Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: Fleas

  1. #1
    Platinum Member pmbguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    PMB
    Posts
    2,095
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 254 Times in 230 Posts

    Fleas

    I have a huge problem with fleas. I have used every product under the sun on my dogs and still the fleas persist. When I use frontline the fleas are back in 2 days. I wash their bedding once a week, I put flea powder everywhere, but nothing helps. I recently got live stock dip called Dazzle it is the only one that works a bit better, but it only seems to keep them off for about 3-4 days. My one Jack Russell has a sensitive skin and he is really struggling, I have to put cream on him every day to help with the sores that develop from the flea bites.
    The fleas don’t bite us but the poor dogs...
    I have never ever seen such a flea infestation. When I was on the farm frontline used to knock the fleas off for about a month or more, even just flea powder would do the trick, but not here.

    Does anybody know what might help with the fleas?
    It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

  2. #2
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    4,624
    Thanks
    1,884
    Thanked 463 Times in 410 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    Your problem is not the dog it is your surroundings. Try and figure out where the dogs go when it is hot where they sleep during the day and start treating those arias first. Also remember that strong dip can burn the dog’s skin and that can also lead to them scratching more and cause sores.
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  3. #3
    Platinum Member pmbguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    PMB
    Posts
    2,095
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 254 Times in 230 Posts
    Thanks Tec, that’s good advice. I have been doing exactly that. I have been laying down salt and flee powder where they chill out during the day, in fact I have sprinkled salt and powder all over the place.

    You right with the dip irritating the sores, but they need to get dipped or they just get more and more flea bites. I give my one dog with sensitive skin antihistamine tablets to help with the itching and scratching, I also put a special cream on him too.

    I have been reading allot of stuff on the internet and I came across a way to make a flea trap. I will place a low hanging light above a shallow bowl of dishwater (water with sunlight soap). The fleas are attracted to the light and they will jump into the water and drown.

    Dam fleas, I am waging all out war.
    It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

  4. #4
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    4,624
    Thanks
    1,884
    Thanked 463 Times in 410 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    How fond are you of your grass?

    A sure way to take out any flea, you mix Jeyes Fluid in a bucket of water “the mix must be strong”. Please DO NOT DIP YOUR DOG with this stuff. What you do is you start by dumping tiny amounts of the stuff around the outside of your home. “This will kill your grass” but it will get rid of your problem in a few days.

    You can try Sunlight liquid mixing it the same way as the Jeyes Fluid. Just don’t dip your dog in the stuff. But will take care of your problem it is just Jeyes Fluid is overkill but it works I have done it.

    Before I forget... Your grass will never be the same again...
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  5. #5
    Platinum Member pmbguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    PMB
    Posts
    2,095
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 254 Times in 230 Posts
    Yeah I don’t know so much about that, I will have to do the same to my neighbours’ yards for that to work. I would also lose my cricket pitch in the process. I also have a field next to my house, I think that’s where all the fleas are coming from. They are arriving via rat and mongoose.
    It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

  6. #6
    Diamond Member Mike C's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Umkomaas
    Posts
    2,850
    Thanks
    249
    Thanked 371 Times in 327 Posts
    We used a tablet called "Program" on our dog from puppy days onwards - available from your local VET. They are quite pricey for bigger dogs, but you administer only one tablet a month.

    It doesn't kill the fleas, but it renders any flea that bites the dog sterile. The fleas breeding areas then die out, so it is a long term solution ... but we found it very effective.
    No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop "The Lion and the Mouse"

  7. Thanks given for this post:

    pmbguy (11-Jan-14)

  8. #7
    Platinum Member pmbguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    PMB
    Posts
    2,095
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 254 Times in 230 Posts
    Thanks Mike, I think I will get that too

    My wife went and got a tablet called Comfortis today, it kills fleas that bite the dog (one pill a month), will see how it goes.
    It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

  9. #8
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    4,624
    Thanks
    1,884
    Thanked 463 Times in 410 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    Dude this also works get "Kakiebos" funny enough it works well. Fleas detest it so plant it in your garden and around your home. They grow easy and remain potent even after you dry them out. You just leave them to dry then put the bits where the dogs sleep and there you go...

