For flea control do you just use products like Frontline or do you also treat yo

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   Charluposted 13 years ago

   For flea control do you just use products like Frontline or do you also treat your yard and home?
   
   With flea season in the making, do you only use products applied to your pet or treat your yard and home? If so what type of products do you use that you find effective? For flea control on your pet do you dip, use a collar, spot protection, spray or powder and have you tried others that are less or more effective?
   
   

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   SmartAndFunposted 13 years ago

   Many years ago before the  pharmaceutical options were available, we treated our home, our yard, sprinkled diatomaceous earth on our carpets, dipped the dogs -- anything we could think of, and it didn't seem to make much difference at all. Once 'Program' came on the market, we began giving our dogs this flea pill and it was like a magic bullet for the fleas. It worked better than anything we ever tried and we have used it ever since. We never, ever see any fleas whatsoever. I even wrote a hub about it because I am so pleased with the product.
   
   http://smartandfun.hubpages.com/hub/Pro … ogs-Review

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      Charluposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Smart and Fun Just got done reading your hub and the information was phenomenal I had no idea that Program was an oral treatment or how it worked.  Your listing the pros and cons, other options, affordability and no water worries was awesome. Thanks

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   peeplesposted 13 years ago

   I did a hub on this a couple summers ago. We treat the yard and house with vinegar. As long as there are no cuts on the dog it can also be added to their bath water. Fleas don't like vinegar. I also sprinkle garlic powder on them once a week or so and rub it in real good. As the years go by I learn new natural remedies and most of them I have tried work. I don't take medication and prefer for my animals not to either. Plus I have one dog who is allergic to everything so we can't give her normal flea medications. Too many chemicals anyway! The vinegar also keeps the mosquitos, flies, and gnats away so we stick to it.

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      Charluposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Peeples Just got done reading your hub http://peeples.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-rid-of-fleas and am definitely going to check out some of your natural flea and pest control.  Thanks for the info and answering my question.

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   CR Rookwoodposted 13 years ago

   We don't treat anything. Not the dog, not us, not the yard.
   
   We do use sprays like OFF and Deep Woods OFF on ourselves and the dog during the worst of deer fly season, and we wear hats and check ourselves and the dog for ticks when we come in.
   
   For some reason, our pets have never brought fleas into the house. The cat lives indoors year round, and the dog just doesn't seem to attract them.
   
   The only bug that would make me reach for the poison is roaches.
   
   I get roaches, I'm going nuclear on their little butts.
   
   Other than that, nah. Bugs are not that bad, really, and if you keep your grass cut and wash your clothes and shower after being outside, you generally will be better off than if you poison everything around you. Some bugs are even beneficial, and if you use poison, you lose the good bugs with the bad.

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      SmartAndFunposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I am with you. I do not like poison. We are going to have to have our home treated for termites, and I'm really sick about it. We live in Texas. Bugs are a huge problem, it's so hot & dry here. So far we've avoided poison but not now with termite

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      CR Rookwoodposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Ack, SmartAndFun, so sorry about that! Yes you do sometimes have to do it. Termites are a definite have to! But I think there is something they can use that just keeps them from reproducing so you shouldn't have to do it twice. Good luck!

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      Charluposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I wish my dogs didn't have flea issues and the horses weren't bothered by horse flies that draw blood along with the regular flies but here in Florida where I back up to the swamp it is most definitely an issue.   You are so lucky  Take care & th

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   Mmargie1966posted 13 years ago

   i use CapStar pills and Advantage.   CapStar will kill the fleas almost instantly, and the Advantage will keep them off.

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   Julie Fletcherposted 13 years ago

   I use white vinegar to treat our dogs. We bathe them with water, pour vinegar over them, then rinse. To help keep the fleas off I mist them with vinegar and let it dry. Pennyroyal tea is also good - never use the essential oil, it is toxic to humans and animals if ingested!
   
   I have also sprayed a mix of Dr Bronner's lavender soap and water over our yard. It helped cut down on the fleas for a bit, but not for very long. You can grow pennyroyal plants in your yard to help cut down on a lot of pests.

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      Charluposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Julie,  great ideas that seem like they would be pretty inexpensive and easy to keep up with. How often do you spray and bathe them?

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      Julie Fletcherposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      No problem, Charlu! Glad I can help. We bathe when they're dirty - could be one a month, could be once a week. If the fleas are really kicking up in the yard I spray every day before the pups go out. Vinegar has helped keep their skin clear, too.

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