Chihuahua Crossing Forum Closed

Island_Girl · Senior Chi

FLEAS!!!!!

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

I use Frontline Plus and it is suppose to last for at least a month even with bathing but you have to use a nondetergent special shampoo. Last summer was bad here though and we had to really battle them. I hate fleas and canot tolerate seeing them on the pups. Of course it is not warm enough here for the problem to be starting again yet.

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

We haven't had fleas here. I read somewhere that you can put Borax in the carpet and let it sit, then vacuum it up. The last time we had fleas, I put half doses of Advantage on half the dogs, since they all lay around together. I never saw fleas again. For all the foster kittens, they get Advantage in a crate on the back deck, and then we bring them in an hour later. IT has worked well for us. Wish I could be more help.

lil luvs · Senior Chi

You can also use the organic diamectus earth (SP????) sprinkle it around your foundation and will keep fleas out. Fennel Seed is supposed to work also but i've not tried that yet.

I actually don't use any flea control on my dogs - brewer's yeast and garlic is what i give them as part of their diet and it's always kept fleas away

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Sue, do you just sprinkle it on their food ?? The brewers yeast and garlic just how? Pill form crushed or what?

Island_Girl · Senior Chi

I second Becky's question, lol!

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Island_Girl wrote:

I second Becky's question, lol!

I've seen the brewers yeast tablets in Dog product magazines ut ut would be a job getting it down them everyday in pill form. She's gonna have to tell us the secret. biggrin

WeepadQueen · Senior Chi

I use advaantage on every critter, Did not have a problem the last couple of years, but, I remember one year before I got the other 5 babies they were really bad. But the girls get their baths, and even get in the pool weather pernitting and I have never seen a flea on any of them, Last year, Bunz and Bell were small enough they just got half a dose...

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Hey Lisa, I saw the Brewers yeast and garlic tablets for dogs in Walmart today so I got a bottle. They were 1 pill for every 10 lbs of weight. I broke one on half and Roxie gobbled it up. I had to hide Abby's half in cheese. I just pray there is nothing in it that will upset Roxies tummy since it is so sensitive.They are really inexpensive too. I am going to get it into their systems before our flea season hits here and use the Frontline Plus also. We had a horrible time with them last summer. Got a new Bissel Carpet Steamer Cleaner today so I am prepared if they get in the carpets again also.

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

Nana_Becky wrote:

Hey Lisa, I saw the Brewers yeast and garlic tablets for dogs in Walmart today so I got a bottle. They were 1 pill for every 10 lbs of weight. I broke one on half and Roxie gobbled it up. I had to hide Abby's half in cheese. I just pray there is nothing in it that will upset Roxies tummy since it is so sensitive.They are really inexpensive too. I am going to get it into their systems before our flea season hits here and use the Frontline Plus also. We had a horrible time with them last summer. Got a new Bissel Carpet Steamer Cleaner today so I am prepared if they get in the carpets again also.

Becky, there was just a discussion on my breeders list about Frontline Plus. A lot of breeders said either their girls didn't take at all or were born with birth defects when they used that on the breeding girls. Just an FYI.

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Oh wow, thanks for telling me that. I can change to something else when time gets here to use the stuff again. I have not used anything since the fall.What do you recommend Karen?

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

Nana_Becky wrote:

Oh wow, thanks for telling me that. I can change to something else when time gets here to use the stuff again. I have not used anything since the fall.What do you recommend Karen?

Hmm, I don't know. Let me ask around actually. Since we don't use anything here, I don't want to point you in the wrong direction. I have used Advantage in the past, but I wasn't involved with breeding at the time.
Do you have fleas terrible where you are? If not, the brewers yeast and garlic might be acceptable. Let me find out.

Island_Girl · Senior Chi

Well, I gave in and bought a box of Advantage again. I will give them a bath, then apply half on Merrie and Misti, and a full dose on Mater, he is the one that they bug the most, I guess it is the white fur. I will try and hold off on bathing as much as possible, but with them running around outside, they tend to get dirtier faster. Hopefully it will work better this time!

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

Karen, last year was really bad but I think that was because "someone" that came every weekend was putting their dog in the fenced in area where Abby and Roxie go out to play and potty. Buddy had fleas really bad and then they got in the sand and it went from there.He finally moved him out to a pen by the barn when he came on weekends. I was bathing my two once a week or more and then having to use flea control also. I even put the inside powder stuff in the carpet. I sprayed the yard with palmolive dishwashing detergent mixed in a two gallon sprayer several times a week for a couple of weeks. I am hoping it won't be like that this spring and summer. I had a tube left from last summer/fall and I went and read on the box. It says,"Can also be used on breeding,pregnant, and lactating bitches." But...I'd rather not use if it there were a chance it might prevent her from becoming pregnant or having deformed pups. I would be devastated if that happened.See what you find out and I will be sure to ask the vet when she comes into heat.