    I think you call it "Khakiweed" and yes they can become a pest but really they are a blessing.
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  10. Thanks given for this post:

    pmbguy (11-Jan-14)

  11. #9
    Platinum Member pmbguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    PMB
    Posts
    2,095
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 254 Times in 230 Posts
    Thanks dude. When I was a kid my dad used to make Kakiebos tea and use it as a dip for the dogs. He swears by it.
    I also heard that Epson salt works well, you sprinkle it under their blankets etc.
    It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

  12. #10
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Durban, South Africa
    Posts
    22,648
    Thanks
    3,304
    Thanked 2,676 Times in 2,257 Posts
    Blog Entries
    12
    When it comes to low levels of flea infestation, using control measures for the dogs only can be adequate. But once a flea infestation is well established, you really need to look at treating the environment the dogs inhabit as well (as well as the environment where they might be troubling you).

    The first thing to understand is the life cycle, which is

    Egg --> Larva --> Pupa --> Adult

    Obviously it's the adult stage we tend to notice. This is what is on the pet, or biting us. As a result, you might think this is what we should target. But the secret to long term control is to target the larva stage.

    The egg and pupa stage is pretty impervious to insecticide treatments due to the protective coating that typically prevents the insecticide getting to the organism itself. The adult only tends to emerge from the protective pupa case when it feels the vibration of an approaching victim, which means there's an awfully short period for it to be exposed to an insecticide, and for that exposure to have any effect before it's already on us (or the dog) to cause mischief.

    This makes insect growth regulators (IGR) a critical component in your long term flea control program. They have great "active effect" longevity, while having virtually zero toxicity to non-target organisms. Program, as mentioned by Mike above, is an example of a vetinary product using the IGR effect. In terms of environmental IGR treatment, Starycide would be my product of choice.

    When you're suffering from flea bites though, unfortunately the IGR's are not going to give immediate relief. So you would also want to use something that is going to affect the adult stage. And here's where things can get a bit tricky.

    The numbers and pretty fast lifecycle of fleas means pesticide resistance is a serious issue. As a result, a product that might work for a while now might well be less effective for you in later years. This makes me loath to recommend a specific product at this point as it may work now, but may not still be effective years later when this post is still around. So let me cover some strategic issues.

    Assuming you are applying the product to the correct areas, the trick when a product is not working is not to make stronger solutions, or apply more, but to change the product you use - or more accurately, change the active ingredient (actual part of the product that has the insecticidal effect) you're using from time to time.

    Other key elements in your hunt for an appropriate product is an understanding of the different classes of insecticides, whether they're suitable for indoor or outdoor use, whether they're registered for the pest and location you're seeking to control, their effect on non-target organisms that may be present, the nature of the surface they're being applied to, and probably some more besides.

    Obviously, employing a pest control professional would be my top recommendation - this resolves the issue of product selection and correct application. But if you intend to do some spraying yourself, your product supplier should be a helpful source of information in terms of product selection and application.

    I could go on to make this a really long post, but let me close off with some critical points:
    * Only use products that are registered for the pest you seek to control and the location you intend to treat.
    * Only apply products in accordance with the directions on the label.
    * Only apply vetinary products to your pets.
    * Be aware of and actually stick to the safety precautions associated with any particular product and application.
    * Salt is not a suitable pesticide for any application - but I think I'll cover that particular issue in another post one day.

  13. Thanks given for this post:

    pmbguy (12-Jan-14)

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. FLEAS, HITCH-HIKING THEIR WAY INTO YOUR HOME
    By Affinity in forum Pest Control Industry Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 25-Mar-10, 08:27 PM

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •