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How to get an unbeatable flea problem out of you house and KEEP it out?

So I have a 10 year old cocker spaniel and he recently acquired a nasty flea infestation. I did not have any flea medicine on him when he got it. I have been moving a lot so the medication just slipped my mind and as soon as I noticed fleas, I went out and bought things I thought would help.

I did not have the money for frontline at that time so I bought flea shampoo, a flea collar, carpet spray, and powder for dogs. The shampoo killed all the fleas but I didn't having anything to protect him from catching them so after an hour of roaming the apartment, he had fleas again. I have yet to use the carpet spray because we have many lizards with open tanks, and I am worried about their health with using the spray. And there is no way I could move all of them or their tanks out of the apartment, I've thought of that.

So around a week later I bought the frontline applications, gave him a flea bath, waited 48 hours and put on the front line. I vaccum the apartment everyday and I wash all of his bedding in hot water every 3 days. I put on the frontline applications every 3 weeks and I just can not seem to get them out of my house and off of my dog.

At first, with the frontline, it seemed to work. He didn't have any for a good 2 weeks and then all of a sudden, two days ago I noticed he was itching a lot. I did a search and he has fleas.. AGAIN!!!

I'm at a loss, I feel horrible for my poor pup because he is so itchy and uncomfortable all the time but I just can not seem to get rid of them! PLEASE HELP!
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,

I agree with everything Dr. Coyner said and want to offer one suggestion.

An effective, natural flea remedy for your home would be to go to the grocery store and buy a box of Borax. Borax is in the laundry detergent section and is quite inexpensive.

You simple sprinkle the borax onto your carpets, pound it in well, then vacuum it up. This is safe and will not harm your lizards. It also provides natural flea protection to your home that lasts for 1 year.

I hope this information is helpful.

Thank you,
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVm
Helpful - 0
931674 tn?1283481696
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The fleas that you can see on your dog represent only about 10% of the flea larvae, eggs and pupae in the environment. Frontline kills the fleas after they bite your dog, but new fleas keep hatching, Frontline Plus is a better choice, because it also has an insect growth regulator to prevent hatching of flea eggs in any fleas that survive long enough to lay eggs. Flea baths, powders and collars don't work. For treatment of fleas in the environment, Knockout flea premise spray by Virbac has an insecticide to kill adult fleas and an insect growth regular (Nylar) to prevent flea eggs and pupae from maturing. Typical foggers don't work since they generate a fine mist that covers everything including countertops and lizard cages-- you need to apply the premise spray selectively to places where the fleas live, such as carpets, under chairs/beds/couches, on cracks and crevices, on pet bedding, under bushes and dark moist areas outside. Ideally you could can remove the lizards from the home for a few hours and then bring them back when the home is aired out, but if this is not possible, then make sure to apply the spray as directed on the label and keep the windows open to generate good ventilation.
Good luck,
Kimberly Coyner, DVM DACVD
Dermatology Clinic for Animals of Las Vegas
www.dermvetvegas.com
Helpful - 0

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