Fleas? - Page 2

Check out this website for flea control, i was having the same problem you were, I found this and it really cleared a lot up.  My vert acctually reccomended the site. 

There is a new product that I REALLY like called Comfortis.....it is WONDERFUL!

Vickie
www.PowerHausKennels.com

 I have not used Comfortis routinely as we are lucky enough to not have a flea problem.  

Just rescued a female who was infested with fleas.  Went straight to the vet and got a Comfortis.  The fleas  began dying very quickly.  By the time I had groomed and bathed her, there were no more fleas and she was able to go directly into the house.  

I know someone who had a 1 year old female that died from Comfortis. I have heard of a couple dogs that have died due to taking Comfortis. It is new and I dont think all the quirks have been worked out yet.

As to the question about hot weather kiling fleas...

The flea larvae develop in areas where there are lots of hair and skin flakes that have fallen off the dogs. They feed on the flakes of dead skin. A favourite spot for larvae is in the dog's bedding, or in the cracks of a couch, if your dog is allowed on the furniture. They don't have a hard exoskeleton the way the adults do, and don't have legs, so they can't move very far or fast if conditions start to get uncomfortable. This makes them very vulnerable to becoming dried out, and dying of dehydration.

The adluts can get moisture from feeding on the dogs, so they are not as vulnerable to heat. The eggs and larvae are, though, so cutting the grass short makes sense. Also, vacuum the dog's sleeping and resting areas very thoroughly, wash bedding, remove drifts of hair from outdoor areas. These will all help kill off the larvae and eggs, and break the breeding cycle.

Of course, like all cold-blooded critters, fleas are vulnerable to freezing temperatures, and die off during the winter, except for the ones living in your nice, warm house!

Carpets and uphosltered furniture are particularily good spots for fleas to hide, and should be cleaned and sprayed thoroughly in order to kill off the population. I remember one summer when we had a horrible infestation. I ran a slicker brush over the small throw rug beside my bed, and at least a dozen fleas popped out of that one small area!!   

The heat doesn't kill fleas. You need to treat the dog with a spot-on product, if you have stray cats or squirrels, as they will continue to bring fleas onto your property.

You don't have to treat your whole acreage for fleas. You can use a granulated poison, using a spreader to knock a severe infestation down around the house, buildings or kennels. It's best to do it right before it rains. Then you'll probably not have to worry about it again, unless you have a huge problem. I can't remember the last time we granulated (a couple of years ago?) but we only treated around the house and kennels, not all of our acreage.  I use Frontline Plus and have no problems with fleas on the dogs or anywhere in the yard, house, etc.

I live in Northern Illinois near the WI state line and I am a groomer and we are seeing tons of dogs come in with fleas. Reason you are seeing them so much now is because it is getting cooler and they are looking for warmth. They are trying to get inside. I don't think it has anything to do with that they weren't apparent before just that it is more noticeable now because it is getting colder and they don't want to be outside. So they are jumping on our furry friends.

Might wanna check out this site.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea

Cedar oil, a non-toxic natural substance, has been proven effective in the eradication of infestations in pets. Cedar oil is being used to treat sand-flea infestation of US Military forces in the Gulf.[14]

Using dehumidifiers with air conditioning and vacuuming all may interrupt the flea life cycle. Humidity is critical to flea survival. Eggs need relative humidity of at least 70-75% to hatch, and larvae need at least 50% humidity to survive. In humid areas, about 20% of the eggs survive to adulthood; in arid areas, less than 5% complete the cycle.[19] Fleas thrive at higher temperatures, but need 70° to 90°F (21° to 32°C) to survive. Lower temperatures slow down or completely interrupt the flea life-cycle. A laboratory study done at the University of California showed that vacuuming catches about 96% of adult fleas. A combination of controlled humidity, temperature, and vacuuming should eliminate fleas from an environment, and altering even one of these environmental factors may be enough to drastically lower and eliminate an infestation.

For those with allergic dogs, be careful about using the chemicals recommended here, whether used to treat the dog or environment. Even cedar oil can cause a reaction in an allergic dog.  Again, I Iive in S. Florida and the beneficial nematodes work fantastic and it is 100% risk free.  I have not treated my dogs with anything at all for a year. Having a dog that is allergic to fleas, I would know very quickly if there was even one flea on her.

 Starrchar, I am definitely going this way. Is there a preferable time of year or weather for nematodes?