Jennifer Lee wrote 02/27/2011 03:01 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #319031 - 02/27/2011 03:01 PM
Jennifer Lee Webboard User Reg: 12-16-2007 Posts: 2851 Loc: oklahoma Offline	My methods are somewhat extreme, but with a hypersensitive dog it only takes one flea to start the process of hair falling out, yeast infection, hot spots and just general misery. Don't forget to either dust, vacuum, or wash anywhere there might be dust or dog hair. Not just the floors. You might also want to try a simple flea trap, in a shallow dish mix up very soapy water, then you can either use a candle in the dish or suspend a light over the the water, the little nasties will jump towards the heat and drown in the soapy water!! It really works!!! It is so much work to get rid of them! I spent months and hundreds of dollars trying to kill them all last year. This year we have hired a company to spray our yard and under the house, had the ducts cleaned, and I have already started everyone back on comfortis and frontline.
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Connie Sutherland wrote 02/27/2011 03:16 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Jennifer Lee ] #319032 - 02/27/2011 03:16 PM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	I was extreme too. I could see that one little senior was on his way to a full-blown allergy (which, since fleas have many different antigens in their saliva, and since the dog increases the reaction when he bites and scratches at the skin, can and usually does start small and get worse). He actually had see-through spots on his shins and one thigh where I could see red inflamed bumpy skin with no black fur. "It is so much work to get rid of them!" Too true! I was using the hand vac AND the big vacuum on the bed, on the couches .... and that sucker weighs a ton to lift up onto those surfaces .... and doing all the carpeting more than once a day. I even rubbed the little dog's itchy spots for him when I saw him biting and scratching so I could give him relief without claws and teeth breaking the skin. I also found (and drowned in soapy water) a few fleas that way. It took a few weeks. It happened right before Christmas and wasn't fully controlled until about February 10.
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Bob Scott wrote 02/27/2011 03:54 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #319038 - 02/27/2011 03:54 PM
Bob Scott Moderator Reg: 06-14-2002 Posts: 7417 Loc: St. Louis Mo Offline	What are thoughts on putting flea collars inside the vac to kill them as they are captured? I've always heard about doing that. I've also heard about setting up a pan of soapy water with a florescent bulb over it close. It's supposed to lure them to the pan where they drown. old dogs LOVE to learn new tricks
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Connie Sutherland wrote 02/27/2011 04:09 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Bob Scott ] #319042 - 02/27/2011 04:09 PM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	Quote: Bob Scott What are thoughts on putting flea collars inside the vac to kill them as they are captured? I've always heard about doing that. I've also heard about setting up a pan of soapy water with a florescent bulb over it close. It's supposed to lure them to the pan where they drown. I don't know, Bob. I've hear of it but never read up on it (the flea collar in the vacuum bag). I'm phobic about flea collars and anything else from Hartz, including Hartz Flea & Tick drops, and maybe they are all similar. Hartz has an amazing history of lawsuits and settlements. I did try the candle-in-a-pan-of-water thing but it didn't work for me. I admit that I didn't give it more than a few hours because I was worried about the candle at coffee-table level. I did find that a drop of dish soap in the bowls of water that I was keeping in the rooms so I could submerge any flea I could grab off a dog made it much easier: the fleas could no longer whisk over to the side and hop out; they sank like tiny evil stones. I was happy. I kept the same bowl on the coffee table for days for a body count: I could count their miserable little bodies and rub my hands together and laugh at their cruel deaths.
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Kelly Byrd wrote 02/27/2011 04:17 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #319046 - 02/27/2011 04:17 PM
Kelly Byrd Webboard User Reg: 07-28-2010 Posts: 2249 Loc: Tacoma, WA Offline	Quote: Connie Sutherland I did find that a drop of dish soap in the bowls of water that I was keeping in the rooms so I could submerge any flea I could grab off a dog made it much easier: the fleas could no longer whisk over to the side and hop out; they sank like tiny evil stones. I was happy. I kept the same bowl on the coffee table for days for a body count: I could count their miserable little bodies and rub my hands together and laugh at their cruel deaths. I've never tried that. If I ever find myself with a flea issue again, I'll have to! I'll admit though, one of my sick pleasures that I take in working as a vet tech is when a patient come in with fleas. We'll pick as many off as we can, and pop the heads off on the exam table. Makes a very satisfying crunch/pop. Then into a kennel the pet goes, with a dose of capstar on board. Let the fun begin! Soooooo satisfying. (till the pet goes home and gets infested again)
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Connie Sutherland wrote 02/27/2011 04:20 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Kelly Byrd ] #319047 - 02/27/2011 04:20 PM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	Yeah, one of my club friends told be she likes to cut them in half with her fingernail. I like the effect of the body swirling rapidly down through the water-with-dish-soap-added to land with great finality on the bottom. No water-skiing for those miserable bassids! eta I have not tried the head-popping yet. I was afraid that if I tried to do anything that involved loosening my grip, it might get away. So I ducked my fingers under the water in the bowl and flicked the flea off under the water. With plain water, I actually saw some come up to the surface and head for the side, and I would have to keep popping them under with a finger. Not with a drop of dish soap, though! Edited by Connie Sutherland (02/27/2011 04:23 PM) Edit reason: eta
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Kelly Byrd wrote 02/27/2011 05:31 PM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #319056 - 02/27/2011 05:31 PM
Kelly Byrd Webboard User Reg: 07-28-2010 Posts: 2249 Loc: Tacoma, WA Offline	Quote: Connie Sutherland I like the effect of the body swirling rapidly down through the water-with-dish-soap-added to land with great finality on the bottom. No water-skiing for those miserable bassids! eta I have not tried the head-popping yet. ROFL!!!! I'll make you a deal. Next time we get the opportunity (hopefully never, right?!) I'll try the water/dish soap, and you try popping it. Do our dogs have ANY idea how much we love them?!?
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Wendy Lefebvre wrote 02/28/2011 08:21 AM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #319106 - 02/28/2011 08:21 AM
Wendy Lefebvre Webboard User Reg: 12-08-2005 Posts: 1271 Loc: Stoney Creek , Ontario, Canada Offline	Quote: Connie Sutherland When fleas got in here, I vacuumed more than once a day for a week, along with the dog-blanket laundry, etc., etc. It was an all-out assault. Make sure to use hot hot water when you wash the dogs bedding etc. And Washing down the area that the bed is in is critical or any area that the dog spends alot of time. Fleas only stay on the dog for feeding and once done they hop off and live in the crevices, cracks and even in the folds of the dog's bed. hot hot hot water! the hotest you can get to wash! and be diligent with cleaning his living area. Don't complain....TRAIN!!!
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Chris Knepper wrote 02/28/2011 08:54 AM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Wendy Lefebvre ] #319113 - 02/28/2011 08:54 AM
Chris Knepper Webboard User Reg: 11-21-2003 Posts: 200 Loc: southern ca Offline	Salt all carpets then vacuum and toss out bags or empty into bag then seal. The salt will kill the eggs and adults. Found this helps a lot without harsh chemicals. WHEN I SEE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, I'D BE WILLING TO DIE PROTECTING IT.
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Connie Sutherland wrote 02/28/2011 11:04 AM Re: Scratching And Itching [Re: Chris Knepper ] #319146 - 02/28/2011 11:04 AM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	Quote: Chris Knepper Salt all carpets then vacuum and toss out bags or empty into bag then seal. The salt will kill the eggs and adults. Found this helps a lot without harsh chemicals. Wow! I didn't know this! Excellent!!
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