Advice about Fleas
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Jan 2009
My pediatrician recommended that I have my vet prescribe anti-flea
pills or give an anti-flea injection of Program or Sentinel or
other product to my cat and dog as it is less toxic for the house
and for our baby. My vet doesn't give the injection or advise the
pill. I am confused by this because I read online that it is
considered less toxic since it is not an insecticide but something
else efficient and safer. I am curious if others have experience
with pills and injections vs. topical insecticides, and if you can
recommend a vet who offers this?
Thanks
Info about flea control here: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7419.html
Although many people seem to prefer Advantage, I love Program because there is no toxic substance on the skin, and the insecticide in it is non-toxic to mammals. In addition, with Program, once you have eradicated the colony, no retreatment is necessary, as long as your pets do not share a bed with another animal. When we first started using it, it was only available as a prescription, but now you can get it over-the-counter at pet stores.
anon
Nov 2004
The past 3 mornings our kids have been waking up with flea bites
all over their bodies. We put new sheets on their bed last night
and they woke up with more bites. The dog had a professional bath
yesterday. We do have a dog and 2 guinea pigs, but they mainly
stay downstairs. From now on, no more animals upstairs. Is their
any type of herbal, natural pesticide to put in a child's bed? Do
we need to wash all their stuffed animals?
Bill
Here's what I would try:
1. No more pets in the kids' rooms, period. You could install
baby gates to keep them out.
2. Wash all the pets with flea shampoo.
3. Wash everything fabric-covered in the kids' rooms. If you
can't wash it, throw it out. Wash in hot water. Go to Target
and get mattress covers for the kids' mattresses and install
before replacing the sheets (this will keep flea eggs in the
mattress, um, in the mattress and off the kids. Kinda gross to
think about but it does really help.)
4. Wash everything fabric-covered in the rest of the house.
5. Go over to Hertz and rent one of their industrial carpet
cleaners. I fill them with two gallons of white vinegar (from
Costco) and about another 8-10 gallons of hot water. Clean the
carpets. If you have wood or linoleum floors, wash them, too.
This should occupy most of a weekend (grin)...but if you don't
do it all at once, the fleas will get back in. You probably
can't exclude them entirely, but you can substantially reduce
the number that are getting into the beds. I am quite allergic
to fleas and also react very strongly to bug sprays and
foggers...I found, back when we had cats, that this would keep
the fleas down to a tolerable level. It's also important to
plan on washing the dog at least every couple of weeks as a
maintenance measure.
Oh, and if your kids ever bring home lice, this regime will work
for that, too.
Sara
June 2004
We seem to have developed a flea problem in our house and need
to treat the carpets, furniture, etc. Our problem is that we
have a crawling 10 month old who is always crawling and rolling
on the floor. We really need to get the eggs. How do you
treat for fleas without poisoning your kid?
kim
Fleabusters is great. I believe what they use is non-toxic to humans, but
you should call and ask. They're in the book.
Liz
We had a horrible flea situation at our house and our crawling daughter
was being attacked constantly. She was convered in bites. It was awful.
But here's what we did...''Fleabusters''. Fleabusters (under pest control in
the phone book and also on the web - fleabusters.com) use this non-
toxic powder stuff that they rub into the carpet and it suffocates the fleas.
It can take a few weeks to cause them all death but it happens. We also
treated the source (our cats) with Advantage. I don't recommmend just
doing one or the other. We started with Advantage and that's when the
flea situation got really bad. It seemed that the fleas jumped off of the
cats and onto my unsuspecting and poison-free daughter. Without the
Advantage the cats would be bringing fleas into the house and then we
would have to wait for them to die from the fleabusters powder... The two
of them together are the perfect cocktail that kills.
flea free and oh-so-happy
Try fleabusters: http://www.fleabuster.com/index.html I
believe this is a safe product for kids and pets, but you may
want to call them and talk with them about it. It worked great
for getting rid of fleas when I lived in L.A. with cats. (The
fleas are awful in L.A.!!)
