View Full Version : 25 yrs of having dogs before ever seeing a flea...
Have never had to treat any dogs in the past at all and have never had any issues with fleas until recently.
When they did get them they got them good though! :)
Tried the Frontline stuff first along with washing all their bedding and such. Pretty sure the Frontline stuff did nothing but piss the fleas off. Was seeing the fleas beep bopping around on the kitchen tile floor like they didn't have a care in the world. :(
Screw them - We are going to war now!
Girls got to go for a ride in the tub last night with some flea shampoo I got at TSC. (too cold for the hose bath outside)
https://i.imgur.com/fSXXIXE.jpg
The girls were actually pretty good about it. Saw a bunch of dead ass flea bodies floating in their bath of doom. If the fleas were not so small I would have mounted a few of them on toothpicks and set them in the ground outside as a visual warning to their flea buddies out there but...
https://i.imgur.com/U3781oR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kGGn4Dj.jpg
That flea bath seemed to zap em pretty good. Girls got all dried out and are back happy and I am working on all the bedding stuff now getting it all cleaned up.
https://i.imgur.com/cr3T8EW.jpg
Was funny when bathing them that the one girl Patience knew what was up and avoided that bathroom as long as she could. She saw me take her sister in there and stayed the heck away till it was her turn.
Once the one was done and Patience was getting her turn Dystopia kept popping her head around the corning watching me do her sister up. Was almost like she was laughing at her for being a wuss and not going first like she did. :)
1_click_off
11-14-21, 11:00
If they pop up again in a week or so, they may have laid eggs in the carpet if you have any. Precor 2000 plus is your friend in that case.
Sharks, funny.
Another great bug killer that is friendly around kids and pets is Suspend SC. Looks like Elmer’s glue and you mix it with water and apply with a pump sprayer. This works great fir spiders, wasps, cockroaches. It is micro-encapsulated and is like bug bubble wrap. They walk on it and it pops with the insecticide power, the critters clean themselves and ingest it. Wasps might get the stem build on their nest, but that is usually as far as it gets.
If they pop up again in a week or so, they may have laid eggs in the carpet if you have any. Precor 2000 plus is your friend in that case.
Sharks, funny.
Another great bug killer that is friendly around kids and pets is Suspend SC. Looks like Elmer’s glue and you mix it with water and apply with a pump sprayer. This works great fir spiders, wasps, cockroaches. It is micro-encapsulated and is like bug bubble wrap. They walk on it and it pops with the insecticide power, the critters clean themselves and ingest it. Wasps might get the stem build on their nest, but that is usually as far as it gets.
Appreciate the heck out the wisdom there! As said - I have never been down this road before and advice is welcome for sure.
Thanks again sir. :)
Just one room here they go in with carpet and in the process of dealing with it now...
Picked this up for inside the truck (they ride with me a LOT) and other stuff that was too difficult to wash in a machine -
https://i.imgur.com/O4BYiSr.jpg
No idea if it was snake oil or not...
If you have carpet, vacuum 3, 4 times a day.
polydeuces
11-14-21, 13:47
Having dogs in Florida is a guarantee for fleas in nightmarish proportions.
After 35+ years of owning dogs, endless dipping, spraying house, yard etc there is a new generation of flea meds - Trifexis or a more recent one, Simparica.
Literally a gift from the Gods.
Prescription only and stupid expensive but it will AB-SO-LU-TE-LY guaranteed get rid of them.
No need to dip, shampoo, spray etc. ever again.
Don't waste your time on anything else.
Having dogs in Florida is a guarantee for fleas in nightmarish proportions.
After 35+ years of owning dogs, endless dipping, spraying house, yard etc there is a new generation of flea meds - Trifexis or a more recent one, Simparica.
Literally a gift from the Gods.
Prescription only and stupid expensive but it will AB-SO-LU-TE-LY guaranteed get rid of them.
No need to dip, shampoo, spray etc. ever again.
Don't waste your time on anything else.
A friend from shop near work said same. He claimed that the things had evolved over time and become immune to Frontline sort of stuff and that if I wanted them gone to use the Trifexis stuff and be done with it.
I think he said Advantix was a good topical to use as well over the Frontline.
Appreciate the advice here. Will warn the mom that recently moved to Florida about her new environment for sure... :)
If you have carpet, vacuum 3, 4 times a day.
