DE for fleas- really works? Or Orkin?

[Hilltopmom]

Ok, I read the past threads on fleas.

 

Treating the cat done.

 

does treating house with DE (diacotomous earth, not dual enrollment, lol) & vacuuming daily for a month really work?

Can't I just call Orkin?

 

I'm desperate. Don't have the $ to spare, but if Orkin will work better & faster, I'll do it.

 

The liklihood of getting really good whole house vacuuming & bedding washed daily, the first month of school & activities is not high.

 

We go out of town next week & my dad could come let the Orkin guy in & they could spray what they need to with us out of the house for a week.

But I'm guessing we still need to follow up with vacuuming daily, right?

 

Ugh, this sucks.

 

Help!

Edited August 19, 2016 by Hilltopmom

[Guest]

Whenever I've gotten fleas, I heavily spray the carpets/furniture in apple cider vinegar and then vacuum.  I do this 2-3x daily for about a week.  I've never had an issue with them staying beyond that time.

[katilac]

You need to vacuum no matter what. 

 

I've never heard of WAM's apple cider vinegar trick, but that's definitely worth a try. 

 

The DE earth will help as well. It's small particles and I'm not willing to put it everywhere, but we def put it in the cat's favorite areas. 

 

Another tip that works extremely well is to put a saucer, full of water and a drop of dish soap, under a night light in a dark room. They will jump right in and drown. Do this in as many rooms and corners of those rooms as possible, changing the water daily of course. The number should start going down, so it's a nice way to gauge how treatment is going. 

 

You really, really need to wash the bedding. I'd put the 2 older kids on duty for 2 hours per day, either watching the littles or helping you or any combination thereof, until the bedding is washed, daily vacuuming is done, saucers are emptied It doesn't take nearly as long as it might seem if there are multiple people working on it. 

 

It has never taken me a month, but we don't have wall to wall carpeting. 

[Reefgazer]

I read this as dual enrollment for fleas, lol.

[Angie in VA]

I have heard frequent vacuuming, and the saucer w/ soapy water under a light, plus salt. Good ole NaCl. Google it. 

 

 

[ktgrok]

DE works (I think that is what flea busters powder is) but it isn't a fast kill. It is long term maintenance. For a fast kill you want to spray with something with an insect growth regulator. Many vets will sell it, or a you do it pest control. Or you can call a pest control company. I would wash the bedding at least weekly, I don't think daily is needed, if you are treating the cat itself properly. 

[Thia7278]

I took all the bedding to the laundry mat at the same time, including couch cushions, kitchen chair cusions-everything. Then I only gave back what was necessary, bottom sheets, pillows and cases, top sheet and thing blanket. Everything else, heavy comforters, pillow pets, couch cushions etc have been bagged up since. We vac'd daily including couches for 2 weeks, then every other day for a week, then twice a week, now, just once a week.  The fleas are still around, we see a couple a day. If we had the money, I would get the "magic" pills for the cat, but we don't so he gets bathed twice a week. Honestly, it's a pain, but I am more comfortable with this than chemicals from the chem man. And from my reading, they don't always work b/c the bugs are developing resistances.

[hornblower]

Vacuuming works. It really does & it's free, just tedious. With fleas, focus on the edges & anywhere the cat sleeps. So you could skip large chunks of the middle of the room, kwim? That's not where they're likeliest to be. 

What did you treat kitty with? 

[katilac]

Vacuuming works. It really does & it's free, just tedious. With fleas, focus on the edges & anywhere the cat sleeps. So you could skip large chunks of the middle of the room, kwim? That's not where they're likeliest to be. 

 

What did you treat kitty with? 

 

Our cats delight in sleeping in the middle of the room, right in the walking path. 

[Hilltopmom]

Treated cat with Advantage which I just read may not always be effective anymore?

 

Can stop at vet Tomorrow to ask about the 24 hr one (name escaping me, Cap something) &/ or Program, not sure if I can use since I just re did her advantage today.

 

I'm totally for spraying with something before we head out of town. DE currently on all the rugs & edges ( only wall to wall in one bedroom, but area rug carpets in other rooms).

 

I'm soooooooo not looking forward to the vacuuming & washing. DS starts his first class at CC when we get home & a heavy course load, but dd can totally help with kids, vacuuming, & laundry.

 

I washed all bedding, & only gave back minimal stuff too, bagged all stuffed animals & throw pillow/ blankets for now. And realized we have way too much stuff in the process!!

[Hilltopmom]

Really, I just want to cry. We all have bites:(

supposed to be packing for our week camp away this weekend...