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

Nana_Becky wrote:

Karen, last year was really bad but I think that was because "someone" that came every weekend was putting their dog in the fenced in area where Abby and Roxie go out to play and potty. Buddy had fleas really bad and then they got in the sand and it went from there.He finally moved him out to a pen by the barn when he came on weekends. I was bathing my two once a week or more and then having to use flea control also. I even put the inside powder stuff in the carpet. I sprayed the yard with palmolive dishwashing detergent mixed in a two gallon sprayer several times a week for a couple of weeks. I am hoping it won't be like that this spring and summer. I had a tube left from last summer/fall and I went and read on the box. It says,"Can also be used on breeding,pregnant, and lactating bitches." But...I'd rather not use if it there were a chance it might prevent her from becoming pregnant or having deformed pups. I would be devastated if that happened.See what you find out and I will be sure to ask the vet when she comes into heat.

Yes, I will definitely ask the group tomorrow. I had never even considered that flea stuff would bother pregnant moms, but it makes sense. The active ingredients are usually neurotoxins so if they get to the pups, it would not be good. I was shocked though. I wonder how they can get away with labelling it all as safe? Of course, I wonder the same things about some things we EAT, so I guess I shouldn't be so amazed.

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

OK, the general concensus is do not use anything like that on a girl already pregnant. Otherwise, Advantage is safer. One lady said her vet refuses to use Frontline at all because of issues. I do remember hearing something about Frontline, now that I'm awake this morning, it should be in my favorites, let me scavenge...... No, my link is for Revolution. Do not use that either. So I guess Advantage or all natural. You can sprinkle diatemeceous earth in the grass to kill them in your yard. You need food grade, and you need to wear a mask and not breathe in the dust until it settles. I know I slaughtered the spelling of that. LOL

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

What about their Interceptor heartworm preventative? Is that safe to use?

WeeKidsMom · Senior Chi

Nana_Becky wrote:

What about their Interceptor heartworm preventative? Is that safe to use?

I haven't heard of anyone taking their girls off of that. I will ask though.

lil luvs · Senior Chi

Nana_Becky wrote:

Sue, do you just sprinkle it on their food ?? The brewers yeast and garlic just how? Pill form crushed or what?

Hey Becky - sorry so long to answer :) You can buy the brewers yeast tablets at a pet store but i don't use those as they put lots of other stuff in with them :( I actually buy a bag of natural brewer's yeast at the health food store. It's very inexpensive and is a yellowy, flaky substance that you can just sprinkle on their food. I don't use any real set amount except when i making up my "healthy powder" for them (lecithin, yeast, sea kelp and vitamin c) which i make a batch up and sprinkle a tablespoon in when i making them a big stew or dish. As far as the garlic, I just use the fresh i use in my cooking when i make them something. I don't cook half as much as i used to for them ( i used to make everything) but try to now balance stuff out with a different ingredient added to their kibble each night - yogurt, cottage cheese, salad (yep they love it), pastas and grains and sometimes, ground meat (cooked)

As far as frontline - i've heard terrible stories about that - i never use it - pregnant or not. As I said - i haven't used any flea control in years on my dogs -even the big ones - their diet with the yeast and garlic seems to work fine. But - i've never seen a big problem here. They love the yeast just sprinkled on their food.

If you want to get rid of their fleas in your house - you can sprinkle fennel around inside - or i have some other natural recipes/ideas if you want. Can't attest to them all working as i haven't tried them all - but i always give homeopathic/natural remedies a try first if i can :) But as I said, i've never had a big problem in this area with any of those (now ticks - yeah) things so ... it's just MHO :)

Nana_Becky · Senior Chi

lil luvs wrote:

Nana_Becky wrote:

Sue, do you just sprinkle it on their food ?? The brewers yeast and garlic just how? Pill form crushed or what?

Hey Becky - sorry so long to answer :) You can buy the brewers yeast tablets at a pet store but i don't use those as they put lots of other stuff in with them :( I actually buy a bag of natural brewer's yeast at the health food store. It's very inexpensive and is a yellowy, flaky substance that you can just sprinkle on their food. I don't use any real set amount except when i making up my "healthy powder" for them (lecithin, yeast, sea kelp and vitamin c) which i make a batch up and sprinkle a tablespoon in when i making them a big stew or dish. As far as the garlic, I just use the fresh i use in my cooking when i make them something. I don't cook half as much as i used to for them ( i used to make everything) but try to now balance stuff out with a different ingredient added to their kibble each night - yogurt, cottage cheese, salad (yep they love it), pastas and grains and sometimes, ground meat (cooked)

As far as frontline - i've heard terrible stories about that - i never use it - pregnant or not. As I said - i haven't used any flea control in years on my dogs -even the big ones - their diet with the yeast and garlic seems to work fine. But - i've never seen a big problem here. They love the yeast just sprinkled on their food.

If you want to get rid of their fleas in your house - you can sprinkle fennel around inside - or i have some other natural recipes/ideas if you want. Can't attest to them all working as i haven't tried them all - but i always give homeopathic/natural remedies a try first if i can :) But as I said, i've never had a big problem in this area with any of those (now ticks - yeah) things so ... it's just MHO :)

So far we have not had any tummy upset with the tablets. Roxie just picks at her food all day long so I would not know if she or Abby got the powder. I half the pill and put it in a pinch of cheese for Abby but Roxie just gobbles hers down like a treat. Poor baby has such poopy issues with table food. Now Abby has an iron clad stomach and can eat anything you give her with no tummy upset usually. A couple of weeks ago I did have to give her some Mylicon drops. She had eaten tooo much and was just gassy sick miserable. Her Pappa shared too much of his meat at supper with her. Thanks Sue and Karen.