The only thing worse...

... Than not being able to get on top of the flea issue is when you find out your little puppy is allergic to them. Guess who gets to go for a car ride today!

I have been fighting this, no holds barred since before the first flea showed his little, ugly face. Salting the carpets, vacuuming daily, making sure the grass stays lows, Martin's flea tick and mange dip, keeping the furniture and carpet sprayed, drop solution, and anything else I can think of, without hurting the dogs. The big dogs are scratching a bit, but handling it ok. Little Ann has a rash all along her neck and head. They're in spots she can't reach, but now she's is bleeding in some if those spots.

 

I'm so sorry to hear that Poor Little Ann, it must be painful for her. I hope the veterinarian will help her get better quickly.
Maybe buy your dogs flea and tick collars? My Homer has one and it works great.

 

Jesus christ, LilAnn, that sounds so awful for the little one! So she has rash and even bleeding spots!! Gosh... I don't know how I'd handle something like that, you are so brave! Same for the little one. I hope she recovers soon, fortunately I haven't had any serious flea issue, mostly because I only have Frida, but I can imagine what a bad time your boys and girls are having... we once had a dog that was infested with ticks! Same with a chicken we adopted... ugh.

 

I have seen very few ticks this year, and that's not a complaint! They're usually as abundant as the fleas. I'm sure they'll get bad again sometime soon

 

My firda hasn't had issues with ticks in a while, but I thank that to the fact her hair is so curly. I once had a pit, when I was little and wow... poor guys! That short hair doesn't help with the ticks! The poor thing came here covered in them! She had a lot issues with ticks her entire life I hope you guys find a solution for the fleas issue! How is your girl today? I hope her wounds are better!

 

Well I am not the happiest camper here. I saw some ticks the other day on mine and I was not please especially considering that Zola has not taken up near permanent residence in my bed a place she was supposed to be banned from. My usual treatment does not seem to be working as well as it usually works but they seem to be under control.

 

Oh poor thing! Once those ugly blood sucking insects got on the dog, it takes a while to get rid of it! Capone had a case of fleas last year after I took him in to have his nails trimmed! It took us many tries to get kill them all. We brushed, we bathed him, I cleaned, I disinfected the house and I sprayed him before he went outside, it was an amazingly tiresome chores.

 

I am so stressed over it and I went and applied too much of something and they got sick for a day. I was scared to death. Now I have to wait some days before I can do anything more. The last time I saw ticks was when I brought home my last handful Ginger. When I discovered how many she had I was horrified. I had spoken about it here I think. One of my big concerns was her infecting my other dogs whom I had treated earlier having seen one of two. They were fine and then in comes this little gangstress littered with them. Anyway I got rid of them and then everyone was happy. I know my climate is a breeding ground for them but I feel it has something to do with the brush outside that grew too high.

Anyway after all my drama I expect they should be fine in a few days and I will get them some pills that usually work.

 

Ticks haven't been so bad around here. They'll get one occasionally, but not as often as I'm used to. The fleas are what I'm infested with right now. I vacuum daily, They all get regular baths, (little ann daily because she's allergic). I have tried everything I can find, and nothing works. I've even tried 100 different home remedies. No luck.

 

@claudine @Trellum @Winterybella @LilAnn
If you are interested, there is a homemade flea and tick shampoo that you can make and give them a bath with. All you need are: Dawn liquid dish soap, vinegar and water.

The proportion is 1/4 Cup regular blue Dawn dish soap 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2 Cup Warm Water.

Leave this solution on your dog for a while from behind the ears to the end of the tail, brush their coat before rinse. You might need to do this a few times, but you will see those freaking blood suckers dropping off your dog.

This year is bad with the fleas for Capone, and we just gave him a bath of this mixture yesterday.

 

@IcyBC Thanks a lot!!!! That is some valuable info, but do you think this also works on cats or not? I love this idea, it sounds way safer that using those chemical loaded shampoos. I am amazed at all the uses vinegar has! Just amazing!

 

I went to the store to look for flea and tick shampoo, and they are expensive plus full of chemicals. I didn't feel like touching it, leave alone putting on the dog. So I use this solution during the summer, or when he has fleas.

It is perfectly safe to use on cat! I checked on Google yesterday for the ok to use Dawn liquid dish soap and vinegar. None has indicated that it is harmful to cat. So yes, you can give your cat a bath with this solution.

 

IcyBC, thank you gor sharing this. It's a very useful advice. Like you said, flea and tick shampoos available in pet stores are expensive and loaded with chemicals, so buying them isn't the best idea.
I'll definitely try to make this solution.

 

Awesome Thanks a lot for the useful info! Those shampoos are indeed super expensive! I'm being very careful picking my own shampoo, so I should do the same with my dog's and cat shampoo Using something natural and easily accessible sounds like a much better idea

 

IcyBC, thank you. I saw that suggestion online but I was not sure if I should try it. I also saw mention of using alcohol and a host of other homemade suggestions but truth be told after I saw my dogs looks so sick I was scared to try anything. It looks like they are all fine but I feel I want to take them for an official vet visit. It's just going to be so expensive. I am going to work from home today so maybe I will try this dawn bath. Must it be dawn? I heard you can use any dish washing liquid.

 

My dogs are going to love this. They'll hate the bath, but if it'll give them a break from the fleas, I'm sure they'll be appreciative. Thank you!

 

And isn't it so sad to watch them itching and scratching. That's the biggest worry for me, to see them in such misery. I just hate those things and I honestly thought I was so on top of things I would not see them ever again but I guess I was wrong.

 

It's really sad I hate fleas, I can't imagine how annoying it must be to have them. They're so nasty! Fortunately, Homer's flea and tick dog collar works great.

 

Which kind does HOmer use? I am considering getting collars again but they usually lose them when they go outside with all the rough play and the Hartz ones I used to buy some people say are no good. I am here watching them and they seem comfortable but I saw a tick this morning so it means they are not completely gone.

 

The collar is grey and looks like plastic.
Unfortunately, I don't know what brand is it. We bought it from the vet, I believe it's a Polish product.