Anon
We used Boric acid as a very effective flea control. We sprinkle it in the
carpet, then vacuum it all up. It gets rid of all the eggs.
jewel
March 2004
I have fleas in my area carpet and am trying to figure out how
to get rid of them safely (i have two young children). I looked
in the archives but there isn't much there about getting them
out of carpets, only pets (and i have no indoor pets!).
Has anyone done this, and if so, how?
Thanks!
All Chewed Up
Years ago I used to use Fleabusters and I loved it! I used to
live in L.A. before there was Advantage and the fleas were
awful!! Fleabusters saved my life and was worth every penny.
(Now I have no carpets and I use advantage on the cats.
Berkeley fleas aren't as bad as LA fleas too.) They work a
powder into your carpet and all fleas are gone for at least a
year, although my treatments would last longer because I didn't
vacuum very often. You need to take out your kids, plants and
animals (esp. fishtanks) when they apply the powder because it's
very dusty during the application, but once everything settles,
it's fine for plants, pets and kids. Check them out at:
http://fleabusters.com/
Andi
Sprinkle boric acid in the carpet, and then vacuum it all up. It
works great. We have 2 dogs, and no fleas, and do this treatment
about once a year.
eve
We had fleas about a year ago and tried all the ''natural'' things we could
find (saw a lot of bunk advice online, such as leaving banana peels out
until they turned brown -- did not work). Tried essential oils, etc, etc.
You may find something less drastic, but we ended up calling
Fleabusters (1-800-235-3532). It's a little expensive, but they advertise
that their stuff is very safe, and they're quick (15 minutes), it's effectuve
and guaranteed. We had no problems. (We have 2 birds and they were
fine).
Liz
Fleabusters (800-235-3532) spreads a non-toxic salt that dries up the
fleas. Gets rid of dust mites, too. It's expensive, but doesn't smell and is
non-poisonous. Our vet recommended it and it's working at our house.
Sarah in Oakland
This really works: Get a pan, fill it with water and a little dish
soap. Place it in the middle of the rug with a desk lamp
shining on it and keep it there all night, with no other light
source, after everyone has gone to bed. The fleas are drawn
to the light, and will leap into the water and drown. The dish
soap prevents them from bouncing out again. Keep it going
for at least a month in order to catch the next generation of
eggs hatchlings.
Beyond that, always use the Advantage flea remedy on your
pets. Nothing works better.
MEG
March 1998
Does anyone know of a nontoxic product (or company that uses a nontoxic
product)
that can treat flea infestations in the home from pets? Thanks.Dianne
Fleabusters offers a non-toxic flea treatment -- and it works for a year
or more! You can find them in the phone book.
Diatomaceous Earth is often used as a non-toxic flea treatment. It is made
from the crushed exoskeletons of diatoms, tiny creatures that live in the
ocean (whales eat them). You can get it at pet stores (I think), and
possibly also from Pool supply stores (where it is used in filters). I
think the stuff you get from pet supply stores may be finer than that for
pools; I'm not sure. You sprinkle it on the carpets, and the vacuum it up
later. The tiny bits get in the breathing pores of the bugs and suffocate
them. The downside is that some people find that it wears their carpets
out sooner (though this is only hearsay; those I know who've used it
haven't had any trouble).
Dawn
I had great success with Flea Busters (I'm pretty sure that's what it is
called). They apply a powder - it is brushed into the carpets and sprinkled
in the corners/edges of hardwood floors. I think it works by basically
dehydrating the fleas to death - it is some kind of salt. Someone else told
me you can buy the powder and do it yourself, too, but I have no idea where.
It is guaranteed for a year. You should not wash your carpets afterwards as
water will counteract the powder. I hope this meets your definition of
"nontoxic" - it didn't smell or create fumes or anything, although I imagine
it would not be great if your child was sucking on the carpet, for example.
After using Fleabusters, I used "Program" on my cat (turns the cat into a
giant birthcontrol pill for fleas, because after the fleas bite the cat they
can't reproduce) and have never had a flea problem since.
