How to get rid of fleas in my dog ?

Okay I have tried everything on my dog to get rid of flees I've tried the flee collar the frontline liquid medicine you put on them, I've tried dawn dish soap and nothing he is ate up bad. Same with my cats they all have had the same kinds of medicine.…

    How to get rid of fleas in my dog ?

    Okay I have tried everything on my dog to get rid of flees I've tried the flee collar the frontline liquid medicine you put on them, I've tried dawn dish soap and nothing he is ate up bad. Same with my cats they all have had the same kinds of medicine.…...
    General Dog Discussions : How to get rid of fleas in my dog ?...

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    • How to get rid of fleas in my dog ?

      How to get rid of fleas in my dog ? General Dog Discussions
      Okay I have tried everything on my dog to get rid of flees I've tried the flee collar the frontline liquid medicine you put on them, I've tried dawn dish soap and nothing he is ate up bad. Same with my cats they all have had the same kinds of medicine. I've bombed my house with flees cause I thought maybe that was it and I feel so bad he is just ate up I need help with knowing what you guys use. He is a Maltese and I have 2 kittens that are 4 months

      How to get rid of fleas in my dog ?

      How to get rid of fleas in my dog ? General Dog Discussions
    • Dear Rshade,

      I am really sorry to hear about your your dog. I totally agree. Fleas are really annoying and sometimes hard to remove them from your pets.

      First let me give you some general information regarding removing fleas in dogs :



      PetMD.com wrote:

      UNDERSTANDING THE FLEA LIFE CYCLE

      In order to understand how and why treatment options work, we must first understand the flea’s life cycle since the various modern treatment and prevention products work on different parts of this life cycle. There are several stages to its life cycle: egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa or cocoon, and adult. The length of time it takes to complete this cycle varies depending upon the environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and the availability of a nourishing host.

      The flea's host is a warm-blooded animal such as a dog or cat (or even humans!) However, the various flea stages are quite resistant to freezing temperatures. The adult female flea typically lives for several weeks on the pet. During this time period she will suck the animal’s blood two to three times and lay twenty to thirty eggs each day. She may lay several hundred eggs over her life span. These eggs fall off of the pet into the yard, bedding, carpet, and wherever else the animal spends time.

      These eggs then proceed to develop where they have landed. Since they are about 1/12 the size of the adult, they can even develop in small cracks in the floor and between crevices in carpeting. The egg then hatches into larvae. These tiny worm-like larvae live among the carpet fibers, in cracks of the floor, and outside in the environment. They feed on organic matter, skin scales, and even the blood-rich adult flea feces.

      The larvae grow, molt twice and then form a cocoon and pupate, waiting for the right time to hatch into an adult. These pupae are very resilient and are protected by their cocoon. They can survive quite a long time, waiting until environmental conditions and host availability are just right. Then they emerge from their cocoons when they detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide, all of which indicate that a host is nearby. The newly emerged adult flea can jump onto a nearby host immediately.
      Under optimal conditions, the flea can complete its entire life cycle in just fourteen days. Just think of the tens of thousands of the little rascals that could result when conditions are optimal!

      Knowing this life cycle allows us to understand why it has always been important to treat both the host animal and the indoor and outdoor environment in order to fully control flea numbers. Simply sprinkling some flea powder on your pet will not work; simply vacuuming the home vigorously will not work, simply placing a flea collar or using a flea topical on your pet will not work.




      There are to general types of Flea Removals available:


      CHEMICAL FLEA REMOVAL OPTIONS


      Unfortunately, fleas are annoying and persistent, so there is no instantaneous way to remove fleas from your dog or cat. However, pills and other spot-on chemical treatments have proven to be some of the fastest ways to rid your pet of fleas. Capstar is one option to remove fleas from dogs and cats. It's a tablet that when taken orally, begins to work within 30-minutes and kills 90% of all fleas within four hours. Spot-on flea treatments tend to take a few days to work, and some only target flea eggs while other target adults, so it's important to buy the right one.

