Fleas, best way to get rid of the dang things???

[Bam Bam]

As a dog owner I'm always having to deal with pest in my yard. I have two Dachshunds that only go outside for "Nature calls" but the fleas this year are horrible. I have spread granules and sprayed poisons on the lawn numerous times with no real affect this year. I had the fleas under control here last year (been in this house less than 2 yrs) but that still took several treatments, so far this year I have treated the lawn 3 times with 2 different brands of granules and twice with the same poison, it rained right after I sprayed the yard last thursday. I also have two outside cats which are fixed and stay close to the house, but there has been a bunch of neighbors dogs running loose around here lately. My yard is not fenced in....yet, so this is a factor I'm sure, but I had the pest under control last year so I know it can be done. I think the mild winter has been the biggest factor in the flea population, but still I've sprayed and treated the yard so many times, what gives??? Anyone else having this issue or know how to get rid of them?

Along the same lines the pond in the back yard has had a bunch of snakes in it this year, more than normal. I have taken care of most of them. My 10/22 and 12 ga have taken care of 5 so far this year, just wish the fleas were as easy to get rid of!




Bam Bam

 

[alex]

I treat my dogs with a flea-sterilizing medication. I use Sentinel which is a monthly treatment for intestinal and heart worms and fleas.

Due to feral cats in my neighborhood, fleas will always be around outside but the medication helps break the breeding cycle within my home.

Get rid of your outside cats too.

 

[Bam Bam]

Get rid of your outside cats too.

They help with the "Pest control" of the four legged variety and the land crawling pests!

 

[bs875]

There's a tablet called Comfortis that is a miracle drug for fleas. My dogs had them bad last year but within a couple of days of taking it they were gone. Dead fleas everywhere. If I remember correctly it messes with the fleas' nervous system. You can watch them dying on the dogs if they have a light colored coat. I haven't had the dogs on it over the winter but if they pick them up again I will. You will need a prescription for it and they best price I found was Greco Pet Supplies on Greenwell Springs. I was told to use Over and Out (has an active ingredient similar to Frontline) on the yard but that didn't do anything for me.

 

[jasonj5313]

Tallstar is one of the finest products I've ever used.

I broadcast it every other month and water it in.

Not a single insect on my property.

 

[wadepat2]

Bayer tree and shrub insecticide. I also mix a couple cap fulls with water in spray bottle and mist it on dogs. Ive got a yard full of hunting dogs without a flea. Ive been using it for years. Cheap, last forever, and works great. I got a dog the other day that had fleas so bad when you pet the dog 20 fleas would jump on you. Within 10 minutes dead fleas were falling off by the hundreds and not one left the next day. Look it up online its pretty popular with the hunting dog crowd.

 

[dfsutton]

There's a tablet called Comfortis that is a miracle drug for fleas. My dogs had them bad last year but within a couple of days of taking it they were gone. Dead fleas everywhere. If I remember correctly it messes with the fleas' nervous system. You can watch them dying on the dogs if they have a light colored coat. I haven't had the dogs on it over the winter but if they pick them up again I will. You will need a prescription for it and they best price I found was Greco Pet Supplies on Greenwell Springs. I was told to use Over and Out (has an active ingredient similar to Frontline) on the yard but that didn't do anything for me.

Comfortis worked for me. We've live in the City and had never had a flea problem previously, but last November my Mother came to live with us for about a month due to the birth of our second child. She brought her dog who was infested with fleas and we caught a bad outbreak. In the house, in the yard, and on our dog. My dog is always on Sentinel, which is supposed to sterilize the fleas that bite the animal, but apparently doesn't do a damn thing about killing adult fleas. I tried most everything, but a combination of treating the yard and Comfortis finally did the job. Comfortis basically turns your dog poisonous for fleas. They bite your dog and they die. Fast too. Like bs875 said, you can see the fleas dying. About 3 days after my dachshund took the pill, there were no more fleas in the house and when she went outside she wouldn't come back with any on her.

 

[edman87k5]

Sprinkle sevin dust through the yard and if you have them inside and have carpet, put borax on the carpet for a couple days and then vacuum it up. Ta da, no more fleas.

 

[Suburbazine]

Sprinkle sevin dust through the yard and if you have them inside and have carpet, put borax on the carpet for a couple days and then vacuum it up. Ta da, no more fleas.

You can't get sevin dust any more as I recall from 2002. Pyrethrin based poisons will work well against them.

 

[edman87k5]

You can still get it, just not in big bags like you used to. 1 or 2 pound container max. They still sell it in canisters.

