Flea Treatments

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

When it comes to treating fleas, you have to do a three step attack.

1. Treat the dog. I have been using Frontline and it works well for me. I know about the new pill, but I have not used it yet. I would like to switch to it when I run out of Frontline.

2. Treat your living spaces, especially rooms with rugs and carpets. Like the commercial says, fleas really do love to live in your carpet. I have been using a product called Flea Stoppers. Basically its powdered boric acid. You sprinkle it into your carpets like carpet powder, sweep it in, and leave it there for a few days.

3. Treat your yard. There are a few products by Scotts and other companies that you can buy from Home Depot or Lowes. They are in the pesticide aisle.


I highly recommend doing all three at the same time.

I speak from personal experience.....

This...all this!! I would just add to start by treating the dog with a flea bath and then the pill/drops. Drop the dog at the vet/groomer and have the house/yard treated while he/she is gone. I used professional services for 2 and 3, but I'm sure the at-home stuff is fine too.

[thetalady]

I will add that you MUST wash all dog beds & blankets at the same time you are doing everything else... and I really mean at the SAME time, not the next day. Treatment usually takes at least 2x to kill all adult fleas, then 2 weeks alter to catch fleas that were still in the eggs during the first treatment.

Sprinkle boric acid powder into carpets and let it sit for a while before vacuuming. It is cheap, sold in the stores in the laundry section. Non-toxic.

I use Trifexis, the HW + flea protection monthly pill. Works pretty well for us and I have one or two new dogs in my home from shelters every month!

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

I would just add to start by treating the dog with a flea bath and then the pill/drops.

NO!! You cannot wash the dog within 24 hours before OR after you use the topical treatments, like Revolution or Frontline. The topicals work by spreading across the dog's body with the natural oil in the dog's skin. If you wash the dog, you remove those natural oils and the liquid will not spread evenly and cover completely.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by thetalady

NO!! You cannot wash the dog within 24 hours before OR after you use the topical treatments, like Revolution or Frontline. The topicals work by spreading across the dog's body with the natural oil in the dog's skin. If you wash the dog, you remove those natural oils and the liquid will not spread evenly and cover completely.

My bad...no need to shout...we use the pill, but I could have sworn that when I used the drops my vet told me to guard them right after the bath.

/sklunks back off into a corner...

[thetalady]

Sorry, Shirley, I can really get overly excited when it comes to dogs No sklunking needed on your part!