Fran
re:fleas
I would do a commercial for fleabusters. in the old house we had 2
dogs and 2 cats. here its just the dogs but 4 floors of carpeting. they
come once a year and basically salt yourhouse. it works like a charm. -K
kimberly
Sept 2004
I have a weird problem. I moved to a new house last year
and in the spring as the weather warmed up, noticed a flea
problem. The entire second story of the house is carpet.
I did the usual - vacuuming etc, and then called in
Fleabusters (which worked for a while and then didn't) Then
called back Fleabusters...Went on vacation for three weeks
and while I didn't get any flea bites during that time, was
constantly itchy and scratchy. I went to my dr to see if I
had any parasites -- no results yet - I am being bitten
alive and constantly itchy. I don't know if I need a vet,
an MD or an exterminator (or all three?) BTW I have no
pets, but the previous owners had a cat...I'd be interested
in referals as well as advice. Thank you!
anon and itchy
I've had run-ins with fleas many times in my life. We even
had a flea nightmare at our apartment in San Francisco,
with two cats that had never been outdoors and all
hardwood floors (we must have carried them home ourselves
somehow). It sounds like you might be battling on two
frustrating fronts: 1) The flea egg cycle, which means you
can eliminate all active fleas, but eggs are still laying
dormant until the next unseasonably warm day (often when
house is closed up during vacation), 2) You may also be
allergic to fleas which can give you an especially itchy
all-over sensation for a while, even from just one bite (I
get this myself). It's a hard row to hoe, but you have to
keep up the flea patrol through many hatchings. Also
remember to toss out your vacuum cleaner bag immediately
after each vacuuming for a while as it's a notorious
hotspot for hatching flea eggs. Also, fleas drown in
water, so keep washing any rugs, etc., you can. We finally
bought a water-based vacuum cleaner in SF and I believe it
helped. As for you, you might try an extra dose of B
vitamins for a while (and garlic!) to deter them, and when
you are especially itchy and/or swollen, Benadryl can
provide some relief. GOOD LUCK!
Once bitten, twice sympathetic
The reason the fleas keeping coming back after you treat is
that your environment is infested with the pupal phase
(like a cocoon) of the flea. This phase can last over a
year, and hundreds of them can hatch in waves when the
temperature and humidity conditions get just right. If the
fleas get a blood meal from you or a pet, they can lay 500
eggs and the cycle starts all over again. Flea busters
dessicates the larval stage but can't completely kill the
pupae. The trick is to come in with environmental
treatment at regular intervals for
at least a year (and often more like 18-24 months with
heavy infestation) to break the cycle. Talk to flea
busters about regular retreatments, or use a premise spray
that has an adulticide and a larval growth inhibitor and
treat at regular intervals. Although I have heard (and
would believe with the flea problems we have in this area)
that one of the reasons the native americans moved around
the area rather than setting up permanent living sites was
to break the flea cycle, I do find with regular
retreatments and modern products one can fight the
problem. If you have questions, I would definately consult
with a veterinarian as we deal with situations like this
frequently (although it is sometimes easier with a pet in
the house as the fleas usually choose to bite them first-
most of us tend to be a second choice meal).
A local vet
whatever flea treatment you do, you will have to repeat 7
to 10 days later for it to work. the reason is almost no
poison will get the eggs so you have to get them after they
hatch but before they lay more eggs. Hence the narrow time
frame.
long-time cat owner
There have been a number of similar posts (and answers!) in the Advice
newsletter over the last couple of years, and mine was one of them! What I
found was that I had roof rats living in the roof and under the house. I didn't
notice them, but what I did notice was the mites. Whenever the rats would
leave, the mites would bite me (and my infant). I went to doctors who all said
they looked like flea bites (they weren't), but there was never any evidence of
fleas, and all of our pets use Advantage, so we considered it unlikely.
Anyway, the mites can't reproduce on humans (unlike scabies mites, for
instance), so if you get rid of the rats, you get rid of the mites (at least after
all of the current ones die off after about a month). In the meantime, you can
wash yourself and your clothes often, and vaccum with a good filter (and
throw the bags away right away). By the way, some people are allergic to the
mites and some aren't, which is why not everyone in a household will get
bitten. You basically have to seal the rats out (Rat Patrol does the best job,
and they guarantee their services for 2 years, very important). Good Luck!
