Natural Flea killing methods

[marymrumfelt]

How much do you put in the water, I have a feeling Zak will not drink it.
Do you use braggs?

Yes, braggs! You could start out with a drop and build up. I never measure it out and in the beginning I did get too much once or twice, but now they'll drink any amount! I usually fill their bowl and then add a cap full, but I've never used a set amount... I'm not really a measure out person LOL I had one bowel of water w/braggs and one without around the house and now they'll almost always drink the braggs one first! This article says a tbsp which sounds about right:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2066146_use-apple-cider-vinegar-pets.html

 

[mellie]

ACV only has an odor if you get up close. I don't spray it on the dogs, though. I give it to them in their water. I do put a vinegar rinse on them when they have fleas, and it works, but yeah, they do smell... again, though, only if you got up close... not sure how that works with grooming. DE, i've heard, does dry their fur out... but I haven't used it on their fur. I did use it on baby kittens I foster, but I couldn't tell a difference... quite different though than shelties.... lol

Grooming or not, ticks will find you. Has nothing to do with grooming.... if you've got blood, tick will find you.

I was thinking that when showing they would actually be brushing the dog more and find the ticks before they attatched...I use DE and brewer's yeast tabs and this works well for fleas, but ticks are another issue. I have just started the ACV spraying so the jury is still out on that, but have no experience with putting in the drinking water . I do , however find the ACV to have a lingering smell , so just spray some of refreshing spray and it goes away, but I am probably defeating the purpose

 

[marymrumfelt]

I was thinking that when showing they would actually be brushing the dog more and find the ticks before they attatched...I use DE and brewer's yeast tabs and this works well for fleas, but ticks are another issue. I have just started the ACV spraying so the jury is still out on that, but have no experience with putting in the drinking water . I do , however find the ACV to have a lingering smell , so just spray some of refreshing spray and it goes away, but I am probably defeating the purpose

Oh, true. They'd find them a lot easier! I guess I was thinking she was trying to prevent it all together so the dog doesn't get Lyme's Disease. I used the ACV spray for fleas before using essential oils and it didn't help with ticks for us. I'm sure every area/dog is different, though! The eucalyptus oil has worked wonders... or the ticks went away! LOL

Yeah, the ACV will smell on the dog, especially if you get super close. I leave a white vinegar rinse on them and my sheltie smells when I get close to her. My other two are mixes and they are shaved so it doesn't linger! On human skin, it doesn't linger at all as I use it for deodorant... it kills the bacteria that cause odor... and after it dries you'd never know!

 

[romeosangiovese]

I'm really hating the weather around this time of the year - wet and hot! Last year I had a tick problem in May. Now, this year, we've got FLEAS! I wonder what next year will bring

I've given 2 tabs of capstar (on consecutive days), fogged the house, and put them on revolution (I'd like to go the natural way for prevention but if it had already happened, I am paranoid it will become a full blown infestation). I've also applied DE to the yard, and to the sofa, my bed and the dogs' beds.

I will add ACV to their water now.

Romeo is particularly affected by fleabites. He looks awful now with his fur shedding, and he's nibbling and licking at his arms and creating little ulcers (I've bandaged them up now). Both dogs are matting much quicker than usual. I think I hate fleas more than ticks.

My question is - is there anything else I can do? And because they are so incredibly tiny, how do I know if they've all gone?

 

[marymrumfelt]

I'm really hating the weather around this time of the year - wet and hot! Last year I had a tick problem in May. Now, this year, we've got FLEAS! I wonder what next year will bring

I've given 2 tabs of capstar (on consecutive days), fogged the house, and put them on revolution (I'd like to go the natural way for prevention but if it had already happened, I am paranoid it will become a full blown infestation). I've also applied DE to the yard, and to the sofa, my bed and the dogs' beds.

I will add ACV to their water now.

Romeo is particularly affected by fleabites. He looks awful now with his fur shedding, and he's nibbling and licking at his arms and creating little ulcers (I've bandaged them up now). Both dogs are matting much quicker than usual. I think I hate fleas more than ticks.

My question is - is there anything else I can do? And because they are so incredibly tiny, how do I know if they've all gone?

You could try to set up flea traps to see if they're gone. I've read people had success with them:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Flea-Trap

I hate fleas, too! You can put the DE on their coat, too... while it might dry it out, it is better than itchy. I only use it on the coat when I know they have fleas, so not as a preventative.

 

[mellie]

Romeo might need some help from his vet with his reactions to the flea bites . I know how awful fleas can make you feel...it's like a crusade to get rid of them. Have you tried vacuming everyday and make sure you have a little DE in the vacume bag to kill the ones you have swept up. Make sure to wash dog beds , blankets, etc and anything they lay on all the time . There are flea traps of all kinds-I've never used them, but have heard that they work, but there is a cycle to break with new eggs hatching all the time, etc.

 

[romeosangiovese]

Oohh ok I'll take them both to the vet. Will they give him something to stop the itch?

I've washed everything they lie on (including sofa and my bed!) and put in the dryer for at least 30 mins to dry hot.

I vacuumed on Monday but didn't on Tuesday! I will start to be a better homemaker. Do you think a steam vacuum will help? I read online some say it does, some say it doesn't (coz the heat and the dampness will just cause the eggs to hatch.... ) I'd like to give the bed and the sofa a good cleaning since I can only toss the covers and loose bits into the washing machine.

I will brush out their mats and DE their coat again (did it on Sunday but then showered them on Monday already).

Will set up a homemade flea trap (don't think there are any commercial ones here) and gauge how bad the problem is. I've been walking around the house with a lint remover picking up any little black fleck I see!!
This is so incredibly tiring!