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Is anyone else besides ME going nuts watching their poor dogs scratch like crazy? I think it's fleas! They have been so miserable all summer because of fleas. I don't know what to do about it. The vet perscribed some kind of medication that starts with a 'D', but I found out that if they take it for awhile it damages their liver and kidneys.
Does anyone have a solution???

We have been happy with Advantage for the cats, my sister has used both Frontline and Advantage for her dogs with good results.

Fleas are NO fun, can make the animals and YOU sick. Get them something, and treat the house too.

Fleas are pretty bad here so I just give each one of mine 1 straight Vitamin B1 (not compound or multi Vitamin B anything but B1) since it is water soluable and natrural no chance of overdosing and it works quickly. People can take it as well. One a day for puppers unless badly infeated then 2 a day for a little less then a week.

We use Frontline plus for fleas and ticks. Pommy was horribly infested when we brought him home from the shelter and what they had given him didn't work. Lazy had over a dozen ticks in her ears when we got her. We used the Frontline on the vets recommendation and haven't had any more problems.

I know you guys are tired of me. I've tried the advantage, frontline and the B1. the advantage, not advantix, frontline and pet armour don't work or the dogs have a bad reaction to them. The B1 works for a very short time.
My vet did mention that the dogs may be allergic to flea bites, but all 3?! How can you tell if the dog is allergic to flea bites?

No - we're not tired of you didn't realize you had tried so many items... When Pommy came home he couldn't be bathed because of the surgery (neuter). That poor dog stood stock still for over 90 minutes while I went through his fur with a nit comb. AWFUL. It was a long two week wait for a proper batch and application of meds.

Do you have a local message board (such as craigs list) where discussions can post? Maybe someone locally has a suggestion. What works for me in the Southwest might not work elsewhere.

Hang in there.

thanks, jc

Had big dogs for many years without any signoficant flea problems. After I lost last log (about 3 years ago) was adopted by a kitten from local animal shelter. "June" was there as a stray... had typical problems like cruddy ears, worms... stuff that was easily remedied.

Got her in June and she has been a TOTALL in-door cat since. Was surprised and DISMAYED when house was almost over-run with fleas by September that year!?! Knew fleas were small and thought they musta been squeezing thru screen door?? When I asked vet... was told she probably had them from day one. Most likely hopped off and just started making more fleas in carpet... took a little while for them to emerge.

Vet recommened something called Siphotrol... a spray that went down like carpet cleaner stuff... unpside down can, slightly moist, NO smell or need to "evacuate" house like with bom bs. Had to vacuum the H outta carpets, moving as much furniture as possible in process. Had to IMMEDIATELY dispose of vac bags in tightly tied up trast bags OUTSIDE in trash. Only had to shut kitten in bathroom until stuff dried on carpet... maybe 30 minutes to an hour? Not ONE single flea since then... THREE years ago. This is NOT a plug for a product! One day, fleas were literally jumping onto to me and June... dispite her being treated for fleas. After THOROUGH vacuuming and spraying... NO FLEAS!

I use some stuff now that i sprinkle on the carpet. It does have a light, pleasant smell, but doesn't seem to work that well. Can you tell me how I can tell if the dogs are just scratching from an allergy due to flea bites?
The vet mentioned that they could be allergic to the bites, but never did mention a test to see if they were allergic.

The year we moved here (1984) the whole area had a horrible flea problem. You could actually SEE them hopping on the carpets of public buildings like banks etc.

Our vet said they also simply live outside and will ride into the house on any warm blooded creature that walks through the grass.. yep hitch a ride on people, then feast on your indoor kity.

The problem has to be trreated at all levels.. your animal, your carpets, your furniture. treated, vaccumed, washed etc.

Our vet gave us a furniture/carpet spray along with our first tratment of Advantage. That was the year Advantage came out, and we haven't had any real trouble with fleas since.

I used to know it was August or September because that was when I fogged (Bom.bed) the whole house to get rid of fleas and I haven't done that in several years.

Barb, I used to add Brewer's Yeast to my dog's food every day to help prevent fleas. Between that and any of the 30 day treatments I never had a problem.
You can find brewer's yeast in the vitamin section of stores...Walmart is usually cheapest.
And use cedar shavings in their beds to help deter fleas too. I used to put them in the dog house for my outside dog.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ga.karen,

Not saying this is your issue...but a mouse infestation indoors or outside (where the pet roams) can also be a nasty source of fleas.

Conrad's comment about mice leading to fleas reminded me..

Back in about 1978-80 we had terrible terrible flea problems. Only, we didn't have any pets.

We discovered a HUGE squirrel problem in our attic ( not a useable attic, just an area under the roof. we had several nests and probably 20 squirrels living up there ICK.. Flea city.

It's been several years since we had a flea problem. Whether because of climate change or an influx of cats and wild critters, it's flea time!
Frontline isn't working; muttley is going nuts scratching itches and shedding hair everwhere - indoors and outside. Amazingly the fleas haven't hopped on me, yet...
To deter fleas, I've placed fresh sprigs of Rosemary under the outdoor rug he naps on. Tomorrow we're off to dog wash while his indoor bedding is laundered.
If these efforts are unsuccessful, I might resort to harsher commercial products.... eek!

and Yes, many dogs are allergic to flea saliva, some severely, others not so much

in addition to fleas, we are experiencing a late season mosquito hatch. west Nile carriers

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tessa89,

We have cats and use Advantage during flea season. It worked well for years, but last year it just didn't seem to be working as well, and the same story this year. Our vet says our story is a common one; he thinks that the fleas are becoming resistent. He says to use the Advantage every 2 weeks during flea season, instead of every 4 weeks as the package recommends. We're in the fog belt of the SF Bay Area, so flea season really is July through October. If it's not flea season, we don't use the flea meds.

One advantage (no pun intended) to Advantage is that is the same formula for cats and dogs. We have five cats to treat, which is very expensive. Our vet said to buy Advantage in the big dog size, transfer a vial of it to a small glass jar, and then treat the cats with a syringe, which allows us to draw off a cat-sized dose from the jar of flea medication. One big dog vial of Advantage treats all five of our cats, with a little bit left over. It works really well for us and saves us a lot of **$.

We have our girls on Advantix Multi....haven't had any fleas, ticks or anything else. We've also used Revolution in the past and it was really good too.

Because Frontline was ineffective, Vet tech recommended a single dose of "Natural Defense" (kills & repels fleas, ticks & mosquitoes). Hopefully by next month our pest problem will have passed.
Our Vet did say it's OK to apply Frontline every 3 weeks, but check with your Vet

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tessa89,

I started my two little dogs on Comfortis this past summer. You have to get it from your Vet. My two little ones have done great on it. It seems to repel the fleas and if any get on them, you can actually see the fleas dying and no flea eggs either. After a few days my dogs have quit their scratching. Hope this is helpful to anyone interested.