Formally rat-ridden
Buy Borax (drug store), and sift it lightly on your entire carpeted
area. It dehydrates the flees. Leave it on 24 hours then vacum. You
will need to repeat this operation when the new eggs hatch, I
would go for 2 days later but you can check the library for exact
info on the flea's life cycle!
For hardwood floor areas: lots of soapy water drowns them.
You might want a oatmeal bath or tea to calm you down. Nothing
like suspecting every crumb of being a flea!
ruty
I am very allergic to fleas - and have lived in many
places with carpeting and no pets & have dealt with flea
bites. They just don't get everyone for some reason. As
long as they are biting, they will reproduce. Often they
are living below the carpeting in the padding. My only
suggestion is to pull up the carpets completely. I live
in a house with indoor cats & all hardwood floors and
still get occasional flea bites.
good luck
Oct 2003
HELP! We moved into our house about one year ago. The tenants
before us had cats and kindly left us with a terrible flea
infestation. We had an exterminator spray the house which
seemed to work for a while. A couple months later the fleas
came back with a vengence. We had it sprayed again and the
fleas disappeared for another six months. Well, they are back
and seem to have brought all their friends. I am covered with
bites and I found one in my son's crib! We had the
exterminator come back out, but I am afraid that they will
resurface yet again. We have no pets and aside from one large
area rug the house has hard wood floors, so I have no idea
where they are coming from. Does anyone have any advice on how
to get rid of these pests once and for all?
Thanks!
Itching and Scratching in Rockridge
Have them exterminate under the house if they haven't done so
already. Even if you don't have an ''underneath'' that seems
like a location they might be, that's where they are. In our
first house, we were OVERRUN with fleas. If you sat on the
floor of the living room, you could see the little buggers jump
onto your legs like a flea-ring circus. The exterminator came
out and sprayed, the problem went away, only to return again
about 6 mo. later. We used a different exterminator the 2nd
time, who tols us that the only way to get rid of them for good
was to do so under the house because that's their breeding
ground. Ok, so we were a little dubious, but it worked! In
our second house, the tenants before us left yet another
infestation of fleas. This time we just had them come
exterminate under the house and no more fleas! It might take
more than one visit from the exterminator but spraying inder
the house will eventually get the job done!
Good Luck!
Jessica
Fleas, I'm told can live a REALLY long time without a creature
to be on. They can live in the cracks of a hardwood floor.
Eventually they become resistant to the chemicals in the
pesticides (plus, how often do you want to spray your home with
pesticides...uch).
What has worked for me in the past is to vaccuum every day AND
throw away the bag. Yes, it's a hassle, but it cleared up a flea
problem I had long ago. I got this info from The Berkeley
Integral Urban House.
I had a dog at the time and this was before Frontline and the
other new flea/tick systemics we now use.
I would vaccuum EVERY day, comb my dog every day and leave
Rosemary Sprigs around the floor by the curtains and drapes.
Eventually they were gone.
Good luck. Maybe you need a dog so the fleas will have someplace
to go. :)
anon
Oooh, that's a tough one, since you don't have pets, I don't know where
they could be coming from. However there are a few things you might try.
First of all, I wouldn't recommend spraying again. It's obviously not working
and there's no point in doing it again. There are companys that put
something into your rugs that work very very well, so you could find one to
treat the area in your home that isn't carpeted. Can you borrow
somebody's pet? The only thing that's ever worked for me is to use
Advantage on my cats. The fleas jump on, eat the poison, and then die. It
takes a few months to clear it all out, and I do have to do it every summer
since our cats are indoors and outdoors, but it works really well for us to
clean up the house. You'd have to wait until it gets warm again because
the little buggers are usually dormant over the winter. Maybe you could
foster a dog from the Milo Foundation for a few months? Just a thought.
