy Tucson, Arizona in an apartment with a wolf, a dog, and three cats. I tried every spray, collar and shampoo on the market. Nothing worked. I bathed the animals every day. I ended up really sick and my wolf almost died. It turned out the vet said she had tick fever, so her immune system was very low.
I went out and bought 10 large boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax. I covered the carpet, the couch cushions, and under them as well. I flung the borax on the bookcase, in shoes, clothes, the boxspring, between the boxspring and mattress, and even on the mattress under the sheet. I never had any allergies to the borax. The smell was like soap...But it didn't sting my eyes like you may think it would. None of the animals seemed bothered by it. I read that you should vacuum it up after a couple hours, but I left it on for two weeks and would stomp on the carpet to get it deep in the fibers. I heard that it takes the moisture out of the fleas, larvae and eggs and kills them by dehydration. It sounded good to me, but I never thought it would work like it did.
It cost me about $20.00 total for all the borax. Unlike the Advantage, which I also bought, I didn't have to wait to see results. Plus, the Advantage didn't work perfectly especially for the high price I had to pay (you usually need a vet visit for the prescription unless you can find a vet who will give you one without a visit).
So that was my solution. I know what a horrible traumatic experience fleas can be and I don't want others to suffer like I did.
on 11/22/2005
Please read all the directions on the Hartz sprays for killing fleas. They're hidden under the label. Our Yorkie became toxic and had to stay at the veterinarian's for four days because of this spray. It's very dangerous and made our pet so sick! Our vet had seen animals die from this spray.
on 11/22/2005
I found that using Bug-Be-Gone works really well. Since I've been using this product, my dogs don't have fleas. You can find this product in any Home Depot. It costs $3. It's worth it. Rub it all over your pet and in their bedding to prevent the fleas from coming back.
on 11/22/2005
I got 2 kittens from a friend and they were covered with fleas. The kittens were too young to use commercial products to get rid of the fleas. Having read all the suggestions here, I decided to use SkinSoSoft bath oil. I put the oil on the kittens and left it on for 2 hours. Then I bathed them with Dawn dishwashing liquid. There were no more fleas. Since I had kept the kittens quarantined to the bathroom, I didn't have to worry about fleas in the rest of the house. I just washed all the towels in hot water, and mopped the floor with bleach water.
on 11/22/2005
Please be very careful when applying the tube of flea killing oil that is put on the neck or down the back of the cat. The similar product for dogs can kill a cat. We put on the flea killer for dog onto our cat and he started twitching and I thought it was a heat stroke. I called the label and they explained the symptoms so we figured we must have used the wrong tube. We had to wash our cat in soapy water then take him to the vet for observation. You have to be careful if you have dogs and cats because sometimes they play and will ingest some that is meant for dogs. I found a product that uses all natural ingredients so it is a lot safer.
on 11/22/2005
I've read most of the additional advice people have posted on fleas. I can't say that I agree with everything, but 2 important things stand out. First, Jennifer is absolutely right - stay away from over-the-counter pesticides. I've seen 2 cats die and 2 others come close to dying shortly after application. Second, ask your veterinarian what works best for fleas. Doctor knows best.
on 11/22/2005
I was told by my Vet to Coat my dog eyes and eye area with a small amount of vaseline. Just for a film protection and to wash my animal in dawn dishwashing detergent. The dawn he said smothers the fleas quickly and the vaseline will protect the eyes so that I can wash the head and face without irritation to the dog.
on 11/22/2005
watch your cat in baby shampoo to rid of them of fleas...it will not hurt their eyes and the baby shampoo is gentle to the animal...also leave the shampoo on the cat for 5-10 minutes to kill the hard to kill fleas....monica flannery
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Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Don't bother to flea-dip your pet if you already have fleas in your home. It kills them, but it does not prevent them. The fleas will simply jump back onto your pet. Using Dawn sounds like a great idea, I think I might try that.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 We had fleas 8 years ago. Here is a free cure for fleas:
Gather the following items:
One cake dish
Some water
Liquid soap
One candle
Steps:
Just before bedtime, fill the cake dish with water 3/4 of the way and place it in the infested area. Place 2-3 good squirts of liquid soap in the water and mix it. Place the candle in the middle of the soapy water. It should be short enough that if the candle were to fall over, the water will put out the candle. Finally,
turn out the lights. Fleas will jump for the candle, landing in the water, and the soap will not allow them to get back out.
