iluvlucy Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 my vet said he did not reccomend dipping dogs. does anyone know why? do you dip your dogs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaisingRiver Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I don't but we also do not have high flea population where I live. I do put Advantage on my dogs from time to time. I'm pretty sure the dip is highly toxic-like. I did dip my dog when I was a teen and we lived in South FL where the fleas are INSANE!! It was also pre-Advantage era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Dip them for what, and is there a better alternative to dipping for whatever the reason is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haleigh Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I think she means dipping for fleas. It's highly toxic for dogs, from the insecticides they use in them. Clicky here to find out why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 She might also mean dipping for sarcoptic mange. Back when I was young, and you had to kick those pesky dinosaurs out of the way to get anything done , we dipped in paramite for that. I guess Advantage/Frontline/whatever probably wouldn't work if the dog lived outside, so she might also mean dip for fleas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvlucy Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 haleigh thanks for the link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvlucy Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 yes i'm talking fleas lots and lots of fleas. everone i talk to has different suggestions which positively work. hah feeding raw garlic did not work dawn dishwashing liquid didn;t work frontline plus put between the shoulders? the fleas drank it for dessert. my dogs do not live outside, although they do have nearly free access thru the doggie door which is closed at night to keep out other dogs and any wild animals that might wander in. okay thnks all and haleigh thanks for the link. i WILL try some of the suggestions posted here thank goodness we have no ticks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Gwen, I'm sure your vet told you this, but just in case: You need to treat your house, the dog's bedding (and anywhere else the dog sleeps), etc. Fleas spend the majority of their time *off* the dog, so even if you're treating them (the dogs), the fleas are still surviving and breeding in your carpet and other places. If you religiously apply a product that also has an insect growth regulator (to kill a certain stage of the flea before adulthood), you might eventually get a handle on things (and that's assuming your okay with IGRs and their potential effects on the environment). Frontline quit working for me long ago, but then most dips (unless they have come up with some new ones) weren't working well back in the 80s, so probably a waste of your money to consider. A good bath will drown the fleas that are on the dog, but the minute the dog leaves the tub, more fleas can just jump right on. Anyway, I've been using Advantix on the dogs (since it's supposed to repel insects as well) and Advantage on the cats, applied every month. If I delay more than a day beyond four weeks, the dogs are scratching. Anyway, try treating your house as well as the dogs and you may have more success. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvlucy Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 thanks julie i hate to see her so miserable and scratching all the time ido know the house should be treated also,but i really think the prob is coming from the yard. she has me thinking i've got fleas also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Julie, hope you don't mind a question. Do your dogs and cats interact much? And if they do, do you take any precautions after you've applied Advantix to the dogs, so the cats can't get at it? I've used Advantix a couple of times (when I've been travelling to a tick area), but I haven't put it on until after we've left the cats. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INU Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Gwen, I believe you! When Jazzy and I were in New Orleans, she got infested within a few hours. She was on either Advantage or Frontline and we also used Dawn and Adams as decon. Those fleas are so tough, they would drink for desert! However, another Border Collie that went with us didn't get one single flea on her. I forgot what she was on... it wasn't the same as I was using back then. I tried different stuff so I can't remember what my dog was using... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheri McDonald Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 There are alot of products you can spray the yard with also, once it is dry it is safe for the dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Julie, hope you don't mind a question. Do your dogs and cats interact much? And if they do, do you take any precautions after you've applied Advantix to the dogs, so the cats can't get at it? I've used Advantix a couple of times (when I've been travelling to a tick area), but I haven't put it on until after we've left the cats. Thanks in advance Barb, I resisted using Advantix for a long time because of the cats, but with the Frontline not working and Advantage seeming marginal I was running out of choices. I have always been told that as long as the Advantix is *dry* on the dog it's not harmful to the cat. My vet has both dogs and cats and she uses Advantix without problems, so that was my final incentive to try it. I do try to apply it on a schedule that makes it more difficult for the cats to get near the dogs till its dry (for example, if I'm heading to a trial on the weekend or something, I'll apply the Advantix before I leave, and then the dogs won't see the cats for a couple of days). The dogs are due now (actually two days ago, which means the fleas are probably gaining a foothold as I write this), but I'm heading to Leesburg to get a ewe tomorrow, so I'll treat them all before I go and then they'll be with me all day, so no cat exposure. I have had to apply it at times when we aren't going anywhere. In that case, I try to apply it early in the day since the cats are most likely to come into contact when sleeping together on the bed at night. All that said, although the cats do sometimes get up close and personal with the dogs, it's unlikely they'd actually contact the spots where I apply the Advantix. So I take precautions, but don't worry myself to death over it. