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Fleas!


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My dog has fleas!  I gave them both Frontline drops two days ago, but the larger one, who has long shaggy hair, still has fleas (plus a big tick that I would have expected to drop off by now.

Is it safe to give him a spray of Frontline as I have some in the house?  I am going to spray their bedding with flea killer, and then wash it at high temperature.  I don't want a houseful of fleas!

 

 

Is anybody finding that Frontline is less effective than it used to be?  Has anybody tried the flea collars available here?  They seem too cheap to work, but maybe not?  Or any other suggestions?

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On our eldery labrador and young pointer I use both Frontline spot on and a flea collar - in the 6 years since being here and before in UK the older one (very hairy!) has not had any problems and found just one small tick (after a river trip) on the youngster.
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Are you using the Combo version which seems to be more effect although the fleas stil arrive I'm afraid eventually. Spraying as well will do no harm as I know loads of folks who have been doing both. Unfortunately there seems to be more fleas and ticks than ever this year that I can remember since having animals and you just have to be vigilant. Trouble is if you do not get rid of every single egg and flea no amount of washing and spraying will eradicate the problem entirely. I hoover my cats and the love it but not onfull strength.
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Advantix is no good for me as I also have cats in the house and it's toxic to them.

I've just run a flea comb through one cat and the short haired dog and got lots of fleas off.  Dropped them into a jar of dettol water (remember folks, dettol is toxic to cats so wash hands thoroughly after using it if you have cats).

Thanks Magnolia ... I know tics must be removed at once, and normally they are ... but I found it yesterday when I was away from home withouth my magic tic remover!  I tried a just-blown-out match touched onto the tic but it didn't work.  It's off now though.

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I agree on the Avantix front, Frontline just does not work for my cats or dogs anymore.  The vet here says the same contents are in the pesticides sprayed on the fields in France and so it's affects are much diluted. 

You can't use Avantix on cats but there is no reason why you can't use it on the dogs and use Advantage on the cats in the same household.

This year is my best yet in France, I swithced to Avantage and Avantix half way through last year and have used it ever since.  My cat has a really bad reaction to fleas one bite and she starts removing fur, she was really poorly last year despite being up to date on frontline, hence the change.  So far not a single flea and the cat has all her fur and at 21 that's important to her!

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I just read a really good tip on getting rid of fleas in the house ... place a bowl of boiling water on the carpet at night.  The fleas are attracted by the warmth and jump of the carpet/sofa, etc into the water.  Some people put a lit candle in the water too.

Obviously safety precautions should be taken and no pets should be left in the room! [Www]

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Agreed, avantix is the way to go. We've had hell of a problem with one of the most pointless creatures in existence and switched to avantix last week. Both our dogs are now flea free and happy for it. We used this stuff from the chemist before (might have been frontline) but went to the vets last week and got some proper stuff.

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[quote user="Jura"]This thread should be mandatory reading for those who accept dogs in their B&B's/hotels...[Www][/quote]

I whole heartedly agree with you there Jura (for once [:D])

Fleas will leave a dog, then look for him again when they are hungry.  If the dog is no longer there, they will make do with human blood, although this makes them sterile.

I remember surveying empty houses in summer and the little critters who were in famine would attack you the minute you walked through the door.  I always wore light khaki combats when doing this job solely for the purpose of spotting fleas.  Great eh?  A cross dressing fleabag for a wife [:D]

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We have been  having terrible trouble with fleas this year; the cats and dogs have had spot on treatment and still have fleas; we have used so many different varieties in the house; they go for a while then come back with a vengeance; one room that was empty had so many we got a flea bomb from the vets:   dont know why there are so many this year; perhaps its the rain and then the very hot  weather thats d oing it:

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I think using an effective vacuum cleaner like a Dyson can help.  Especially if you hoover little nooks and crannies like the areas under skirting boards and behind sofas.  The idea is to get rid of the flea eggs before they hatch. 

I've aso heard that if you plan to leave a place vacant for a while, an effective thing to do is to walk through the house with a pair of wellies on, stomping hard on the floor. 

The vibration causes the eggs to hatch and then, assuming the fleas have nothing to feed on, they either go away or die.  I don't know how long "a while" is, but I do know that if you come home too soon, you may find yourself being devoured by very hungry fleas.

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