Am definitely on that one! Been making sure the vacuum is clean as well for maximum suction! :)
Am definitely on that one! Been making sure the vacuum is clean as well for maximum suction! :)Absolutely, this did most of the deed for me as far as the house was concerned. Furniture too. Be merciless! I like to think the cloud of invectives I spewed the whole time helped too.
Sent from my BE2028 using Tapatalk
What state do you live in?
In Florida no "treatment" ever worked. I had to regularly hit them with Adams flea spray. Adams is also useful for treating the house IF they get inside.
I'd have to give my dogs baths weekly and then hit them with Adams. We were probably the only house for miles that didn't have fleas indoors because they were everywhere outside.
sidewaysil80
11-14-21, 20:35
Silly question for the Florida aspect, would not having carpet (i.e. only hardwood/tile) have any positive effect?
Silly question for the Florida aspect, would not having carpet (i.e. only hardwood/tile) have any positive effect?
We had tiles floors which kept the house cooler and definitely helped prevent infestations. You get fleas in carpets and you have a lot of work in front of you.
Adrenaline_6
11-15-21, 08:57
I'm in Florida. Never had a flea problem. Been here since 2005 and have had multiple dogs the whole time that have acces to play in our very good sized back yard that is backed up against a forest preserve in our neighborhood.
They are on Ivermectin for heartworm, but get the industrial dose (still safe). I just buy the 1% 50ml injectable bottle for Cattle and Swine for about $40 and 1cc syringes that have removeable (screw off) dull needles. You need the dull needles for extracting the Ivermectin out of the bottle, then just unscrew the syringe off the needle and squirt it in their mouth. Follow it up with a treat or two. The dosage is 1cc per 100 lbs. - the 1cc syringe is clearly marked in tenths of a cc. This dosage is a lot higher than what they get in the Heartguard type chewables, but lower than if they were being treated for mange. Works like a champ and you save a sh*t ton of money.
If you have flea and egg problems in your carpet, buy some borax, spread that throughout the carpet and broom brush it in. Vacuum it up after. The borax will eat them and the eggs up. Cheap....easy.
Ivermectin sample here: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/agrilabs-agri-mectin-1-injection-50-ml-1251875?cm_mmc=feed-_-BingShopping-_-Product-_-1251875&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20-%20All%20Products&utm_term=4585375807245420&utm_content=All%20Products
1cc syringes with blunt needles here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBSWJ5R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They are on Ivermectin for heartworm, but get the industrial dose (still safe). I just buy the 1% 50ml injectable bottle for Cattle and Swine for about $40 and 1cc syringes that have removeable (screw off) dull needles. You need the dull needles for extracting the Ivermectin out of the bottle, then just unscrew the syringe off the needle and squirt it in their mouth. Follow it up with a treat or two. The dosage is 1cc per 100 lbs. - the 1cc syringe is clearly marked in tenths of a cc. This dosage is a lot higher than what they get in the Heartguard type chewables, but lower than if they were being treated for mange. Works like a champ and you save a sh*t ton of money.
Just giving you (or anyone else reading here) a heads up about that stuff, the way you are doing it and heartworms -
Laura Blagburn did a really awesome study on the different strains of heartworms and the efficacy of several of the different preventatives currently on the market. Her name and heartworms strains will get you google results for further reading if you are interested - Or I can send you a link or two... Both her and her husband are what I would consider 'specialists' as it pertains to parasites and dogs. They have literally written books about it.
Yes, there are are different strains of hearworms and while Ivermectin is one of the safest and oldest products out there it did not fare all that well against some of the newer strains of heartworms. The only preventative tested that was 100% effective against every strain they threw at it was the Bayer Advantage Multi. Downsides to that product are that it is newer (and not long term tested for side effects nearly as much as some of the others), it is expensive as hell, and there is zero guarantee. If your pooch develops heartworms due to some new strain next year you are on your own dealing with it.
Ivermectin did not do so well against some of the newer strains (dogs still developed heartworms when exposed to particular strains - not always but still not 100% effective at preventing them in all cases). Not saying it did 'poorly' - just pointing out that in some cases it was not 100% effective. In her studies they go into detail about the percentages and with what strains they tested it against.