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 There are alot of products you can spray the yard with also, once it is dry it is safe for the dogs. I can't remember if it works for fleas, but I know it works for ticks and that's to spray the yard with a mix of water and dish detergent. I can't remember the ratio (but I'm sure you could Google it and find out), and you need to use one of those hose attachments that allows you to apply fertilizer through the hose, but folks swear by its effectiveness. Just remember that many yard treatments will kill the good critters along with the bad, so if you decide to spray the yard, try to find a product that is the least harmful to the environment. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 You can also treat the yard (and the dogs themselves) with food-grade diatomaceous earth. Living in Colorado, fleas are not a big problem for our dogs--so I haven't had to use it and thus have no first-hand experience. But I've heard good things about its benefits, and it is ecologically friendly. You have to use the food-grade, as the non-food grade is designed for swimming pools and is much more toxic. Here's a link that explains more: http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy bob Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Do treat your home and yard. Any shampoo will kill the fleas on your dog if left on long enough. Here's a little trick. Apply mineral to your dog's eyes then get him in the tub. Really work the shampoo in good. Right down to the skin. This is not easy and takes time. Don't miss any areas. Get the face! Don't rinse him right away. Put him in a crate and let that stuff sit on him for fifteen minutes or so before rinsing. I have found this to work wonders and I don't have to use nasty insecticidal soap. However, it does nothing to prevent fleas from getting back on which is why you may need another product like Frontline or Advantix. muddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Apply mineral to your dog's eyes then get him in the tub. muddy Just a clarification here. Muddy meant to say mineral oil. It will prevent any irritation should soap accidentally get in your dog's eyes. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna frankland (uk) Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 i agree with the food grade DE and soapy left to stand in the lather baths! i wont use any chemical on tikki cos of his illness but he also has a flea allergy. i ordered the DE from the US. the 2 methods combined worked a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Remember to wear a mask when applying DE to stuff. You really don't want to be breathing all that DE in (it's not an acute toxin or anything, but all that fine particulate matter isn't good for your lungs, or those of your animals, either). J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haleigh Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 I always use diatomaceous earth not only around the house, but in the garden. It's great for the pesky little potato beatles and meal worms...before they can attack my veggies I come back with an evil vengeance teehee Anyways, a little back on topic: I used to feed my Belgian Malinois the DE and it worked wonders! Since he's on raw diet, we'd roll his meat in about a tablespoon of DE and it worked better than frontline. You're welcome for the link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Thanks very much, Julie - that reassures me. I don't seem to have a flea problem here (and the dogs are on Sentinel Spectrum for h/w so they have some flea protection from that.) The Advantix is only for when we go away to a tick area. Thankfully ticks are not a major problem here either. Thanks again - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvlucy Posted March 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 inu i'm glad someone knows about south la fleas. one reason they are so bad is because we have not had a good freeze here for so long to kill some of them off along with their eggs. this also applies to other insects. thanks everyone for teh help and suggestions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love these boards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haleigh Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 This is the plus of living in northern Illinois, we are in the middle of a freeze right now! I really need to watch out with fleas where I'm located...We live right by a forest teeming with foxes and deer, so I'm REALLY paranoid about ticks especially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Sorry the garlic didn't work for you. We use a lot of garlic in our cooking. But we also take garlic tablet during the heavy flea and tick season. It works wonders for us humans. Got the idea from my daughtere, who lives with her husband and pre-schooler in a local state park - flea and tick heaven. I understand that, for dogs and cats, you should use garlic and brewers yeast. Couldn't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvlucy Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 thanks all i bathed lulu this am and as muddy suggested, left her sitting for a while in her dawn. it worked pretty good. saw a lot of fleas come off her. my mistake was just washing and rinsing right away. she has a lot less scratching now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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