[ktgrok]

I'm so sorry. Fleas suck. Advantage usually does work, and quickly. New ones will be hatching out though for a while. I'd hire the exterminator. Or see if your vet carries a spray for the house, the clinic I worked at always did. You can spray it on any furniture the cat usually sits on, etc. Eggs will fall off where the cat sleeps, those are the places to treat. I wouldn't worry about stuffed animals and such unless the cat sleeps on or against them. But do spray, I'd do it tomorrow, so you can kill whatever fleas are around so they stop biting you!

[Katy]

You can call an exterminator, but they often require a year long contract.  You can also just get the same spray they use at a store like Lowe's or Home Depot.  DE does work, but it's hard on vacuums.  Advantage is the one that works for us.

[katilac]

I'm so sorry. Fleas suck. Advantage usually does work, and quickly. New ones will be hatching out though for a while. I'd hire the exterminator. Or see if your vet carries a spray for the house, the clinic I worked at always did. You can spray it on any furniture the cat usually sits on, etc. Eggs will fall off where the cat sleeps, those are the places to treat. I wouldn't worry about stuffed animals and such unless the cat sleeps on or against them. But do spray, I'd do it tomorrow, so you can kill whatever fleas are around so they stop biting you!

 

Opinions will definitely vary on this, but I personally would be concerned about spraying the house with two such young children. They are small, so more affected by the toxins, and likely still at the licking and crawling in weird spaces stage. 

 

It's a personal concern of mine that it can be unhealthy for young children at the best of times, and a serious concern if the sprayer is not well-trained or simply sloppy. I know that others are fine with it and have never had a problem. 

 

If I felt I had to do it, it would be right before we left for the week, and at least the littles would be elsewhere. 

 

fwiw, though, I have never had a problem pretty quickly getting rid of fleas by treating the cat, using DE and vacuuming, water sauces, and so forth. And my kids let in a distressing number of strays  :001_rolleyes:

 

Oh, and Advantage works great for us. I'm pretty sure it was 24 hours, too, are there maybe different levels? Our indoor kitty cannot be retreated quickly, bc she doesn't tolerate it well. Outdoor kitty is made of sterner stuff and we don't have to wait as long. 

[Hilltopmom]

I'm wary of chemicals with the littles as well, but really don't want this to drag on forever. Going to town to see what they have this AM. I cannot afford a year long contract, for sure.

 

Cat is indoor/ outdoor, mostly outdoor in summer, definately outdoor right now;)

 

Gotta go vacuum!

Thanks all

[Hilltopmom]

..and.. I think I killed my vacuum :(

Hubby is off to rent a shop vac

[ktgrok]

I'm wary of chemicals with the littles as well, but really don't want this to drag on forever. Going to town to see what they have this AM. I cannot afford a year long contract, for sure.

 

Cat is indoor/ outdoor, mostly outdoor in summer, definately outdoor right now;)

 

Gotta go vacuum!

Thanks all

 

Wait, the cat is outside right now? THATS why you guys are being bitten!!! I was trying to figure out why you were getting bites...fleas much prefer cats to humans.  Let him in! The fleas will jump on him instead of you, and the advantage will kill them. Heck, there are actually stories about using cats treated with it to rid apartments of fleas!

 

Let him in ASAP! Then one of you spray, while the other takes the kids out to run errants until everything has dried. 

 

(EDITED TO ADD:  Dont' spray while the cat is in the room...maybe leave him out until after you spray, or kick him out while spraying)

Edited August 20, 2016 by ktgrok

[Hilltopmom]

Ah ha! Hmm, not sure if I can talk dh into that.

Cat goes out most of summer though, I let her in for a few hours during the morning, but wanders meowing all night to go back out if I try to keep her in.

 

Vacuum not dead, just overheated & clogged, phew.

[StephanieZ]

The "magic pills" for the cat (presumably Comfortis) are going to be a lot cheaper than Orkin.

 

If you only have one pet, then, for SURE Comfortis is going to be a lot more effective and cheaper than all that other stuff. If you have 10 pets, then it can be a larger budget issue (not any less important, though).

 

Really, get Comfortis for your cat. You can just buy 3 doses if they'll split doses. One dose a month until a few weeks after the fleas are gone (i'd go 6-8 weeks after the fleas are gone if at all feasible). Cure. Woohoo. You have a walk, breathing, flea killing machine in that cat. 

 

Meanwhile, vacuum/launder/etc. Unless your infestation is super severe, you don't have to use any pesticides. Just the Comfortis. 

