Flea’s Be Gone

[spacedogs]

Me and my wife just moved into an old farmhouse with our newborn , and two female pets. Dog (pit bull) and cat (cat). We’ve been dealing with fleas for the past month. Outside, there is a ton of unkept, over grown landscaping. Ticks and Fleas have been more real to us than ever before

We tried topical solutions for both of them. Didn’t help. Cleaning carpets with powder and spray. No cigar. I’ve ‘bout had enough. Twice in the past three days I’ve given them THOROUGH baths with Dawn and a healthy combination of apple cider vinegar and distilled white vinegar. It helps their itching for sure, but the fleas and they’re “dust” come back just as strong within 24-48 hours. I’m sure our home is housing 100s if not 1000s (don’t correct me on this for my sanity) of these little homies, although I rarely see them out and about any where in the house other than their beds.

Regardless, I’m ready to crack down, real hard. This spring I will, without a doubt, be treating the lawn at a wide radius. But with winter coming quick (Indiana), the house is my main focus. People of Reddit, what has been your guys most efficient methods of treating your family and home from flea attacks? And if I’m doing something wrong, correct my path. Thank you all.

 

[bldfalcon]

@spacedogs I am also from Indiana! Hey there, neighbor!

are they both on monthly preventatives from the vet? topical for the cat, and oral for the dog?

if not, that’s where you need to start. they’re just gonna keep coming back unless they’re on preventatives, due to the life cycle. OTC options tend to not work due to fleas having built up a resistance to them over decades of use, plus they’re just not as effective as vet prescribed options.

if you truly have those many fleas in your house, you’re gonna wanna “bomb” it. get a fogger, remove all human and furry friends from the home, and let it rip. make sure not to return until the designated amount of time specified on the packaging of whatever product you use.

then, when you get back, before you allow the cat and dog back inside, VACUUM!!!

vacuum like your life depends on it. like you’ve never vacuumed before. carpets, couches, chairs, curtains, everything.

I wish you well in your flea ridding journey!!

 

[eront]

@bldfalcon

if you truly have those many fleas in your house, you’re gonna wanna “bomb” it. get a fogger, remove all human and furry friends from the home, and let it rip. make sure not to return until the designated amount of time specified on the packaging of whatever product you use.

Foggers aren't the best treatment method with fleas. An insecticide that kills adults that is sprayed combined with an IGR is. The concentration levels with a bomb is not high enough to be fully effective.

 

[bldfalcon]

@eront did not know this. i was just commenting what had worked for me in the past.

thank you! now i know for the future.

 

[ragnar98]

@spacedogs Vacuum!!!!!!!!!! Every single day 2 times a day or as much as you can , Blue dawn dish soap! Vets Best flea spray for the house the couch everything really. My dog had fleas for months we were trying so many things. I’m still paying close attention to make sure they are really gone.

The blue dish soap I will say made a huge difference. Treat it like bed bugs unfortunately. Shower him, make sure that before he comes out the bathroom you have mopped and vacuumed already then let him out, I would clean the bathroom as well I used to spray everything even his lesh and harness

Sometimes I would even put very little dish soap in the mopping water , you can see all the eggs coming out

Vets best also has a shampoo, super strong so be careful . We used it 1 time a month ( no dish soap when you use it)he sits in it for 10 minutes

And we got him a 75 dollar flea liquid ointment you put down his back (he can’t get wet for 24 hours)

That was also a monthly doing
Good luck have lots of patience it’s so annoying
I’m traumatized

 

[angi2325]

@ragnar98 Second on the vacuuming every day. Also, talk to your vet about monthly oral flea/HW treatments.