 

[LACamper]

My vet came up with something for the yard a few years ago called over and done. Its meant for fire ants but he said its the best thing he's found for fleas. I think I bought it at Lowe's.

This is probably going to be a bad year for insects since we didn't get a real freeze.

 

[JLouv]

I can't add to the treatments already listed. However, I'm sure you're aware of the life cycle of a flea.

Basically, you have 2 problems. You gotta kill the living fleas, AND you have to kill the eggs. But you can't do that until they hatch. However, vacuuming frequently helps, but you gotta get under any overhangs: Like your bed skirt for example.

SO....treat your animals directly. And continue to treat your house/yard for at least 2 months after the living fleas are gone. Also, no animal is going to hang around where there's no food. So if it's an option, kick the animals out of the house. It'll make it easier to at least not have them crawling on you! Otherwise, fleas are like a "jeffery"....it goes away.....but then it comes back!!!

My house got overrun one summer. I evicted the dogs to the back yard, treated them & the house a couple of times...waited a month or so...then no problems.

 

[tim9lives]

I have the same issues with cats, but like you said...At least the cats do kill the rats and mice. I've been using Advantage for years. I also use the comfortis with some success. Last batch of Advantage I purchased just did not seem as effective so I started looking for a better perimeter insecticide treatment for the yard. ( I really think the fleas are tougher and the cats make matters worse.
After trying all of the stuff Lowes sells with some success, I dug a little further and ran across an article about flea control from LSU's Agg Center. They recommended Delta Gard G Granules.
It seems to work much better than anything from Lowes or Home Depot. A 20lb bag was about 40.00 and it lasted all last summer and I still have some left. If you use it, just follow directions. I get best results if I spread it after an afternoon rain. Sometimes I'll wet it down again the next morning.
In any case, it is by far the best stuff I have used in a while. It's like every time we get a good insecticide, the EPA bans the crap. Below is a link to the LSU article and another link to the Delta Gard G

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonl...247-FA043F6A34A3/20170/pub2237FleasBugBiz.pdf

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/deltagard-granules-20-lb-bag-p-89.html


OH.....ONE MORE THING BAM BAM.....I noticed you have a pond. You may want to double check about insecticides around the pond. I'm not sure about the Delta Gard, but vaguely remember warnings on some insecticides about issues with aquatic life. So just be careful spreading around the pond and make sure you read the warning label.

 

[jmanrogers]

Vinegar diluted with water. Spray the animals, beds, carpets etc. It stinks for a while, but it helps.

 

[cperron]

LIME! Sprinkle lime through out your yard. Not the pelletized lime but the hydrated lime. Chances are, the pH of your lawn is on the low side and it will also make for a lush green yard. Just don't get carried away with it. The lime will dehydrate and kill the fleas fast. I haven't had flea problems and I give my dog Comfortis and haven't had any issues. If you have neighbors it will be hard to just treat your dog with meds and expect the fleas to go away... They won't. If you have less than an acre, spread a 50 lb sack of hydrated lime over your yard and you won't have fleas, even if your neigbors have them. Cut your grass then lightly sprinkle. You may want to wear a dusk mask or make sure you stay upwind while spreading it.

 

[Yrdawg]

Malathion...I'm old fashioned

 

[TomTerrific]

If you have squirrels, you will have fleas.

Trying to get rid of the fleas in your yard is like trying to empty the ocean with a bucket.

Comfortis has worked for my bassets. I have never seen a flea on them.

YMMV

 

[RStewart]

Sprinkle sevin dust through the yard and if you have them inside and have carpet, put borax on the carpet for a couple days and then vacuum it up. Ta da, no more fleas.

+1

 

[Rabbit]

for inside the house, near dog bed, plug a night light into the socket with a bowl of water and a few drops of dawn dish soap under it. The fleas are attracted to the light land in water and the soap breaks the surface tension so they drown.

Outside, I would suggest DE (diatomaceous earth) it is natural and kills most pest like insects. I am sure that some of the chemicals will work better, I just don't want that stuff all over my place if I can avoid it.

Oh and if you wash your dog with the blue dawn dish soap, it will kill fleas that are on it. Of course start with a ring of suds around the neck, then work to tail as the fleas will run.

 

[jimdana1942]

I have heard of people using a pair of tweezers and a magnifying glass and picking them off their lawn one by one.
Personally, I think that is too slow and causes back pain. Wish I had more info for you but I don't. Sorry.