FLEAS!!! We need help!!

[k9krazee]

Omg...we are losing the battle against fleas :( It all started when I brought in the flea infested foster kittens and as soon as they entered the house we gave them all baths and the dogs were bathed also. We have two of the five kittens left (they have been recovering from URIs) and I thought the fleas were under control but I gave one of the kittens a bath today and there were tons of fleas, the other kitten wasn't as bad. I also gave Jack and Mini flea baths so far today and sprayed flea killer everywhere imaginable. The dogs are frontlined every month but we still have fleas :confused: I am still going to bathe Micki and Kyra but Shadow can't have a bath because of her surgery.

What can I do!?!?! We haven't EVER had fleas before! We are planning on bombing the house, or at least my room where the kittens are staying but we can't do that until Saturday-Sunday...Should I just continue bathing and spraying? Any home remedies, I think the major problem is I don't have any flea shampoo for the kittens, they are 10 wks old and I haven't found anything that I can use on them. I'm going crazy, I feel that this problem is getting out of hand and I don't know how to stop it! Any advice, anyone???

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Try Frontline - works for both my cat and dog. Pretty sure it can be used on kitties from 8 weeks

[vinjashira]

Yes, I use Frontline for Snowy as well.

[areias]

She says they're on frontline. I don't think there's too much you can do. What are you washing them with? Regular Dawn dish detergent works wonders. Lather them up and let them sit for 15min, rinse them, and you can watch the fleas being washed away. Then there is a very cheap product called 20mule team borox, sold in most grocery stores, it will smother and kill flea eggs. Just sprinkle it in the carpet, use a broom on it to make sure you get everywhere, and let it sit a few minutes. Then vacuum it up, and throw the bag away. It works wonders after 2-3 times.

If you have a chemical hose sprayer, or can get one, grab some ammonia and spray the yard. It won't kill the plants but it will kill the bugs.

[k9krazee]

Thanks, yes, they are on frontline...the dogs anyway, the kittens aren't. I've been washing the dogs with flea/tick shampoo and the kittens with Johnsons baby shampoo. We bought Flea Raid, its a spray and have been spraying everything down. I'll try to get the powder you suggested...thanks!

[beeniesmom]

Sometimes Frontline doesn't work.
I use ADVANTAGE and there are never any fleas.
My boss used to use Frontline but her dogs had fleas anyway. As soon as she switched over to Advantage, they never had another flea again!

[Jessika]

To get rid of a flea infestation you have to treat the SOURCE, and the source of the fleas are not the ones that are on your pets!! Fleas live outdoors in your yard, and indoors in your carpet, bedding, and furniture!! Vacuum DAILY, perhaps putting a flea collar in your vacuum bag to help kill any fleas you may vacuum up. After vacuuming, DISPOSE OF THE BAG. Even if its not full do not let it sit around. Put it inside a trashbag, close it up tight, and throw it outside. I've heard ALL KINDS of trick that help repel fleas.. from putting a small dish of pine needles under your couches and such to some sort of salt that kills them.

There are lots of carpet powders you can buy. But don't sprinkle it on and vacuum it immediately up; sprinkle it on, LEAVE it on, and THEN vacuum everything up. This you should probably do one room at a time so if you have children or other pets they can't get into the powder.

And bomb and/or spray your yard very well!! I've also heard that planting Azalea bushes help repel fleas, too (I wouldn't know though since Jamie and Charlie ATE all of ours! :()

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Thanks, yes, they are on frontline...the dogs anyway, the kittens aren't. I've been washing the dogs with flea/tick shampoo and the kittens with Johnsons baby shampoo.

That shampoo maybe your problem. Frontline is waterproof, but soaps will pull the frontline off. I use Tropi-clean shampoos (http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=9791&sku=747254&redirectURL=%2fShop%2fSearchResults.aspx%3fN%3d0%2 6Ntt%3dTropiClean%26cm_ven%3dngo%26cm_cat%3d240%26 cm_pla%3dproductbrand%26cm_ite%3d4682834%26CMRefer ringUrl%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.google.com%252fse arch%253fclient%253dsafari%2526rls%253den%2526q%25 3dtropiclean%2526ie%253dUTF-8%2526oe%253dUTF-8&N=0&Ntt=TropiClean&cm_ven=ngo&cm_cat=240&cm_pla=productbrand&cm_ite=4682834&CMReferringUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.google.com%2fsearc h%3fclient%3dsafari%26rls%3den%26q%3dtropiclean%26 ie%3dUTF-8%26oe%3dUTF-8) because they don't remove the frontline.

I'd also recommend getting frontline on the kitties.

[pitc9]

I use Revolution and have never had a problem with fleas.
I would use dawn dish soap like areias said, I've heard that does a great job of getting the fleas off the animal, but you still have to make sure you rid the entire house and yard of fleas too!

[king2005]

When you bathe the pets, start on the head & work your way down, cause if you leave the head for last, the little buggers can hide in the ears & then the problem will start all over again.. Try a flea collar on the kittens to keep the fleas off their heads.

[wolfsoul]

Try bathing them in coconut shampoo or coconut milk and peppermint or peppermint shampoo. This is also safe for the kittens. :) This is what we use at work because it is all natural and safe. Leave it in the fur for ten or 15 minutes and then rinse. Remember though, you have to do lots of vacuuming and you should probably spray the yard. Don't use flea collars, they are terribly unhealthy. You can buy cedar collars -- they are natural and don't contain any harmful chemicals. You can also get cedar-spray. The dogs can get one clove of garlic a day (but not the kitties!). I've read that placing your dog near a bowl of beer will cause the fleas to jump into the beer and drown, but I don't know if that's just an urban legend. Good luck!

[clarebear]

You can buy flea drops from the vets,

You dont have to wash them, just simply put the drops on the back of their fur on their necks. We do it with Ben and Sophie.
Please ask the vets first about it and make sure its safe for them! and read the lable!

It will work wonders for the one that cant have baths.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Sorry - didn't read the whole thread properly.....

When I took Brody for her first appointment she was riddled with fleas - in fact the vet said if he put her on the table they could probably carry her around (yuck!) - anyway, he gave her an injection (sorry, don't know what it was) and that evening I spent an hour with a flea comb and a bowl of hot water and just combed them out of her as they died. I rinsed the comb after every run through of her fur and by the end the water was a mass of "bodies". After this we sprayed the house and furniture and am happy to report that regular use of Frontline has kept them both flea-free.

Excuse me, while I go and have a good old scratch!! :D

[clarebear]

Excuse me, while I go and have a good old scratch!! :D[/QUOTE]


I know what you mean! I have started to scratch too!. This wont look good in the vets! LOL

Everybody will think I have fleas and will start to worry! LOL :D :p

[Kfamr]

Sometimes Frontline doesn't work.
I use ADVANTAGE and there are never any fleas.
My boss used to use Frontline but her dogs had fleas anyway. As soon as she switched over to Advantage, they never had another flea again!

This is the exact opposite for me. Advantage NEVER EVER worked for us. The fleas kept coming and coming. Then the vet told us to use Frontline, he uses it on his dogs. We used it once, it got rid of the fleas, and we haven't had to use it since.

[k9krazee]

Well tomorrow is the big day...we went to the vet today and got enough Advantage for the dogs, cats and kittens and a couple of flea collars to put in the vacuum and on top of the guinea pig cages...tomorrow the whole house is going to be thoroughly cleaned and sprayed as well as the yard. I wanted to thank everyone for their advice and hopefully we'll get rid of these things for good!!

[Jessika]

Ohhhh GOOD LUCK!! :)