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Post by thedarkness on Feb 11, 2009 16:45:09 GMT -5
I was wondering if anyone knows of a way to get rid of fleas that does not use the pesticides like are in the flea collars. When I got my puppy she had fleas and the shampoo that my sister had said not to use on puppies under twelve weeks, so we went to the store and bought her one of those Hartz flea collars. Well it turns out that she is allergic to the pesticides in the collar within a day of putting it on her she started to throw up and refused to drink water. I had to force feed her water to keep her hydrated and she was sick for over five days just from wearing the collar for a single day. I don't want to bathe her with a flea shampoo for fear that it will make her even sicker than the collar did. I have heard that you can feed the dog garlic or bath them with lemon water to get rid of the fleas and was wondering if this was true or just one of those rumors that float around and don't work. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Post by bamapitbullmom on Feb 11, 2009 17:00:05 GMT -5
I wouldn't recommend anything made by Hartz, at all.
Flea collars, in general, are a bad idea, for one that don't work effectively, are a hazard (collars can become hung in the mouth or chewed by a resident dog).
There's a thread now about holistic flea preventatives but if she lives outdoors, you will need to treat the kennel area and yard as well. Other animals coming into the yard can and will bring fleas.
I use Comfortis which is a monthly chewable tablet and it kills all fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for a month (I actually only give my dogs one every 3 months or so with a Capstar in between if we are going anywhere where there are other dogs).
There are also heartworm preventatives which include flea preventatives and control.
Then you have specific flea preventions which are given monthly either with topical application or oral. I'd suggest an oral preventative rather than topical.
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Post by valliesong on Feb 11, 2009 19:41:16 GMT -5
Frontline and Advantage are still pesticides, but much safer than your traditional flea products. I personally use an herbal spray and diatomaceous earth, but my dogs don't spend too much time outside.
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snipe
I Love RPBF!
Posts: 421
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Post by snipe on Feb 11, 2009 22:10:25 GMT -5
I wouldn't recommend anything made by Hartz, at all. Flea collars, in general, are a bad idea, for one that don't work effectively, are a hazard (collars can become hung in the mouth or chewed by a resident dog). There's a thread now about holistic flea preventatives but if she lives outdoors, you will need to treat the kennel area and yard as well. Other animals coming into the yard can and will bring fleas. I use Comfortis which is a monthly chewable tablet and it kills all fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for a month (I actually only give my dogs one every 3 months or so with a Capstar in between if we are going anywhere where there are other dogs). There are also heartworm preventatives which include flea preventatives and control. Then you have specific flea preventions which are given monthly either with topical application or oral. I'd suggest an oral preventative rather than topical. Why oral rather than topical?
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Post by bamapitbullmom on Feb 11, 2009 23:59:13 GMT -5
Personally, I think it's more reliable. Topicals must make contact with the skin and most dogs will have the urge to sofa surf or roll after application and I prefer to know that the stuff did in fact stay on. Also, with kids around, I prefer to not use topicals which can be transferred to little hands (and effectively to little mouths). To me they are messy, smelly and since my dogs are on my furniture and in my bed and children's beds and car I don't want topical stuff rubbed off. Not to mention if bathing has an effect (which the companies will claim no but really?) Wrapping a tab in cheese and tossing it to them is much more easy to me and I don't have to wonder if half of it stayed "in".
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snipe
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Post by snipe on Feb 12, 2009 7:00:11 GMT -5
ya that makes sense. i think i'm going to just stick with frontline though, because I have never had a problem.
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Post by RealPitBull on Feb 12, 2009 8:47:21 GMT -5
Here's the thread on holistic flea remedies: www.therealpitbull.proboards50.com/index.cgi?board=bethebestguardianucanbe&action=display&thread=2056Some good ideas in there. I have always managed fleas from the standpoint of diet. A good diet is the first step towards preventing fleas. After that, if I needed to, there are many all natural, safe flea shampoos and sprays that are excellent choices in managing an existing flea problem. My dog does not get any pills, I don't use any topicals and he doesn't wear a flea collar, and I don't spray or use anything to kill fleas in the home (well, because I don't have any fleas). I haven't seen a flea on him in years (only time he's ever had fleas was when we were dealing with a skin issue - IOW, he was sick - and when the skin dis-ease was cleared up, away went the fleas).
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Post by bamapitbullmom on Feb 12, 2009 10:16:57 GMT -5
If I had the option, I wouldn't use anything either but where we live (acreage) practically all of the ranchers have dogs which roam loose. Strays are common since we are very rural and there are feral cats (don't always see them, but they are there).
Sooo...even though it is a rarity, even with all the hosts around, for me to see a flea, I'd rather be proactive.
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Post by RealPitBull on Feb 12, 2009 11:01:08 GMT -5
If I had the option, I wouldn't use anything either but where we live (acreage) practically all of the ranchers have dogs which roam loose. Strays are common since we are very rural and there are feral cats (don't always see them, but they are there). Sooo...even though it is a rarity, even with all the hosts around, for me to see a flea, I'd rather be proactive. Yup, since I live in suburbia and only have one indoor dog, it's a little easier to keep fleas at bay.
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Post by valliesong on Feb 12, 2009 14:49:00 GMT -5
I foster cats and generally use Frontline or Advantage on the incoming ones, or the rescue uses Revolution because it does ear mites, too. I haven't had a flea infestation in my house or on any of my pets - just usually find one or two fleas a season. And that's with living a few blocks from farm fields and taking walks out there and by the river.
I feed the dogs garlic twice a week and use the herbal spray. It is citronella and a couple herbal oils made into a pet spray - I can't find the bottle right now to tell you exactly which ones.
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Post by thedarkness on Feb 12, 2009 15:37:29 GMT -5
Thanks for all of the good information! I think I'm going to try some of those herbal remedies because if she had such a bad reaction to the flea collar I'd hate for her to have an even worse reaction because of a pill or shampoo I used.
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Post by bamapitbullmom on Feb 12, 2009 21:38:29 GMT -5
BTW~ Comfortis is very safe for very young puppies and in a pinch a drop of Dawn dishwashing liquid (regular kind, not scented) in about 1.5 gallon of water will kill fleas...we've used this on baby/baby puppies when we need to get the critters off of them. Not to be considered a preventative, by any means, of course.
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