Frontline and Promeris not working

Question

I've used Frontline since it was Top Spot and always had great results. Recently, I double dosed all 4 dogs because I was noticing fleas on them and in the house (we never had problems with fleas in our house because I always kept some Frontline on hand.). I didn't want to dose them again, so I called the vet and they recommended Promeris. They said that they were starting to see some fleas who were unaffected by the Frontline. The Promeris was okay, but we still have a flea problem. I'd rather not bomb the house because I have an 8-month-old, but if that's what we need to do then we'll do it and dip the dogs at the same time. 

Any suggestions besides bombing?

mslkpage · Answer

Thanks for all of your help. When I was a kid, I remember my mom giving Brewer's Yeast to our English Bulldog and it seemed to keep the fleas away! I plan on buying some of it today too.

chihuahuagrandma · Answer

I forgot to tell you, an ole' Afgan Hound Breeder told me this, go to vitamin store, buy Brewer's Yeast in powder or tab form give to dogs daily like a vitamin, after about 2 weeks, the fleas, mosquitos, ticks, will not bother the dogs, she was a true believe in holistic meds...cause too much flea med in poisonous on dogs and expensive...I will use this if I start seeing them jump, but my house is new and yard new, and usually call professional to do yard, but, it only take 1 to see million, I will start the Brewer's yeast, if I see a jumpin jack flash...

chihuahuagrandma · Answer

Yep, my babies weigh from 2lbs to 15lbs, they all get thier Dawn baths, and you will see it does work....Just make sure its the Original Blue Dawn liquid dish soap, not the new scents or antibacterial...Its funny, we wash our dishes in it right?? And, it kills fleas, hum, you wonder how safe the dishes are, LOL, but seriously, I am in the Dallas, TX region and the vets here advise this too...So, somebody get a bath today, LOL
Good Luck, my husband believes in Sevin dust around the house if for some reason you get saturated by fleas, someone can walk in your house w/one flea and you end up with a city of fleas...Sevin can be purchased at Walmart...Seven around the wall in the cracks and under cushions, and all over outside...But, check first to make sure its okay...

mslkpage · Answer

I'll probably try the Dawn then instead of dipping them. After the double dose of Frontline followed by Promeris, I'd rather use a gentler product on them.

chihuahuagrandma · Answer

Also, we give the dogs a bath in "Dawn" liquid dish soap to get a running start to kill the adult fleas on dogs, and it works, it has to be the original Dawn Blue liquid dish soap, and they die, you will see...just a tip...Dawn is not harmful to dogs...even the vets talk about it...

mslkpage · Answer

I'm almost as east as Texas gets- Nacogdoches. We've had a lot of rain here this year, and I wondering if that has anything to do with it? The previous two summers were drier and the fleas just weren't this hardy.

chihuahuagrandma · Answer

I am outside Dallas, and we haven't seen a flea yet...
Are you close to Tyler area???
But, we always treat the yard, pest control comes out, and says my dogs can walk on it after 2 hours, but, we hold off a day and night....and then I let them out...I have seen some flat ticks for the first time this season, a lot of them...

txsilver · Answer

So it is not just me!  I am in TX too and my dog is on Sentinel and Frontline and, when in East Texas, he still gets fleas.  (Not in the DFW area though, Sentinel still works here.)  We have treated the yard out there with DE and that has made a big difference.  We also have bombed the houses (I hate using that toxic stuff but it works.)  I am researching organic options and discovered that there are many options.  One organic product to be applied directly to pets is at Brookshires (will have to get and post the name next week.)  I used it for the first time last weekend and it killed the fleas on contact.
Will keep you posted on the East Texas battle front.

mslkpage · Answer

Oh, I forgot we can't say bad a.ss here on MH! ; )

mslkpage · Answer

I've heard of Sentinel and I think I'll ask my vet for that instead of Heartguard. I wouldn't say we have a bad infestation, but just seeing a few fleas makes me anxious because I know how quickly they can multiply. And thanks for the info on pyrethrum and DE. I tried something by Sentry called Natural Defense, but only got so-so results with it. Our dogs stay in our yard. I do walk two of them up and down our road, but we live in the sticks and the houses are all far from the road. Thank you very much for all of these ideas!

I see you're also in Texas- do you think the bad *** fleas have anything to do with all the rain we've had this year??

Jaybay · Answer

Sentinel.  It's a monthly heartworm pill that also renders fleas sterile if they bite your dog.  We've had great results with it and have used it for years with both our dogs.  In the summer months, we just use a mild flea soap for any strays they might pick up.  Of course, if you have a serious infestation going, you'll have to treat the yard and the house to get it under control.  In all these years using Sentinel, we haven't even had to use chemicals on the grass until one neighbor woman allowed her dogs to infest her entire home and yard, and since her dogs ran loose, they infested everything every where they went.  Once she moved away, we've had no further trouble.

If you can't chemically treat indoors, a good option is diatomaceous earth, also known as DE.  It's ground up fossils and looks like a white powder.  After thoroughly vaccuming (and tossing the bag) sprinkle the DE on the carpet and work it down deep with anything handy - even walking over it a few times will get it down in the pile.  When the flea larvae crawl over that dust, it's so sharp it shreds them to pieces and they die.  You'll have to keep repeating the treatment until there are no more fleas.  DE is very cheap, and can be bought at any store that carries pool supplies - even Lowe's or Home Depot should have it available.

To kill the adult fleas, any spray that contains pyrethrum is safe.  Useless factoid of the day: t's made from chrysanthamums.  It doesn't have a long residual so you have to repeat treatment until they're all gone, but that also makes it safe to use around pets and children.  If you read the label on flea shampoos, the active ingredient is usually some form of pyrethrum. 

So, get the Sentinel, the DE, and keep your vacuum cleaned and emptied every time you use it.  Treat the yard, and above all, restrict your dogs to your own property.  No trips to the dog park in flea season.  :-)