Help with fleas

[shepherd513]

I just came home from Africa two days ago and picked my dog up from my friends and he has fleas. He was one week overdue for Frontline but I figured I'd administer as soon as I got home. I quickly put his frontline on him as soon as I saw the fleas which was two days ago. He still has a good number of fleas on him. Anybody know what I can do now? I'm very frustrated

[doggiedad]

Frontline may take a few days to work. don't over medicate.

[Miss Molly May]

We recently rescued a kitten that had fleas! He was too young to use any treatments so we washed him with dawn dish soap. It worked great once we started lathering him all the flees run to his face. Then uses a flea comb and take them off! It took a few washings to get them all and allot of house cleaning. Dawn dish soap does kill flees on cats so I am thinking it should work on dogs!

Also try to keep your pup contained in one area of your home

[jocoyn]

Dawn is great for washing dogs. Leaves coat soft and shiny. Many SAR folks keep it in their trucks for decon after a search in a nasty area.

Captsar for rapid knockdown - you can repeat daily for awhile until you get under control...though I am not sure about that combo with frontline. I know you can combine it with Revolution and Sentinel which both control fleas as well as heartworms.

[Veronica]

We fought fleas all summer, even with everyone on frontline. We switched to revolution and finally started combing out dead fleas! Our vet wanted to keep the cats on revolution. She switched panzer to comfortis and sentinel to knock out the fleas. It worked! Panzer will stay on sentinel year round.

My advice is to ditch the frontline, vacuum lots, and flea comb, disposing of the resulting fleas immediately.

There is conflicting advice regarding Dawn use on pets, so might want to research before using that.

[jocoyn]

What is the issue with Dawn?

I would not use it regularly because it really strips grease and oil (which is great for decontamination and ocassional clean of a dirty dog) - - it may also remove the frontline. Dunno.

Most of my dogs bathing is a dip in the lake or a stream and a shake off though.

I have used a flea comb - did it for years when my kids were small and flea control options were mainly dips which I did not want to use. I sat there with a bowl of alcohol which I dipped the comb in when I got some which quickly killed the little buggers .... Definitely very tedious with a double coated dog. Best place to get them is on the lower belly between the back legs. Also with a bath, start high on the neck so they don't run to the head for refuge.

[shepherd513]

Thanks guys!

I bathed Gideon in dawn this morning and really lathered him up. I've vaccumed and washed bedding. I have since flea combed him very carefully and so far no fleas. I have also started giving him garlic tabs. I figure it can't hurt.

[KZoppa]

Originally Posted by jocoyn

Dawn is great for washing dogs. Leaves coat soft and shiny. Many SAR folks keep it in their trucks for decon after a search in a nasty area.

Captsar for rapid knockdown - you can repeat daily for awhile until you get under control...though I am not sure about that combo with frontline. I know you can combine it with Revolution and Sentinel which both control fleas as well as heartworms.

capstar can be used with frontline. We had to use it a couple times a two summers ago when we had a flea problem. Dawn dishsoap is fabulous as well.

OP, with the DAWN, its cheaper than buying a dog shampoo formulated to help kill fleas. You start at your dogs neck, get him good and lathered up and work your way back. The fleas will generally head to the face where you can get them off with a flea comb which you then would dip in soapy water to clean after each swipe. The remaining fleas should be trapped in the suds which is what kills them. Let your dog soak all sudsy for about 5 minutes before you even think about rinsing him. Wash all pet bedding in hot water, limit him to a specific area of the house but maintain a STRICT cleaning schedule all over the house every day. Be sure to flea comb him really good once or twice a day and remember to check those hard to reach, wash and rinse spots like his armpits, under the tail, between his toes, backs of his ears, inner thighs. All else, you may have to take him to the groomer for the day for a flea bath and have someone come in and spray professionally for the day. repeat in two weeks just to be sure.

[KZoppa]

Originally Posted by shepherd513

Thanks guys!

I bathed Gideon in dawn this morning and really lathered him up. I've vaccumed and washed bedding. I have since flea combed him very carefully and so far no fleas. I have also started giving him garlic tabs. I figure it can't hurt.

insteadf garlic, i would recommend brewer's yeast. You can get it in tablet form, though you'd have to double the dose. garlic can be toxic to dogs, even in small amounts. You can also buy Brewer's Yeast at feed shops.

[ChancetheGSD]

I've never had a problem using garlic. We've always given it to dogs for yeeeeears! Unless the dog has a blood disorder, it shouldn't hurt unless you give it in huge doses.