Jill
There are safer, cheaper, and more effective ways to get rid of
fleas than hiring a contractor to spray pesticides. I would
suggest trying the flea traps that attract fleas to a light or
warmth source and catch them w/ a sticky trap. Also, you can
use a lower toxicity borate-based carpet treatment called
Fleanix which can be mixed into a rug shampooer. Borate is
less likely to be air-borne if mixed w/ water and it will stick
to carpet fibers and control fleas for about a year. If you
want to try a less toxic approach especially if you have kids
that crawl on the floor, I'd first try diotamaceous earth in
the edges of the rooms, and make sure you don't vacuum it up.
This also works for non-carpet floors unlike borate. Be
careful b/c although it's natural and non-toxic dermally, it
acts like fine ground up glass and can damage your lungs if you
breathe it in. Diotamaceous earth kills fleas by dehydrating
them once they cut them up. If you log onto www.centralsan.org
(Contra Costa Central Sanitary District, the sewage folks), you
will find a menu for non-toxic pest controls for alternatives
for gardens and homes. Click on the one for flea control. Also
you can find great integrative pest management (safer
alternatives to spraying pesticides first) advice on
Biointegral Resource Center www.birc.org 's publications you
can order, and www.ipm.ucdavis the UC statewide IPM program
website.
There may be a source of fleas, i.e. an animal vector of some
sort such as rats near your house. Your county's vector
control (look in green pages or call 411) will come to your
house free to help you look for indications that you have
vectors in your home or basement, etc... feces, openings,
etc... it's a free service paid by our taxes.
Second, the bites you are getting may not necessarily be from
fleas. Animal mites, such that as of roof rats which are
infesting the Bay Area and beyond, cause extremely itchy bites,
particularly around the areas where your clothing touch your
skin... panty lines, bra lines, etc....These mites also
selectively pick hosts when the rats are gone, so not all
family members get the bites.
If you ever get a pet, you may want to try Flea-B-Gone which is
an ezymatic method to get rid of fleas. It was recommended by
Dr. Marion Moses, an expert in occupational health medicine,
particularly pesticides. Incidentally she also recommends it
for head lice instead of treating children w/ harmful
pesticides. They may now have Lice-B-Gone. Pesticide
Education Center website is www.pesticides.org to get more
info. She has tons of publications and is well known in her
field for her past research and a highly regarded speaker. She
stated at our conference in May that children who have been
exposed one fog bomber for insect control have shown a high
incidence of brain cancer. I am not aware of which studies
she's basing it on but from having spoken w/ her on the issue
of the toxicity of Round-Up, I find her to be well-balanced and
a critical thinker. For example, when I asked her her opinion
about the studies showing lowered I.Q. of those children of
farmers who use Round-Up, she was able to tell me that there
were confounding issues with them using other pesticides as
well, and that the lowered I.Q. couldn't be solely attributed
to Round-Up which was a reasonable answer.
The Clean Water Fund and Parents for a Safer Environment
provide pro-bono presentations throughout the Bay Area on the
toxicity of pesticides, safer alternatives, toxicity of
commonly used cleaning products and safer alternatives.
Susan JunFish
I feel for you!! We had a big problem about 6 years ago (our
babysitter had a cat and the fleas made it all the way to our
house!!) We used a powder called ''Fleabusters'' that is
supposedly non-toxic, at the time only available from a
veterinarian. You could call around and ask. We just sprinkled
it everywhere (even under the couch cushions) then vacuumed it
up. It breaks the egg/flea cycle and was very effective. Good
luck!
Tracy
We have the same issue though to a lesser degree (thankfully!).
I usually just tough it out for a month or two till the season
passes. Luckily I'm the only one who reacts to the bites (though
I'm told everyone gets bitten by fleas, only some get welts). A
friend of mine had great luck with FleaBusters. They guarantee
flea-free for one year (with carpeting, not sure about other
floor surfaces). One interesting note: once you have developed a
sensitivity to flea bites just one bite can cause all of the
previous bite sites to itch and drive you crazy. Lots online at
dermatology sites about the phenemonem, but no solution I've
found. By the way, you don't have to have a flea problem in your
home to be affected. We've never had pets but have gotten fleas
from our friends and neighbors pets. During during flea
season fleas just see me walking down the street and jump on for
the ride!
