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Remember the flea issue? Help me figure something out before I do something I'll regret.


AimeeM
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Are you using a prescription flea treatment? We had a massive flea infestation this summer with our cats. The only thing that took care of it was prescription meds. Nothing that I could buy OTC worked- no medicine, powder, spray etc.... When I finally paid for a prescription only medicine it took care of it.

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Not a good idea. You don't know what other meds they are on that may cross-react. Even though the neighbors are asshats, they cats could be made sick by this. Just spray the yard; its cheaper and quicker.

 

How about next time they come in your yard, you give them a dose of Advantage? And then keep doing it at regular intervals.

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Are you using a prescription flea treatment? We had a massive flea infestation this summer with our cats. The only thing that took care of it was prescription meds. Nothing that I could buy OTC worked- no medicine, powder, spray etc.... When I finally paid for a prescription only medicine it took care of it.

The vet has been overseeing treatment. She did give us some of the medication (the "kill them now" meds) -- the other medication is what she recommended for monthly, but was able to be purchased OTC.

 

According to the vet and the pest control guys, it doesn't matter how well or how frequently we treat the dogs (in terms of relative excess) -- if the yard is infested, and other animals are bringing in the fleas, we are going to have at least a small amount on the dogs (until the fleas die) and tracked into the house. 

 

 

 

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My dog has fleas right now. We are using OTC topical and it's definitely helping. But she still has fleas, even though it is definitely improving and we find less and less every few days.

 

I am combing her with a flea comb 3+ times a day and it is helping our dog not to scratch and to have a fraction as many bite marks.

 

We think the OTC treatment is what is *really* helping but in the meantime combing is really helping a lot.

 

Good luck! It's our first time dealing with this, and we had NO idea.

 

I can't imagine having the car situation, too; it sounds so frustrating.

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Aimee has a child with special needs.  I'd be afraid of trying something like this.  

 

 

This is a great suggestion and one that has been mentioned before.

My concern is that two of our kids have significant special needs -- one more on the severe end of the spectrum, who stims by rubbing his face and forehead on the floors; the other with medical special needs, including lung problems. If breathing the dust in is potentially dangerous, I'm not sure how safe it would be, kwim?

 

ETA: the fleas seem to be contained to the yards right now. I know they are riding on the dogs on some level, but the fleas in the house seem much, much less than they were this summer. The pest control guys came out every couple of weeks to spray down the entirety of the house, and between that and the dogs being treated, it did seem to make a decent dent. The area that seems to not be taking to treatment is the outdoors -- which is problematic because I have to let the dogs out, at least to potty. We don't really get a dry week around here this time of the year, which may be why the chemical yard treatments aren't taking very well.

 

This is why I said FOOD GRADE DE.  Unless you're all on a grain-free paleo diet, it's already in your home, in nearly every grain product you have, and you're already eating it.  DE is why there are rarely moth or weevil infestations in pantries anymore - and when you do find them, they're generally in some sort of minimally processed gluten free product.  Breathing a tiny amount won't hurt, but it would irritate your lungs in quantity because it's a very fine particle.

 

So knowing your DS stims, I would apply it a little differently.  Still get a duster, put it everywhere, but instead of leaving it for weeks without vacuuming, clean it up immediately.  Fine particles will still fall wherever flea eggs are - and DS will breath in minimal DE. In fact he might be breathing in less harmful things because the DE will also kill dust mites that might be irritating his allergies and be another source of inflammation.

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