Community Chat

[Hooty]

Oh no, I don't think you are suppose to do Capstar pills like that, at least not for dogs! I have used them on 2 dogs before and they are magic pills and work! My dogs had a whole tablet, and it takes time to get them to take them, but well worth it!

BTW, the fleas are in the environment, you may have to have your yard treated as well as your house!

[glmama]

I'm sorry you're dealing with Fleas. They are a giant pain, for your pet (and it must feel just terrible!) and your home.

We had an issue last year with fleas. My house was not infested, but YES, we did occasionally see a flea. I had to be vigilant about Flea meds for our dog and cat. AND treat our house with the best, least toxic stuff I could find. That ended up being this carpet and room powder stuff that I poured around the edges of the rooms and then vacuumed up. Of course pets and kids need to not be near this stuff as it's sitting, so please be aware of this. My vet said at the time that it was the worst flea problem he had seen in all his years of practice (not my home, in general!). Had to do with the weather, dampness outside, etc. His own pets got them, too.

I would suggest vacuuming every single day, multiple times/day. You have to keep on top of it. And consider having an exterminator come to your house.

[mewsmomtoo]

On 8/7/2014 goldenretriever said:

On 8/6/2014 kachina624 said:

When I lived in flea country,the best thing I found was a powder called "Flea Busters". Back then, you couldn't buy the powder, you hired the company to come to your house and apply it. Now Amazon.com has it available that you can apply yourself for a lot less $$$. It's not poisonous, not an insecticide but is a desiccant. It dries up the fleas and their eggs and shortly they disappear.

I don't have fleas here in the Albuquerque area for the same reason, it's so dry they cannot subsist. Try Flea Busters; it's cheaper than moving.

This works REALLY WELL!!

I had to use it a few years ago, & the problem went away. It's a great non-toxic way to treat your home. Do this + get a NATURAL flea remedy for your cats (check "Only Natural Pets" online for some ideas.

Those topical meds are extremely toxic.

Yes! I used Flea Busters when it was a company and it was great! All fleas gone. I have no recommendation regarding the cats because it is usually better just to do your own research - you know your cats and your situation. I will only say the following since it might be helpful, I don't know:

I too had a cat that couldn't be touched and I had her for 5+ years (she was bonded to my big male tabby, she was like his little shadow, she adored him). She recently absolutely had to go to the vet so I got her alone in a room and after some chasing, leaping and running got her in a spot where I was able to drop a folded up twin size comforter on her, scoop her up and put her in a carrier.

I felt just terrible for causing her this distress, but she had to go to the vet. By using the comforter, she was wrapped up so that she couldn't hurt anybody and couldn't hurt herself in the carrier. Maybe this would work with your 2 year old.

I'm truly sorry you are having this problem because it is terrible one, esp. when you have a cat who is difficult to treat. I cannot more highly recommend Flea Busters, it really works. Best of luck to you and your kitties.

[emmysmom]

Try washing them in the Blue Dawn! There are many posts on this forum about it!

[emmysmom]

On 8/7/2014 goldenretriever said:

On 8/6/2014 kachina624 said:

When I lived in flea country,the best thing I found was a powder called "Flea Busters". Back then, you couldn't buy the powder, you hired the company to come to your house and apply it. Now Amazon.com has it available that you can apply yourself for a lot less $$$. It's not poisonous, not an insecticide but is a desiccant. It dries up the fleas and their eggs and shortly they disappear.

I don't have fleas here in the Albuquerque area for the same reason, it's so dry they cannot subsist. Try Flea Busters; it's cheaper than moving.

This works REALLY WELL!!

I had to use it a few years ago, & the problem went away. It's a great non-toxic way to treat your home. Do this + get a NATURAL flea remedy for your cats (check "Only Natural Pets" online for some ideas.

Those topical meds are extremely toxic.

after I gave Emmy Frontline, she couldn't walk. I'm terrified of those treatments now. I've been using Dr. Bronner's with the essential oils. Love that stuff. I use the Rose on Emmy!

[Cookie06]

After being so infested with fleas last Summer. We had used Frontline and Advantage but to no avail, the fleas were still living on my cats and everywhere else. The vet recomended Revolution. OMG it works like a charm. No more fleas. It is a topical treatment. Once a month and like magic the fleas have all disappeared!!!!! Good luck this is not a fun problem.

[Lucylu12]

I agree Flea Busters is the way to go. In Florida we had a dog and 3 indoor cats, but needless to say the dog brought fleas in. It was an endless battle of bathing all 4 and every thing else under the sun until Flea Busters. Back then they came into the home. Not only does it work but any new fleas that come in die also. I Believe it lasts a year or longer. I can't remember. But it does work and we flea free. It is safe also.

[spot555]

I just wanted to add about the toxic chemical flea meds....

I had a female Golden Retriever that had a flea problem. It was a few years ago, & I couldn't find a natural product that was effective (I tried my best!) I asked her vet what to do, & at that point he said Advantage wasn't as bad as others.

I HATED appling this on her skin....I felt horrible. And even though I didn't say anything to my dog....just made it quick & easy....she hated it, too (& she normally a really good girl). She HATED it.

After using this, she started having breathing problem episodes. I didn't associate it to the Advantage at the time....I didn't know what was casuing it. I took her to the vet, & he did a blood panel- it came back normal.

She had a couple more episodes in the next few months....like her heart was pounding out her chest. One day she had an episode & died on the family room carpet- it came out of nowhere. The vet found nothing (& the vet she went to was excellent & thorough....& expensive!)

When I look back, I wonder if it was the topical flea med. I have no proof, but the timing was right. This was a very healthy dog with ZERO issues. I wonder if that garbage got in her bloodstream & caused her death. Geez, I hate looking back at stuff like this. I still remember how she looked & acted when I applied it on her skin.

I haven't used anything with chemicals since then, & I never will again. There are natural products that work & aren't toxic. I love my animals too much...I don't ever want to risk harming them.

[Jingles5]

Hi Brady. I don't have time to go into detail, but here's my 2 cents.

After years of trying all the usual stuff: Frontline, Advantage, Comfortis, and Capstar, I've finally found something easy for my cats - which works. They wear Seresto collars which cost about $50 or so, and last for 8 months.

I live in a similar climate to yours. Winters are snowy and cold, so I buy a collar for each cat in early April, and they wear them until the beginning of December, and then I toss them. No need for a collar in the winter. NO fleas.

So, $50/cat/year is great! And NO pilling, thank God! Good luck!

Seresto ForCats (10 week...

$49.49

1-800-PetMeds

[gardenman]

In my experience the optimal way to handle fleas is with the use of an IGR (insect growth regulator.) You can buy just IGR's with no pesticide included that seem pretty safe for pets and the humans around them. They won't kill adult or immature fleas but by making the eggs nonviable and preventing all future growth, they bring most flea problems to a halt pretty quickly and safely. Fleas can't live forever and if they can't grow or reproduce, the population will crash pretty quickly. By using just the IGR you eliminate the risks that come from the pesticides commonly combined with the IGR's in many/most commercial flea killing products. I've never had any animal react negatively to the application of the IGR alone. They seem like a very safe option and will ultimately control the problem, but they won't kill the existing fleas, but that's a tradeoff I'm willing to take for the added safety.