 

Comfortis is prescription, available at the vet) Accept no substitutes, IMHO. (And, no, I don't work for Elanco!)

[ktgrok]

The "magic pills" for the cat (presumably Comfortis) are going to be a lot cheaper than Orkin.

 

If you only have one pet, then, for SURE Comfortis is going to be a lot more effective and cheaper than all that other stuff. If you have 10 pets, then it can be a larger budget issue (not any less important, though).

 

Really, get Comfortis for your cat. You can just buy 3 doses if they'll split doses. One dose a month until a few weeks after the fleas are gone (i'd go 6-8 weeks after the fleas are gone if at all feasible). Cure. Woohoo. You have a walk, breathing, flea killing machine in that cat. 

 

Meanwhile, vacuum/launder/etc. Unless your infestation is super severe, you don't have to use any pesticides. Just the Comfortis. 

 

Comfortis is prescription, available at the vet) Accept no substitutes, IMHO. (And, no, I don't work for Elanco!)

 

Yes, and then bring the cat in! Let the cat kill the fleas! Seriously, I know you said your husband wants the cat out, but that means the fleas are biting YOU, rather than the cat. Better the cat! Plus the flea meds on the cat will kill the fleas, where as when they bite you they are getting a nice blood meal so they can lay more eggs. 

 

And it is fine to use comfortis AND advantage, no interactions there. 

 

But seriously, no way I'd live in a house with fleas with no pet there...yikes!

[heartlikealion]

Well I think what we ended up doing was dh dusted the house with the food grade DE and then we went out of town (we already had plans to leave town). The cat had already been treated with a pill from the vet and combed/bathed before we left town. I always read to wash things in hot but I was scared to ruin certain things so I think I used warm. Heat is supposed to kill them.

 

The fleas had no hosts and a bunch of DE around the house while we were gone. The thing is, I heard they can live a long time without hosts. Also put DE inside the vacuum. It doesn't treat eggs!! So if the eggs hatch in the vacuum you want the DE there. They have to hop on it a number of times. I don't know how long we put the DE out on the area rugs. I tried salt and baking soda on the carpets before we bought the DE but I don't know if it worked. I was pregnant so I was absolutely against using a bomb or such. Dh bought one of those pistons and some dust masks before he spread it around. Also put it around the house. He might have released a bomb or something under the house before we left. But inside did not use any chemicals.

 

We used Comfortis as mentioned upthread. But the vet office sent it home with us and it was not easy to give her. One time we didn't even know if she swallowed it (we've used it off/on).

 

Yeah, I'd bring the cat indoors while this was going on if she's been treated. They will bite her and die I believe.

 

ETA: we took the cat with us when we left town. We always do. Since you are leaving town soon maybe you can treat the house with DE rather than Orkin. Just learn about how to apply it. Not thick piles, but like a thin dusting.

Edited August 20, 2016 by heartlikealion

[TravelingChris]

Yes, the old flea medicines don't work as well anymore. 

[shukriyya]

They are 125 million years old. They're not going anywhere  :party:

 

In terms of Advantage...the fleas will always have the advantage  :lol:

[Hilltopmom]

Well, we will switch to Revolution when we can treat cat again, picked it up today.

Our vet doesn't carry Comfortis, so I'll see if I can get it another way, maybe not.

 

I'd happily pay:)

 

Did get some spray to use on the rugs & couch, we have to take 2 cars anyways, so dh will spray after I leave with the kids.

 

I brought the cat in:)

 

Wish us luck!

Edited August 20, 2016 by Hilltopmom

[Tammi K]

I get eaten alive by fleas.  The rest of my family can stand there and watch them ping off my legs.  We've had a few occasions with previous pets where it became a big problem - although the source was always one specific dog. The others would get a few fleas and he would be covered. .  We always did a topical vet prescribed treatment, them load up the animals in the car, set of half a dozen bug bombs and drive away for a few hours.   I hated the chemicals but it was quick, inexpensive, and it worked.  Of course, unless you could see how badly I would get bitten, perhaps you wouldn't really understand the need for them to be gone!

[scbusf]

Fleas suck. We are dealing with them for the first time ever. And our cats never go outside.

 

2 of my kids have literally hundreds of bites. We have tried DE (huge mess to clean up-will kill a regular vacuum cleaner quickly).

 

We have the cats on Advantage and they seem to have no more fleas. I finally called a company and they treated our house and yard for $150. Honestly, I should have called them to begin with. My poor kids are going to have scars from all the flea bites :(

 

And I rarely use chemicals in my house at all.