Itchy in Berkeley
Diatomacious Earth.
We had a flea infestation, mostly in our yard from a local feral
cat colony. And even though we use advantage on our pets, the
fleas were hitching a ride into the house on our construction
teams feet.
I wound up only spraying the yard (you mix a very small amount
with water. It becomes effective once it dries), but would have
applied it in the house as well.
One shouldn't inhale the dust, but it's otherwise completely
safe- I even found it being sold online as a dietary supplement.
Don't use the kind that's sold for cleaning pools though, as it
has stuff added to it.
I bought it in bulk online so have a ton left over. Email me if
you're interested in stopping by to pick up a little. Otherwise
check your gardening store.
I can say that it worked beautifully.
Sophie
instead of an exterminator who sprays, try ''Fleabusters.'' They
apply a powdery substance that (the way I understand it)
basically dehydrates the fleas to death. The treatment is less
toxic than spraying and it really works, in my experience. They
guarantee it for a year, too.
Fran
Oct 2002
Does anyone know of a particular food that I can feed my
daughter to make her less appealing to fleas. We are a family
of four, but they seem to favor her only. It pains me to see
her soft skin covered with bites that itch. There are some good
suggestions on the network archives ranging from Eucalyptus
branches, brewers yeast, and garlic capsules, but I was
wondering if there is anything that I can give to a child.
Thanks
a.m.
I hope you won't be offended by unsolicited advice. I don't
have knowledge about foods that will keep fleas away, but
I'd like to share with you what's worked for us in regards to
fleas. My son is now 17 and we have always had cats. We
were always dealing with fleas as well and they also found
him particulary yummy. About 8 years ago we discovered
''Advantage'', a flea killer that you put on the nape of the cat's
neck once a month. This stuff works!! We have had no
problem with fleas since. Any fleas in the house that jump
on the cats are killed, so after a while we had no more fleas
in the house. I also have gotten less religious about using
the product and we're still not having problems with fleas -
with three indoor/outdoor cats. If the fleas are coming from
your own pets, you might try this stuff - of course it is a
pesticide so you may not want to use it around a young one;
in my mind however it beats all the sprays and powders we
were using before. You can get it from your vet or from a pet
store.
Joan
I don't know how old your daughter is so the answer might be different
depending on her age, but I'm also a big target for fleas and a steady diet of
garlic seems to help. Not the pills, but the actual food item in abundance in
everything I eat. Also, if you have pets that are bringing the fleas into your
house, you should consider using Advantage on them. There has only been one
summer in my entire life where I wasn't completely covered in flea bites, and
that was the summer we used Advantage on our cats every month
Jill
I have used garlic capsules on both myself AND my dog. It's worth
a shot, good for you anyway, and can't really hurt...
Good luck!
Rachel
I realize this wasn't exactly your question, but wouldn't it be
even more desirable to actually remove the fleas from your
daughter's sphere? As the loving Mother of 3 long haired cats,
in addition to a toddler, I know that the new products today are
really good with ridding pets of these pests. The last time my
cats had a flea problem, the vet simply gave me some tablets
(sorry, I can't remember the name of the product, but I'm sure
any vet could tell you) which weren't too expensive if memory
serves me, that I gave to the cats and which got rid of their
visitors. It was extremely easy, and very effective.
I hope that helps, this sounds like a painful situation for your
daughter~
Janice
We have 2 dogs and are have had no problems with fleas, because of
2 things we do periodically: 1) sprinkle boric acid on the
carpets and then vacuum up all of the residue; the part that goes
deep into the carpet kills the flea eggs. 2)we have put nematodes
on the grass where the dogs tend to lie. We do these things every
2-3 years or so, and we haven't been bothered by fleas.
good luck
I recommend getting Program from your vet to control fleas. It
is not a poison, so it is less toxic. It is birth control for
fleas that is fed to your pet in pill form. It takes awhile to
work, but after a year or two on Program, the colony will be
gone, and you won't have to deal with it any more.