The upside to the Ivermectin in the Heartguard chewables from Merial is that if you give it monthly as directed and can show proof (of purchase and yearly testing) they will 100% cover the costs of treatment 'if' fido does develop hearworms no matter what strain they come down with. Will cost you zero out of pocket for the crap ton of money it cost to kill those bastards after the fact... They are the only product out there with this sort of guarantee about paying for the treatment 'if' needed. Another upside is the stuff has been around for a very long time and has a good record of not causing a lot of side effects / issues when given in the suggested dosages (you can read about the testing at the FDA for yourself but the reality is that even at dosages way beyond what they suggest very few adverse reactions were ever reported - The stuff is very safe and they have been testing it / using it for a ton of years now. If dogs were overdosing on it and having problems it would have been reported long ago...)
The way you are doing / giving the stuff - You are missing out on any sort of guarantee from anyone. If fido does get exposed to some new strain next year or whenever you are on your own if you decide to go the treatment route to try and kill the adult heartworms vs just waiting for them to die off on their own and hoping they do not do too much damage before they do...
I do the Ivermectin thing with my dogs but I get it from Merial and jump through the hoops they require with the yearly testing and saving my purchase receipts and such. I like the fact it has been around so long and is 'safe' but I also like the guarantee that they will eat the cost of any treatment 'if' it should ever be needed thanks to them getting exposed to some new strain that comes along that happens to be resistant and get through. Might choose differently if I had a different breed with fewer known potential heart issues floating around but with Dobermans - Not willing to risk it.
I do appreciate your advice here and trying to help me out with the flea problem. Plan to talk to the Vet about upping their dosage of the Heartguard / Ivermectin (without messing up the Merial guarantee) that they have been getting and seeing if it may help. I am fairly confident a higher dose will not hurt them just need to talk to their Vet to make sure I don't screw it up somehow.
We had tiles floors which kept the house cooler and definitely helped prevent infestations. You get fleas in carpets and you have a lot of work in front of you.
Carpet here is less than a few years old but still -
Tile or hard floor is a thousand time easier to clean and keep clean than any carpet will ever be...
Not to mention being able to SEE the things. You can't see a flea in carpet for squat but with light colored tile flooring that thing is standing out and visible. Especially so if they start hopping around / moving.
I only spotted one tonight on the tile floor in the kitchen here. Got his ass with my bic lighter and sent him straight to flea hell. Lighter did absolutely nothing to that tile other than warm up a spot for a few seconds. Would have made a really expensive mess trying the same thing on carpet.
Adrenaline_6
11-17-21, 08:10
Just giving you (or anyone else reading here) a heads up about that stuff, the way you are doing it and heartworms -
Laura Blagburn did a really awesome study on the different strains of heartworms and the efficacy of several of the different preventatives currently on the market. Her name and heartworms strains will get you google results for further reading if you are interested - Or I can send you a link or two... Both her and her husband are what I would consider 'specialists' as it pertains to parasites and dogs. They have literally written books about it.
Yes, there are are different strains of hearworms and while Ivermectin is one of the safest and oldest products out there it did not fare all that well against some of the newer strains of heartworms. The only preventative tested that was 100% effective against every strain they threw at it was the Bayer Advantage Multi. Downsides to that product are that it is newer (and not long term tested for side effects nearly as much as some of the others), it is expensive as hell, and there is zero guarantee. If your pooch develops heartworms due to some new strain next year you are on your own dealing with it.
Ivermectin did not do so well against some of the newer strains (dogs still developed heartworms when exposed to particular strains - not always but still not 100% effective at preventing them in all cases). Not saying it did 'poorly' - just pointing out that in some cases it was not 100% effective. In her studies they go into detail about the percentages and with what strains they tested it against.
The upside to the Ivermectin in the Heartguard chewables from Merial is that if you give it monthly as directed and can show proof (of purchase and yearly testing) they will 100% cover the costs of treatment 'if' fido does develop hearworms no matter what strain they come down with. Will cost you zero out of pocket for the crap ton of money it cost to kill those bastards after the fact... They are the only product out there with this sort of guarantee about paying for the treatment 'if' needed. Another upside is the stuff has been around for a very long time and has a good record of not causing a lot of side effects / issues when given in the suggested dosages (you can read about the testing at the FDA for yourself but the reality is that even at dosages way beyond what they suggest very few adverse reactions were ever reported - The stuff is very safe and they have been testing it / using it for a ton of years now. If dogs were overdosing on it and having problems it would have been reported long ago...)
