All Natural Flea Spray?

[cryjay]

I really don't want to have to use the chemical sprays for my house for fleas. I am really vigilant with treating my dogs themselves for fleas to keep them away, however, after dog sitting my friend's dog for a week, I have noticed several on my dogs ! So if anyone knows of a natural flea house spray or how to make one please help me!!

Thanks,

Crystal

[brunie's mom]

I'm not sure there is any natural types of sprays that will kill fleas...most of them keep them away.
What flea treatment are you using on your own dogs? The best you can do is vacume your whole house...everything that is washable...rugs, dog beds,etc..wash and put in the dryer.

Once fleas take hold of your house... it will not be nice.

I would get some chemical flea spray from vets office or pet shop and take all of the dogs outside and kids, etc. and spray baseboards, and carpeting.

Gina

[cryjay]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

Once fleas take hold of your house... it will not be nice.
Gina

This is what I am scared of this is why I am asking before this happens. Right now my dogs go to the vet once a month where the vet applies the flea drops to my dogs. I do not have any carpet in my house (removed them all because of the dogs )
And is there a particular flea spray that you or somebody else could reccommend? This is my first time dealing with the scare of a possible flea infestation....

Crystal

[rottsnroses]

We had fleas once with Reno and what worked for us was treating him with Frontline, treating the carpet with Zodiac FleaTrol, and treating the yard with Diazinon. We caught it early, before it became an infestation, and have had no problems since. Now the only thing we use is Frontline Plus on the dogs monthly.

[cryjay]

Will the zodiac fleatrol hurt my wood floors? Maybe that sounds petty but they were really expensive to refinish-remember I am in Canadian dollars LOL -

[rottsnroses]

I'm not sure as we have carpet, but you may want to contact the manufacturer. They have a toll-free number. http://www.morethanapet.com/

[blackholearkansas]

This sort of links up with the post on Apple Cider Vinegar that is going on, but a breeder friend of mine told me she gives 1 capful of raw organic apple cider vinegar, some honey, and 2/3 of a clove of garlic every day in her dog's food and does not use flea/tick products. We've tried it in Arkansas this year, the land of fleas, and it has worked. I must say, though, it takes a little bit of time for it to get into their system. Make sure you are using the Apple Cider Vinegar that has all of the gunk floating around in it, which is referred to as the "mother" on the other post...regular cider vinegar doesn't have all of the good stuff in it. Beware - it stinks!

[Judi W]

Well, natural all sounds very nice, but I would want to be hitting them with something that works immediately. Otherswise you are going to be treating for tapes and that is much more toxic than taking care of the fleas in the first place.

The specially designed premises flea control sprays kill not just the live ones, but the pupue and larve as well. It is worth the time and investment. It should be reapplied I believe in about 3 weeks. Don't forget to treat you car as well

[rottsnroses]

Sorry, I guess I didn't see the "natural", as there is nothing "natural" about Frontline, Zodiac or Diazanon ; however, they are effective. I agree with Judi on hitting them with something that is effective immediately, and you have to treat house, dog and yard to be effective.

I've heard many a horror story of people here in the South that have had a flea infestation in their home, and believe me it is not pretty, or very comfortable for humans or dogs.

[Judi W]

A lot of people think the term natural means benign and totally harmless and so forth. Well, hemlock is natural.

The flea treatment products have been tested carefully and except for rare instances, they are most dangerous to fleas, less dangerous to dogs than fleas are and they are effective. I vote for knocking the critters down quickly instead of maybe spending months and months hoping a nutritional supplement or something will take hold and work. It is true, nicotine is quite toxic and that is toxic to not just bugs either. Get something designed for the bugs.

[cryjay]

Okay, so I went ahead and did not buy natural. I have flea bathed all three dogs, sprayed my entire house, washed all linens (almost I didn't do the ones in containers) and washed the dogs beds. Anything else I should be doing???? I do not have carpet so no need to vaccuum right? Now I have seen no fleas in the house at all but amongst three dogs and their bath I seen 5 !!!! Does this mean I will be able to get them under control???? Is there any place in particular besides their bedding area that I should be extra watchful of and spray more?

Thanks

Crystal

[Judi W]

Well, yeah, they will hop into any crevice to hide and have their babies. Couch, cracks of baseboards, things like that. Did you use one of the sprays that kills the larve as well as the fleas? A good sudsing is best for killing the fleas on the dogs without adding the flea crap. Then you need to get Frontline or Advantage which one application is pretty much good for 3 months on fleas, 30 days for ticks.

[cryjay]

I didn't do the couch!! I will go do that now. I use Advantage on my dog's which the vet applies for me once a month. So I am going on the assumption that the dog I dogsat must have been pretty darn infested. Should I worry too much about tapeworm now too?? Maybe get them on a wormer???

[blackholearkansas]

Don't forget to throw out the vacuum bag when you're through! If you suck up fleas and eggs in there they will hatch and leave you with a whole new problem!

[moondog]

Originally Posted by blackholearkansas

... a breeder friend of mine told me she gives 1 capful of raw organic apple cider vinegar, some honey, and 2/3 of a clove of garlic every day in her dog's food and does not use flea/tick products.

While I am not questioning whether this works, I just wanted to add that I don't use any of that, don't use any flea/tick products, and have no fleas. I go over Luna with a flea comb at any sign of scratching and it is a very rare occurrence to find a flea. I'm sure any fleas I've found are picked up out in the neighborhood. Four fleas in a year is a boom year for fleas around here.

At one time over 10 years ago, I had a horrible flea problem. Spraying the yard had to be repeated way too often and I hate using poisons. I found an enzyme product (can't remember the name exactly, maybe Bioflea or something like that) that you sprinkle over the entire yard and the little enzymes gobble up flea larvae. Haven't had a flea problem since and I only treated the yard once.

Cryjay, the only thing I haven't seen that you've done is treat the yard. That has to be done along with all the rest of it.