FLEAS They're Driving Me Nuts!!!!!

Updated on May 29, 2011
M.M. asks from Elcho, WI
16 answers

We have one large dog and a cat. The cat is indoors only. We apply the Frontline Plus to them once a month. I vacuum floors and furniture constantly, at least twice a day, every room and both levels. I hate to have to use those bombs, but we might have to resort to using them. Is there anything that is safe for us and our kids/pets anyone has tried? They seem to like my 8 yr old the most besides the animals, he's got bites ALL over the bottom half of his legs. They aren't biting the rest of us but we do see them jumping on us occasionally. It's very embarrassing when I'm out at a resturaunt or other public place and one is on my arm jumping as I try to catch it.

1 mom found this helpful

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P.S.

answers from Houston on

I gave my dog garlic once a week. I'd chop it up and mix it in something that I know she'd eat. I never had a flea problem w/her.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Lewiston on

One of my friends uses dawn dish washing liquid and washes her cat with it, when the cat gets fleas. She says it kills the fleas, eggs immediately. She has also used it when a skunk has sprayed one of her pets. She swears by dawn dish washing liquid. Good luck.

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T.N.

answers from Boston on

Empty your vacuum canister outside immediately when you're done or they will just come back out of your vacuum.

3 moms found this helpful

K.V.

answers from Lansing on

I would suggest checking into Comfortis (its a pill and it works good) or Vectra 3D. Both are kind of pricey. But, I personally like Vectra for my dogs. Since I have been using it for the last few years, I have never once found a flea on either of my dogs. I only flea treat my dogs 3 months out of the year, when the fleas are the worse. For a 6 dose pack, it costs roughly 90$.

Edited: Be wary of putting diatomaceous earth anywhere that it might be inhaled by you or your kids. It is highly toxic to humans when inhaled.

3 moms found this helpful

B.K.

answers from Chicago on

I agree with Katrina. Try something else. The Frontline obviously isn't working. We use Revolution. My ex is a vet and that's the only thing he uses on his pets also. We've never had a problem and there are a lot of fleas around here. The preventive you use should repel fleas completely. Without a host (animal) the fleas die. Somehow the fleas are still feeding on your animals, which means the treatment is not working.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

If you do decide to bomb your house. Make sure all pilot lights and nay other open flames are out. If not your house could explode.

Try Avon Skin so Soft (orginal scent) --fleas hate it. On you -- your kids --the dog and cat.

2 moms found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

Try Revolution instead of Frontline. It prevents the flea eggs from even hatching. It is the one our vet recommends over anything else. When we get fleas on our indoor only cats it only takes 3 months worth of doses and they're gone. It is rare that we get fleas thankfully.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

I would make sure you are applying the Frontline correctly (sometimes people don't!) or switch to Revolution. I would also call a professional exterminator to treat the house and the yard. Then if you are still having issues, they should be willing to treat again at no charge.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Get a box of 20-Mule Team Borax at the grocery store. Sprinkle it lightly all over your floors before you go to bed. Vacume it up in the morning. It desiccates [dries] out the fleas and their eggs. If you have a horrendous population of fleas, you may have to leave it down for 24 hours or do it twice.
I've used this method several times when we had fleas and it put a rapid stop to infestations. It's also non harmful to human's and animals, just kills those rotten fleas!

1 mom found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

As others have said, the existing fleas are laying eggs, and new fleas are hatching constantly. You can vacuum constantly but it's not going to help. Give up on do-it-yourself techniques, get an exterminator (ask about safe alternatives to the "bomb"), and work with your vet on a more effective treatment if you see fleas on the animals. It may be that the Frontline IS working, and so the hatching fleas are biting the humans instead of the animals. The easiest place to spot fleas on the animals is on the belly - there is less fur there and you can see the fleas running around. Still, you need to do a serious extermination session. Or two.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Hate to tell you this, but you are going to need to bomb, and not just once but again 2 days later when the eggs hatch. Fleas are insidious, they just keep on coming and hatching even more if not treated.. Vaccum after each bombing.

But first you need to make sure the cat and dog are both really treated well. Is your yard treated? That is where they are coming from..

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C.C.

answers from Orlando on

I second using the Borax. If you have carpet, sprinkle it around and then use a broom to grind it in. Wait about a half hour and vacuum. This worked for me many years ago when i had two cats and a bunch of fleas! Even the cats didn't want to walk on the carpet, it was so bad, they would jump from chair, to table, to couch! The Borax worked when nothing else did.

S.L.

answers from New York on

lots of good ideas here, I had that problem and didnt resort to bombs. I used powder on carpets vacuumed twice a day and stored the vacuum outside, emptied the bag every day. and I picked the fleas off my dog twice a day! Dont forget to treat your yard too,

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

Google "Salt for fleas in house" and you will find a lot of instructions out there about how to use table salt (cheap) to sprinkle into the carpet, leave for a few days, vacuum, salt again........ I did this when we had fleas in our carpeted house when my son was an infant. I assume it did the trick b/c I did not see anymore fleas. Granted, I had seen a total of 5 when I started the salt, so we did not seem to have a large infestation. You may want to wear flip flops around the house, as salt will stick to your bare feet, but at least it's just salt - nothing chemical or dirty.

Good luck. I know what you're saying about an embarassment. I hope you can rid yourself of them soon!

added: I just read other's answers. I think that the salt is supposed to work similar to the Borax (drying out the eggs, larvae, fleas) but 1. it's just salt, I don't worry about an infant crawling on the floor with salt 2. it's cheaper But yes yes, change the vacuum cleaner bag/contatiner after each time you vacuum. I'd even go as far as to put the dirt/salt/junk in a ziplock bag before putting in the trashcan.

good luck!

G.T.

answers from Modesto on

fleas are really hard to get rid of, you better get a professional to do it and follow all the instructions he gives.
My vet gives my cat a pill once a month, works much better than frontline.
If you have eggs in your carpet that's where the problem is.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

You have to ELIMINATE the problem--the flea infestation!

You need to treat everyone, the yard AND your house on the same day without cross-contamination while you're doing it.

You should end up with treated cat, dog in the car, with all of your family and set off the bombs (follow ALL DIRECTIONS EXACTLY) and come back in about 3-4 hours.

Although it would be nice, vacuuming, body oils, etc just don't eradicate fleas.

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