Here is more information than you ever wanted to know about the
flea life cycle. The adults live on the animal and suck blood.
The eggs and immature stages live in the bedding. This could be
the couch, the carpet, or that sunny spot outside. If you put a
poison on your animal, the fleas in the bedding survive to grow
up and hop on your pet when it takes a nap.
With Program, the adult fleas continue to bite the animal, and
the larvae in the bedding mature and jump on. But they are
unable to reproduce, so the colony eventually dies out. It takes
a few months. But then they are gone, unless you bring another
animal into the house, or your pet takes a nap in the neigbor's
dog house.
Program is a great product that has done a wonderful job on my
cat, without exposing my kids to toxins.
sunsol
Please get your pets on Advantage or Program. The fleas always go
after the tenderest member of the family, which means the baby will
get bit even when no one else in the family even knows there are
fleas. The baby is defenseless and can't even scratch, poor little
thing. So do what you can to protect the baby, that's what I say.
Catlover
Sept. 2001
Re: 9-month-old getting a lot of spider bites
I'm a 3rd-generation Northern California native and have never heard of anyone getting that
many spider bites around here. However, flea bites can be a BIG problem. If you have carpets, I
suggest you do some testing and try to figure out if you have fleas and work on getting rid of
them if you do. That may solve the problem.
Mark & Colleen
Flea Bites, Pets, and the Family Bed
March 1998
Dear Friends:
Do any of you have advice regarding flea bites, especially in
relationship to the "family bed?"
Background: We have one cat on "Program." However, "Program" is
not solving all the flea problems. We have one daughter who starts out each
night in her crib, but spends the second half of every night sleeping in bed
with my husband and I (similar to a pattern described by a recent poster).
Sometimes the cat sleeps with us, sometimes not (you know how cats are).
Neither my daughter nor my husband are troubled with flea bites, but boy am
I! The situation seems to be getting worse. This morning I woke up with
several new ones. I wouldn't mind so much, except for the scars that are
left from scratching.
Could my mattress be infected with fleas? The bedding? Pillows?
Any suggestions for help which would not endanger the Little One's health?
I had a vague idea that B vitamins would make me less tempting to
the tiny monsters, but I take a daily multiple vitamin, and that level of B
is not phasing them one little bit.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated... Thanks much.
Fleas - Since our dog and two cats went on Advantage (the stuff you place
on their shoulder blades once a month) we have had little or no evidence of
fleas. Barbara
One item that is somewhat helpful in reducing indoor flea infestations, is
to place fresh leafy branches from either a Eucalyptus or a Black Walnut
tree under the furniture. It's not a cure-all, but it does help, and it
smells good.
Beverly
We have 3 cats in a carpeted apartment--not an ideal situation. However, we
have discovered that Advantage works remarkably well. It is a liquid that
you squeeze onto the back of your cat's neck and the fleas are usually gone
in 24 hours. Good luck,
Laurel
Re: the flea bites & family bed question ... I've heard that if one takes
brewers yeast and/or garlic capsules that fleas don't like that and stay
away. They also (in theory) are drawn to people who eat more sugar. Since
it's you, and not the little one, who is bothered I suppose you could
experiment with various odd food items such as garlic capusles. Won't
hurt, might help.
Mary Carol
I have an indoor cat who got fleas. I seemed to be the only victim in
my house. I tried B12 and just about every other "diet-method" to
control their attraction to me, but I couldn't take it anymore.
Fleabusters works (my mother-in-law used them) but can be expensive.
I went to a pet store and picked up a bucket of the "salt" for about
$20. It covered the carpet in 2 rooms and vacuumed it up 2 weeks
later. I did this about a year ago and haven't seen a flea since. I
also put my cat on Advantage to prevent any further outbreaks. I
bought the salt from the big pet store on the corner of MLK and
University next to Grand Auto. I think it's Petco. Hope this helps.
Alison
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