Flea control this Summer

Written by Colin Seal

02/23/2011 Dog Bark Collar, Barking Dog Collar

Flea Control remedies.
We have had a lot of questions lately on The Dog Line Facebook Page with regard to flea treatments and remedies.  Fleas are particularly bad during the warmer summer months and dog owners are looking for natural and cheaper alternatives.

You may need to discuss a medical remedy with a Vet, you can find a vet in our Dog Resources Directory simply by filling in your postcode. Visit the main blog here.

I love the recommendation from Hels about 'Diatomaceous Earth' to treat gardens.

Our Facebook Fan, Jesse wrote a query:

With fleas on the plague scale, a mixture of 10 drops of tea tree oil, half cup of vinegar, 3 lemons, 1 cup water combine put in a spray bottle it works.  But if your dog has sores like mine, not a good idea.  Lemon and vinegar can sting.  Spent 100 dollars and still counting; going to vet 4 Cortizone injection and antibiotics I'm hurting 4 u; poor canines over Sydney anyone with other flea control methods post, please.

See what some of The Dog Line's Raving Fans suggest....

Zimmy Nicholls - Crikey fleas are bad in Vic too. I had to use Frontline and mine still have them. It's an awful year, they're in the grass everywhere. They hate fennel, so plant it, or put in their bedding. I found the sores coming from the flies attacking their skin sores. Flea dermatitis is bad, Frontline stops that in my one old dog. I found the Exelpet flea shampoo with aid for dermatitis helped my dog the most, it is a blue colour shampoo, not the normal one.  Good luck, darn fleas xxx Zimmy

Jesse Thompson- ta Zimmy has done the flea collar the Advantix. Sydney so bad at moment been years since I've seen this.  I'll try the shampoo u suggest.  My Jesse is 11 so she's really copping it and I just feel sorry 4 her.  I'll get some fennel they are supposed to hate mint too xx

Zimmy Nicholls  -Yep flea collars do nothing, do you mean Advantage stuff for fleas like Frontline, etc. ?  The advantage is meant to be great but did nothing for my dogs. The only thing that worked was Frontline! We have a plague of mites here in Vic, scratching ...ears, everything. If you can afford it, take ya pet to vet for a swab, ours is cheap. My friend's dog had allergies to grass and got tablets, now its great. Sure it's fleas? It could be fleas mites or anything like derma inflammation. Poor things, mine is the same but better now today as she had Frontline again. Look on this site The Dog Line, they have stuff that can help, just ask them? They so reasonable and even make a plan to pay stuff off, as I believe they will :) xxx Zimmy. Call Colin at The Dog Line or his wife, they are lovely :) Zimmy xxx

Jesse Thompson ps Zimmy is sooooo cute I'm taking her 4 antibiotics and Cortizone shot at vet; I'm going to wake up to just a chewed limb hanging there soon xx

Zimmy Nicholls Oh poor doggie, Zimmy sends her love and licks he he xxx

The Dog Line Sounds Horrid Jesse... You really have to treat the cause of the fleas as well.  They live in the sand and in skirting boards around the edges of carpets. You may have to 'Bomb' the house just to get on top of it.
Not sure how to treat the garden areas. Look at where the dogs lay and on their bedding, fleas love dusty sand and so do dogs.

Treating the ones that get on the dog is great... But when there are thousands of more fleas waiting to hop on when there is room it is an uphill battle - try to get to the source.
I hope that gives you a couple of ideas... Tea tree is good as a shampoo also as it will help disinfect any sores.
TDL.
Colin

Jesse Thompson oww thank u i have bipolar so i don't get out much, other dog lovers to talk to is great.  I know I've got to bomb, just I've got Asthma.

Zimmy Nicholls Bomb it, and go out for a while, have a coffee somewhere, you will be right, bombs away xxx

Hels Moncrieff Diatomaceous earth (it's a type of clay) naturally kills fleas. Dilute some in a spray bottle and you can spray it over your yard and it's safe to even spray on your pets. Just be careful where you use it on carpets/furniture as it may leave stains.  You can also use oil based products to spray your dog (lavender, geranium, citrus) as these will repel fleas. I guess you could mix the two into one bottle even?

Zimmy Nichollsyour so nice caring :) love Zimmy.  Hels can you vote that Logan dog and leave comment Zimmy sent you. Such a sad story, love you Zimmy xxx

The Dog Line Hi Hels... thanks for the advice. If you can reduce numbers around the yard then you have a chance of keeping them off the dog - or at least under control.

Jesse Thompson is it ok to bath ur dogs flea sores in diluted tea tree oil? as dettol is no good, the cream, my vet said to me.

Zimmy Nicholls/strong> Should be fine, salt water is the best for the sores. Just mix salt in water and bathe it all over the sores.. Do it couple of times a day. Keep the flies away! I sprayed Aeroguard aroud my dog for the sores as the flies were the ones eating them and driving her mad. It all disappeared in a day after that. xxx

Krissii Stollie Kahlia Fegebank Be very careful with Tea Tree oil- It can be toxic. I would go with the saline solution Zimmy described- Except use cooled boiled water mixed with salt, which makes it sterile. :)

The Dog Line/strong> Yeah... I like the idea of going natural with the saline... Keep the tea tree until all is back to normal.

The Dog Line From what I have heard Tea Tree oil is great to keep the fleas at bay... There is a post from Hels.. about using diatomaceous earth (a clay) diluted to spray around the gardens to stop fleas where they start. Get em before they get on ya dog.

Zimmy Nicholls Oh Krissii you're so brainy, even more than me lol, do what Krissii said Jesse and The Dog Line, they know more than Zimm.. You have to keep the flies away as they eat the sores so bad though xxx Zimmy

Jesse Thompson flies no prob Zimm inside dog, she's Kelpie and thinks she's a little Jack Russell!!!!

Zimmy Nicholls Ha ha lol, funny doggie xxx

Anne Scott- In answer to Jesse - we use a product caled "Coopex" and spray that around - totally harmless to everything bar fleas, but not sure where you can get it, we get from Dept of Agriculture.

The Dog Line Great Anne thanks for that. We will prob do a newsletter on the subject. Will look on to it more. Colin

If home remedies do not work for you make sure you seek professional advice from your local vet clinic.  To find a vet near you, check The Dog Line's Australia-wide Business Directory.

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Here for you and your dog,
Colin Seal