How do you get rid of fleas?

Question

My brother has a small dog that is plagued with fleas. We have treated the dog, the house, and our yard. The only time he goes out of that area is to the vet. We live on a large piece of land that's big enough for him to get exercise just walking the length of it. After all the treatments and pills and sprays and poisons...he still has fleas. Please help! We've run out of ideas.

Answer 1

they are bad this year,,,use frontline drops and advantage pills,,,get cedar shavings for a bed for the dog,,,powders and collaars are a waste of time,,,good luck

Answer 2

You have to treat the yard with a flea treatment. You just connect it to a water hose and just water the grass. You have to remove the dog though for a few days.. You can buy this treatment in any hardware store. I have heard of the Twenty Mule Borax Treatment which you can use in the house.. Spread it around on the carpet.. leave for three days and then vacuum.. Borax has an ingredient that dries out fleas.. This works only on live fleas and larvae.. You may have to treat the house for at least two weeks. Then before you bring back the dog.. he needs to be flea dipped and bought back to the house after you have treated the house and yard.. Also since you let the dog out onto the yard.. there's a pill you can give him.. to repel fleas with his food... You will have to continue this during the flea season... Have them bath the dog every two weeks for rid of any eggs and nits.. Good Luck!

Answer 3

You need to use something like Advantage and use it every 4 weeks for MANY months without stopping!!!! It will kill the fleas on the dog and then the ones that hatch out will get on him to feed and also be killed. It can take several months to get ahead of the life cycle, but it will happen....even if you use nothing else. BUT you MUST use it every 4 weeks. For the first 2 treatments, you can reapply it every 2 weeks.
We have used it with great results at the shelter I work at for people who have infested apartments and cannot bomb or spray. I have seen places that the fleas cover your legs within 3 min. of entering the apartment. It is gross!! The fleas are in everything!!!!!!! We apply Advantage to all the animals and within 24 hours it was hard to find a living flea!! But if you get lax with the treatment before the entire life cycle was eliminated, they will come back!!! And if there are more outside, you will have a constant reinfestation to the house!!!!!!
It works, just keep at it and do not give up!!!!

Answer 4

I have experienced this problem in my life. The furniture is more than likely infected and therefore, the fleas have hatched eggs and they will continue to plague the home. You can NOT get them out of furniture unless you GET RID OF IT. I got rid of my furniture, couch, love seat, lounger etc... anything made of cloth or fibrous material. THEN bug bombed the home but better yet, get an exterminator after you get rid of the furniture, however, my husband put on a gas mask, and walked around the house aiming the bug bomb at nooks and crannies....

These "pests" really suck if you know what I mean.

Get the dog a flea dip as well but you have to get them OUT OF THE HOME first and not let the dog in until you do. then, get him dipped.

Anyway, this was my experience and not necessarily what is happening @ your brother's house so therefore, I am NOT an expert. good luck

Answer 5

Take you pet to a vet and the vet will administer something called a "dip" in which the dog is placed in a tub of chemicals that will kill any fleas and their eggs on the dogs body.
You can make your own remedy. Fill a bath tub with warm water mixed with two cups of powdered laundry detergent and place your dog in this solution. Soak his coat thoroughly from the neck down. This detergent solution quickly kills any fleas on contact. Just make sure you rinse the dog well with water afterwards.

Answer 6

I have 2 dogs that had a really bad flea spell a couple of years ago, so bad they pulled the fur off their backs with itching so much. I tried everything just like you, even washing the carpets with flea shampoo....the ONLY thing that worked for them was putting garlic powder in their food - fleas apparently don't like garlic but dogs do! Garlic also helps for a healthy looking, shiny coat....good luck

Answer 7

I had heard that pieces of garlic ingested by the dog over time will eventually get to the dogs pores and taste bad to the fleas and ticks. Check with vet first before trying homeopathic remedies. It had been difficult to get the dog to eat the garlic. I cook home meals and add fresh garlic. I mix this with thier dry premium dog food. This seems to have worked somewhat. I stopped cooking for them and just mixed dry with moist commercial food and fleas reappared. In this area and with all the lack of rain, flea populations have gotten severe, but have not seen fleas. They spend alot of time with me on my bed and have not seen any more.

Answer 8

Bath him with flea shampoo, give him Frontline Plus, pick them off yourself and put lime on the dog (not the 'fruit' lime).
The lime kills all the fleas on him and the fleas that jump on him from grass or other dogs.
Lime smothers fleas. Ask your vet about lime and put it on him once a week.

Answer 9

AT the grocery store or walmart you should find a product in the laundry section called Borax. You need to put it all over your carpets and furniture under cushions on furniture even in your beds. Wash all bedding in this. Leave it on the furniture and beds for three days. Then vacuum. Fleas will be gone.

Answer 10

You can get rid of fleas in the house by sprinkling table salt on the carpet. The fleas eat it & die. Don't think it would work for the dog, but have you tried Advantix?

Answer 11

Do not use Flea collars, they don't work! No matter the brand. Try Brewer Yeast tablets. You can ask the vet or get them a pet store. You have to keep giving them to your pet every day or they won't work.