I'll try to make a long story short...We have three dogs: one big mixed breed outside dog (Emma), a Chihuahua (Jake) and a rat terrier (Daisy). We'd had them on Frontline for a long time and it just wasn't working. They were infested with fleas to the point where they were miserable - no eating, no sleeping, just scratching 'til they were raw and bleeding.
So we went to Petco and bought Advantix and yard treatment. Bathed 'em, treated the yard and put the Advantix on them. Miracle. No fleas or miserable dogs.
For two weeks. Now we're two weeks out of being able to put the stuff on them again and they're infested again. Emma, poor baby, has a flea circus going on all over her right now. We do flea baths once a week and that helps for an hour or so.
Any suggestions? We really don't want to use chemicals (like a dip) if we can keep from it...
Just a thought. Are you bathing them in between applying the flea treatment? Frontline and advantage and all of them will come off if you use a lanolin based shampoo. Tropiclean is an example of one that isn't. : )
Two weeks ago we did the house, carpet, our bedding, dog's bedding, dogs and yard all at one time. I don't think we have them horribly bad in the house yet...just ON the dogs.
I read that putting salt down in the carpet and leaving it a few hours up to a few days before using the vacuum will help kill fleas, and that taking a lemon, slicing it up, boiling it, steeping it overnight and then using it to spray the dogs will help repel fleas. Anyone tried either of those?
I use a brand called protocall. I live in the north east and we have a bigger problem with ticks than flees. I have a lab that swims all the time. I treat her 2-4 weeks in the summer and every 2 weeks in the fall as the ticks are really looking for a home.
I buy it on amazon, it has different chemicals than avantix and might be a short solution. I also use a shampoo called Eathbath that has no chemicals it was very helpfull when my dog got a huge hot spot last summer. broke up the crusties without stinging.
Not sure about treating the house/yard because I have not had to do that but I hope the above will be helpful for tratment of your pups.
I heard that you can give them garlic capsules and that repels fleas. You may want to check with your vet first though and make sure it will not interfere with any issues they may have. Also Dawn blue dish liquid is supposed to help. Have a great day!
Oh how I don't miss those fleas! We dealt with them the entire time I grew up in Southern Cal and I HATED them!
We used flea collars, bug bombs, yard spray and they were only temporary.
UNTIL: One day we were at a Purina Large Animal store (for our friends horse chow) and was told about a product that is a borax type powder you put in your carpets. Leave it for about a hour then vacuum. We did that twice about 4 weeks apart and never had another flea! As for the dogs? We bathed them with Hartz flea bath once a week during "high flea time" (aka: Summer).
I just got done with a flea issue but it was never really bad, but enough to be annoying. Our dog is only outdoors to potty and exercise and she was on Frontline Plus religiously and she STILL got fleas. We bathed her and used every at home treatment we could find both in the house and outside. I even bathed the cats (that was interesting, I've never heard those sounds come out of a cat before) and treated them since they even had fleas too even though they are solely indoors.
I ended up switching our dog to Advantix too and we called a professional exterminator. I called 2 places, one was a big name one and they quoted me over 200 for one treatment with a 75 dollar 'follow up' a month later and no guarantee! I called a smaller local place and they charged 140 and they would come out as many times as i needed. They said they didn't treat outside but to get some Sevin and spray it in the yard. It is soooo much cheaper than all that special flea stuff and I really think that helped our yard, not that we knew where it was coming from but our backyard is shady and buggy in general and now its not (we used both the spray and i got the powder and doused our porch and let it fall between the cracks). They treated our house once and we noticed less and less but then suddenly she started getting more so I called and they came back out. I also called Advantix, mad because I had just put it on her less than 2 weeks ago and they were increasing by the day and isn't it supposed to 'repel' fleas?? They said Advantix was safe to apply every 7 days. So I applied a second dose to her and the house got treated a second time....and a week later. No fleas. *crossing my fingers*
I did the lemon thing and I don't think it did anything. But it did smell nicer than the chemicals! I also tried the garlic and I dont think I gave our dog enough but what I did give her did nothing. Our cats didn't eat it even when mixed with wet food. I didn't try the salt thing but I did try sprinkling Borax on the carpet, letting it set then vacuum it up. Its safe for the animals as long as they dont eat it. I am not sure how much it really helps but it makes the house smell good and I've washed everything fabric in our house at least once since this all started and washing with Borax is supposed to help too.
I am sorry you have to go through this. I know it was a very stressful few months for me and I hope I am finally done with it. Let me know if you discover something that works miracles!!!
Fleas lay eggs and they hatch a new batch every 2 weeks!
The flea control you are using on your pets is fine, but you are going to have an ongoing problem, until you get rid of all the eggs laid in the meantime.
Given the time of year you are going to have to treat/clean the outdoor dogs area, hopefully a freeze will fix that, and treat the indoors repeatedly.
Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum! VACUUM! Everyday! Wash anything and everything that is washable in your house. Vacuum under couch cushions, wash throw rugs, dog beds, curtains, pillows, your bedding, there bedding, pet carriers, etc.
I know it's a pain, but we recommend you bomb your house once a week for 4-6 weeks. I know it means removing the pets and the family for the day, but unless you get rid of the live fleas and the eggs you will never get this problem solved. You can get house bug bombs at Wal-mart, feed stores, hardware stores, etc.
They are a bugger to get rid of, but it can be done with persistence. The key is persistence!
The only thing I can think of is Capstar pills, but those only work for 24 hours. I used them once for my cats when it was not time to do Frontline again (not sure it ever worked...) and did another cleaning of the house and it took care of things. Flea free ever since. (My cats are indoor, but I accidentally brought fleas in petting one of my ferals)
Fleas!
I am not sure how much it really helps but it makes the house smell good and I've washed everything fabric in our house at least once since this all started and washing with Borax is supposed to help too. 