The way you are doing / giving the stuff - You are missing out on any sort of guarantee from anyone. If fido does get exposed to some new strain next year or whenever you are on your own if you decide to go the treatment route to try and kill the adult heartworms vs just waiting for them to die off on their own and hoping they do not do too much damage before they do...
I do the Ivermectin thing with my dogs but I get it from Merial and jump through the hoops they require with the yearly testing and saving my purchase receipts and such. I like the fact it has been around so long and is 'safe' but I also like the guarantee that they will eat the cost of any treatment 'if' it should ever be needed thanks to them getting exposed to some new strain that comes along that happens to be resistant and get through. Might choose differently if I had a different breed with fewer known potential heart issues floating around but with Dobermans - Not willing to risk it.
I do appreciate your advice here and trying to help me out with the flea problem. Plan to talk to the Vet about upping their dosage of the Heartguard / Ivermectin (without messing up the Merial guarantee) that they have been getting and seeing if it may help. I am fairly confident a higher dose will not hurt them just need to talk to their Vet to make sure I don't screw it up somehow.
You are free to deal with the "risks" as you see fit. I have been doing this for years - multiple generations of dogs. Zero heartworm problems. Zero flea and tick problems. Instead of doubling up on the heartguard, just get what I linked and augment what you are giving to them now. Just give them about a 3/4 dose (not that a full dose would do anything harmful anyway).
Yes, Dobies have known heart problems but that is totally unrelated to heartworms. It is more DCM that is the growing problem.
You are free to deal with the "risks" as you see fit. I have been doing this for years - multiple generations of dogs. Zero heartworm problems. Zero flea and tick problems. Instead of doubling up on the heartguard, just get what I linked and augment what you are giving to them now. Just give them about a 3/4 dose (not that a full dose would do anything harmful anyway).
Yes, Dobies have known heart problems but that is totally unrelated to heartworms. It is more DCM that is the growing problem.
Anything that weakens or does damage to the heart is going to make DCM a lot more ugly.
Curious if you do the heartworm testing on your dogs or no?
Carpet here is less than a few years old but still -
Tile or hard floor is a thousand time easier to clean and keep clean than any carpet will ever be...
Not to mention being able to SEE the things. You can't see a flea in carpet for squat but with light colored tile flooring that thing is standing out and visible. Especially so if they start hopping around / moving.
I only spotted one tonight on the tile floor in the kitchen here. Got his ass with my bic lighter and sent him straight to flea hell. Lighter did absolutely nothing to that tile other than warm up a spot for a few seconds. Would have made a really expensive mess trying the same thing on carpet.
Get a couple bottles of Adams Flea and Tick spray. Buy the stuff meant to go on your dog and not the home spray. Then use the stuff meant for your dog on the carpets and such. Kills fleas, eggs and the entire life cycle. Isn't toxic to dogs and doesn't smell like you bombed your house with raid.
Do the obvious stuff, cover their eyes so you don't spray it in their eyes when getting top of head, etc. Try not to spray into mouth, etc. If you dogs have a thick coat, spray and then comb it into the roots.
I would also do a barrier spray and get door thresholds and things like that.
Everyone tries to do once a month treatments and wonders why they have fleas. In Florida you are giving your dogs baths once a week and that stuff just gets washed off, but you get better results with weekly treatments of Adams anyway and it's cheaper.
Adrenaline_6
11-18-21, 08:22
Anything that weakens or does damage to the heart is going to make DCM a lot more ugly.
Curious if you do the heartworm testing on your dogs or no?
Sire, every time I take them into their checkups. Heartworm testing is part of the process. Never a positive. Ever.
If your dog has DCM, sure, heartworm isn't going to help, but that is the least of your problems. What I meant is that they are not related in anyway. Totally separate.
I looked up the resistant strain you were talking about and although it does exist, the bottom line is it really hasn't shown to be a problem. They also mention getting heartworm depends on how much exposure and how healthy the dogs immune system is to begin with. Heartworm isn't like Ebola, etc where if your directly exposed to it your pretty much screwed. A healthy dogs own immune system can also kill heartworm microfilariae just by itself. This is why wolves and such all don't die from it even though they are exposed to it at a way higher rate than domesticated dogs. Their own immune system can kill it. If you add a pretty healthy and cared for dog to a healthy dose of Ivermectin, your risks are almost zero.
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