[hornblower]

One thing to consider is that if you have an animal with repeat flea infestations, change their diets to something better, do a full deworming and consider running blood work and urinalysis.

 

The reason I say this is that parasites pick on weak hosts. Whenever a neglected stressed pup comes in, they're flea infested. Get them healthy, on good food and suddenly fleas stop being an issue for that animal.

 

I don't use flea meds monthly because my healthy guys just don't get them. I know fleas are here, I've seen them on other dogs, but we just rarely get an infestation.

 

Of course there are really bad locations, and bad seasons so it's not always true but nevertheless, consider immune boosting and generally improving the overall health of the animal as well.

[KS_]

I just got done dealing with fleas a couple months ago - and have dealt with a few infestations in different states/houses.  I've found the most effective thing is an insect growth regulator for fleas (the one I just bought is called I.G. Regulator, 4 oz from Amazon).  You need a pressurized garden type sprayer and dilute the IGR in water and spray it on carpets, draperies, furniture, mattresses, etc and let it dry.  It stops the flea larvae from maturing and continuing the life cycle and can last 6 months.  The one 4 oz bottle of IGR is enough for several applications (I plan on spraying the house I'm in now 2x a year just because fleas are more common here, and can live year round outside).

 

To stop the adults, vacuuming and washing pet bedding frequently is crucial.  I have in the past not used any drugs on my pets and bathed them daily to kill the adult fleas, but after I started doing that this time, decided it's a lot of work.  So I also used a generic Capstar product (the drug is called Nitenpyram and you can buy it on Ebay or other websites).  It will kill adult fleas on the cats or dogs and doesn't stay in their system (I'm not a fan of using fat soluble drugs that stay in my pets).  It was my first time using it and it worked very well to kill the adults on the pets and is much much easier than bathing the cat...It can also be used as needed if they pick up fleas on a walk or something.

 

The IGR is quite safe for people and pets and when my son was a baby and we had an infestation, I wanted something that wasn't highly toxic but also effective, and that's why I started using it.

[Guest]

One thing to consider is that if you have an animal with repeat flea infestations, change their diets to something better, do a full deworming and consider running blood work and urinalysis.

 

The reason I say this is that parasites pick on weak hosts. Whenever a neglected stressed pup comes in, they're flea infested. Get them healthy, on good food and suddenly fleas stop being an issue for that animal.

 

I don't use flea meds monthly because my healthy guys just don't get them. I know fleas are here, I've seen them on other dogs, but we just rarely get an infestation.

 

Of course there are really bad locations, and bad seasons so it's not always true but nevertheless, consider immune boosting and generally improving the overall health of the animal as well.

 

Never would have believed it but it actually works.  Granted, my cats are only indoor so the 3-4 times we've ever had fleas they've come in on the dog, but ever since starting *everyone* on Hill's Prescription Diet and just generally getting them healthier, I haven't had a problem.

 

ETA: I've never given my animals heartworm/flea/parasite treatments

Edited August 21, 2016 by WendyAndMilo

[katilac]

  I've found the most effective thing is an insect growth regulator for fleas (the one I just bought is called I.G. Regulator, 4 oz from Amazon).   

<snip>

 

The IGR is quite safe for people and pets and when my son was a baby and we had an infestation, I wanted something that wasn't highly toxic but also effective, and that's why I started using it.

 

Living in a semi-tropical state, I am intrigued! For some reason, we actually don't get fleas that often, even though we have one indoor/outdoor kitty, and my kids happily let in every stray for miles, but this looks like it will work with several of the nasties we get here.  

[heartlikealion]

I get eaten alive by fleas.  The rest of my family can stand there and watch them ping off my legs.  We've had a few occasions with previous pets where it became a big problem - although the source was always one specific dog. The others would get a few fleas and he would be covered. .  We always did a topical vet prescribed treatment, them load up the animals in the car, set of half a dozen bug bombs and drive away for a few hours.   I hated the chemicals but it was quick, inexpensive, and it worked.  Of course, unless you could see how badly I would get bitten, perhaps you wouldn't really understand the need for them to be gone!

 

ugh, me too!! The first case was when I was a college student living in a dorm. Someone down the hall brought an animal in and that may have been the cause. My roommate was fine and I was waking up with bites all over my legs, even if I wore pants to bed. I was so freaked out that I went to the campus clinic. They told me they thought it was fleas. Someone else in my hall was experiencing the same thing. Meanwhile my roommate probably thought I was nuts complaining about something biting me every night when nothing was bothering her lol. Our hall was bombed and I spent one or two nights at a friend's off campus apt.