Flea infestation

[LaManchaPaul]

I've been battling (at war with) fleas for three weeks and they are winning. I dusted the area of access by the dogs with Sevan 10% and bathe my two house dogs daily. At bath there are several dozen fleas on each one - each time; so they have to get them from the back yard. The two G Pyr pups (3 mos) don't have the high numbers of fleas perhaps because I started them on a free sample of Frontline that came with their heart wormer. They also are in the barnyard most of the time. I don't see any fleas on the goats.

Frontline is so expensive I can't possible use it. Any suggestions? Tx. Paul

[Naturaldane]

you can buy frontline via spray bottle that makes things allot cheaper, however some areas it just flat out doesnt work.
Natural things, DE, skin so soft mixed with tea tree oil, and deflea.

The new primeris flea stuff is blowing bad results through every one of my forums with adverse reactions.
I tried everything last year and the only thing I could find that worked was advantix, which is also expensive. You an try cap stars for a week if you only have a couple of dogs to treat. Fleas like clean hair so giving the dogs a bath every day isnt doing as much good as you think.
Back before going natural as possible, I kept flea dip in a spray bottle to use, its easier than trying to dunk 10 cats and 8 dogs, three being danes. Zodiac has killed well in the past, but like wormers, fleas can build a tolerance for the chemicals, hence why some people can find success in hertz products again because they became less used than the vet stuff.
Its a heck of a battle. Oh, borax on your carpet will kill them without putting poison down on the floors, dont put on the critters

[anita_fc]

Originally Posted by LaManchaPaul

I've been battling (at war with) fleas for three weeks and they are winning. <> At bath there are several dozen fleas on each one - each time; so they have to get them from the back yard. The two G Pyr pups (3 mos) don't have the high numbers of fleas perhaps because I started them on a free sample of Frontline that came with their heart wormer. They also are in the barnyard most of the time. I don't see any fleas on the goats.

Frontline is so expensive I can't possible use it. Any suggestions? Tx. Paul

You need to treat the back yard. When I lived in southern Calif, it was well known that to effectively treat fleas, you must treat the animals AND their environment. Fleas WILL hang out in the grass, especially in sandy soils.

So far as treating the animals, I have found the FrontLine Plus to be well worth the price in the long run. You can spend a ton of money on half-as-effective products and still have a problem. One dose of FrontLine Plus lasts for 3 months, and they come in 3-dose packages. So yeah, it seems expensive, but it isn't in the long run.

Are you using any kind of flea shampoo when you bathe? Most flea shampoos have a residual effect which keeps the fleas off for a few days. So bathing every day, you should NOT be seeing new fleas.

When using a flea shampoo, it's important to follow the directions to the letter. Start lathering the dog from the ears backward. To do otherwise will drive fleas to the dog's head - that is a horrible site to behold. Once lathered, you let the dog soak for about 5, whatever the directions say.

Keep the dogs in, then go spray your yard with one of the flea-insecticides, and allow it to dry. If there are dog houses, spray the insides of those, too. Your yard will be safe for the dogs again once it has dried.

Let your dogs out, and start on the indoors. Vacuum THOROUGHLY, all carpets and furniture. Then use a flea product specifically for INDOORs. There are carpet sprays on the market that will kill all stages of fleas.

Coordination of effort is the most important part of flea control, probably moreso than the brands you use. Usually, your veterinarian will have a handout about the most effective products readily available in your area, as well as the coordination of products/efforts.

One final thing: the reason your goats don't have fleas is because these are DOG fleas! If your Pyr puppies have any, the problem will grow worse if left untreated. You'll need to follow the same protocol for the Pyrs' environment as well.

Good luck!
Anita

[Naturaldane]

my dogs fleas didnt discrimiate on my goat, or cats it was all good to them.

[anita_fc]

Yeah, well. They bite people, too. Not sure why they're called the "dog flea", other than maybe that's their preference.
A

[LaManchaPaul]

Thanks. Paul

[Steffiej]

I've had baby goats get fleas from the dogs, and dogs who got fleas from goats. I've also had dogs come home from the groomer with fleas, and then the cats got them. I know people say fleas don't go from one species to another, but I disagree. I also wind up being bitten every time we have them.

[anita_fc]

Originally Posted by Steffiej

I've had baby goats get fleas from the dogs, and dogs who got fleas from goats. I've also had dogs come home from the groomer with fleas, and then the cats got them. I know people say fleas don't go from one species to another, but I disagree. I also wind up being bitten every time we have them.

Ooops! I got it wrong, folks. I mixed up the brown dog TICK with the flea.
The "cat flea" is actually the one found most commonly in the US, but it infests many mammals and birds.

It's the flea life-cycle that makes them so difficult to control. Here is a site that explains it pretty thoroughly:
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/para..._fleacycle.htm