      NON-CHEMICAL FLEA REMOVAL OPTIONS
      If you'd prefer to go the more natural route, there are several flea removal shampoos for dogs and cats on the market that are quite effective. You'll need to consider whether or not your pet can stand being soaking wet and lathered up for ten minutes though, since that's how long the shampoo takes to sink in. Following a nice warm bath, you'll have killed the fleas and will be able to use a flea comb to remove the fleas from your dog – don't worry, they're dead.



      And there are also two types of solutions :


      PRESCRIPTION FLEA MEDICATIONS

      There are a wide variety of flea products on the market today, but the newer prescription products are finally taking the frustration out of flea control with popular and highly effective brands. In some cases it is even possible to gain control by treating only the pet, making prescription treatments one of the best ways to kill fleas fast. Some of these flea products do not harm the adult flea but instead prevents her eggs from hatching, thus breaking the life cycle of the flea; with no reproduction the flea population eventually dissipates as long as the pet isn't coming in contact with new fleas continually.
      In warm climates, prescription flea treatment for dogs is typically a year round endeavor, but in other climates treatment should begin in early spring before the flea season starts. In addition, these type of products are not a good choice for animals that are allergic to flea saliva (have flea bite hypersensitivity) since the adult fleas are not killed and are still able to bite the animal.


      NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION TO TREAT FLEAS ON DOGS

      There are also many other products which will kill fleas on the pet and for which no prescription is needed. The drawback, however, is that some of these products may be less effective than the prescription products, but many really do help control flea populations. These non-prescription flea products include flea shampoos, flea powders, flea sprays, flea collars and spot-on products. There are even natural flea control products available, too!


      HOW TO TREAT FLEAS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
      With any flea treatment it is necessary to treat all of the animals in the home in order to achieve complete success. In addition, you will likely need to treat the indoor and outdoor environment. When treating the indoor environment it is important to wash all bedding in soapy, hot water especially if the pets spend time on your bed. All of the carpeting should be vacuumed thoroughly and the vacuum bag thrown away. Steam cleaning the carpet can kill some of the larvae as well. Remember, though, that vacuuming and shampooing a carpet will still leave a good percentage of live fleas so some sort of chemical treatment may be necessary.
      The entire house is now ready to treat for fleas. Several choices are available including highly effective foggers. The most effective products are those which contain both an ingredient to kill adult fleas and an ingredient to kill the other life cycle stages. The latter is called an insect growth regulator.

      Methoprene is one such growth regulator. Aerosol foggers may not penetrate well enough, in some cases, to kill all the hiding fleas and larvae. Another option for indoor control is a sodium borate product that is applied to carpeting. You should consider calling a local exterminating company for an estimate and a guarantee that their procedure will rid your premises of fleas.
      Flea eradication won't be cheap, either, but what price will you put on living free from flea infestations?
      As for outdoor control, sprays and pelleted insecticides are generally used after dog houses and kennels are cleaned thoroughly. An insect growth regulator is a good choice here as well. Pyriproxifen, is more stable in sunlight and lasts longer outdoors than Methoprene.

      It is important to know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the insecticide Chlorpyrifos (Dursban). Production ceased in December of 2000.
      Certain non-toxic nematodes (tiny worms) can also be spread in areas of the yard which are warm and moist and which pets and fleas frequent. The nematodes feed on the flea larvae. And once there is a cover of snow on the ground, much of the major source of fleas is eliminated.
      Be sure to consult your veterinarian regarding which methods and products will be best for you and your pets. Your veterinarian will be your best source for current flea information. It's a battle, so... good luck and happy flea control!


      If you have tried many methods and still you have problems, I would recommend going to a Vet and asking him or her for flea medications.

      I am sure he or she will come up with a solutions which would work.


      Please keep us updated regarding your dogs condition.


      Good Luck,
      Ali