The next day, my containers looked as if someone had poured a lot of pepper into the water. By the fourth night, there were no more fleas.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 In reply to the softener advice, I am sure that it would work, but it may have devastating results. Liquid softener will make any material (such as clothing and lint) highly flammable. I don't think I would want to take a chance with my animal's fur.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Always make sure the flea spray you're using is meant to be used on the animal, not for the house. Mistakes can be deadly.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 In addition to using carpet flea powders, you can put it or an over the counter pet spray into a carpet cleaner (Bissell, Hoover). Use it with the recommended carpet detergent. Depending upon how your cleaner works, go slowly over your carpet to get a deep clean. It works better than foggers. I would also suggest that you go over your carpets the next day with just the regular detergent. You would be amazed at how many fleas this gets up.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Using Dawn on your pets is great for getting rid of fleas, but be careful. It can dry their skin. After washing and rinsing, apply a mixture of any liquid softener diluted in half with water. It works just like conditioner and your pet smells like they just came out of the dryer!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I have a 6 week old kitten and I recently found out she was covered with flea dirt and had a few fleas. I totally agree that Advantage is the best solution as it kills fleas in the surrounding areas as well.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I have the ultimate answer to kill all phases of the life of a flea. I had a total infestation in every inch of every room. Every single expert told me that it would take months to get the situation under control. Not having slept for a week for fear of fleas covering me in my sleep, I was a total wreck.
I live in sandy Tucson, Arizona in an apartment with a wolf, a dog, and three cats. I tried every spray, collar and shampoo on the market. Nothing worked. I bathed the animals every day. I ended up really sick and my wolf almost died. It turned out the vet said she had tick fever, so her immune system was very low.
I went out and bought 10 large boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax. I covered the carpet, the couch cushions, and under them as well. I flung the borax on the bookcase, in shoes, clothes, the boxspring, between the boxspring and mattress, and even on the mattress under the sheet. I never had any allergies to the borax. The smell was like soap...But it didn't sting my eyes like you may think it would. None of the animals seemed bothered by it. I read that you should vacuum it up after a couple hours, but I left it on for two weeks and would stomp on the carpet to get it deep in the fibers. I heard that it takes the moisture out of the fleas, larvae and eggs and kills them by dehydration. It sounded good to me, but I never thought it would work like it did.
It cost me about $20.00 total for all the borax. Unlike the Advantage, which I also bought, I didn't have to wait to see results. Plus, the Advantage didn't work perfectly especially for the high price I had to pay (you usually need a vet visit for the prescription unless you can find a vet who will give you one without a visit).
So that was my solution. I know what a horrible traumatic experience fleas can be and I don't want others to suffer like I did.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Please read all the directions on the Hartz sprays for killing fleas. They're hidden under the label. Our Yorkie became toxic and had to stay at the veterinarian's for four days because of this spray. It's very dangerous and made our pet so sick! Our vet had seen animals die from this spray.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I found that using Bug-Be-Gone works really well. Since I've been using this product, my dogs don't have fleas. You can find this product in any Home Depot. It costs $3. It's worth it. Rub it all over your pet and in their bedding to prevent the fleas from coming back.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I got 2 kittens from a friend and they were covered with fleas. The kittens were too young to use commercial products to get rid of the fleas. Having read all the suggestions here, I decided to use SkinSoSoft bath oil. I put the oil on the kittens and left it on for 2 hours. Then I bathed them with Dawn dishwashing liquid. There were no more fleas. Since I had kept the kittens quarantined to the bathroom, I didn't have to worry about fleas in the rest of the house. I just washed all the towels in hot water, and mopped the floor with bleach water.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Please be very careful when applying the tube of flea killing oil that is put on the neck or down the back of the cat. The similar product for dogs can kill a cat. We put on the flea killer for dog onto our cat and he started twitching and I thought it was a heat stroke. I called the label and they explained the symptoms so we figured we must have used the wrong tube. We had to wash our cat in soapy water then take him to the vet for observation. You have to be careful if you have dogs and cats because sometimes they play and will ingest some that is meant for dogs. I found a product that uses all natural ingredients so it is a lot safer.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I've read most of the additional advice people have posted on fleas. I can't say that I agree with everything, but 2 important things stand out. First, Jennifer is absolutely right - stay away from over-the-counter pesticides. I've seen 2 cats die and 2 others come close to dying shortly after application. Second, ask your veterinarian what works best for fleas. Doctor knows best.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I was told by my Vet to Coat my dog eyes and eye area with a small amount of vaseline. Just for a film protection and to wash my animal in dawn dishwashing detergent. The dawn he said smothers the fleas quickly and the vaseline will protect the eyes so that I can wash the head and face without irritation to the dog.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 watch your cat in baby shampoo to rid of them of fleas...it will not hurt their eyes and the baby shampoo is gentle to the animal...also leave the shampoo on the cat for 5-10 minutes to kill the hard to kill fleas....monica flannery