Fighting fleas the old-fashioned way
By Christie Keith
July 16, 2010
Once upon a time, there was no Advantage, no Frontline, no Revolution or Comfortis or Advantix or any of the myriad of persistent topical or oral-to-skin pesticides for pets.
Fleas were much harder to combat in those days, and those pet owners who were determined to win the flea war usually resorted to whole-house flea bombs, which permeated every nook and cranny of the home with a cloud of pesticide. Flea collars — little rings of pesticide-impregnated plastic that pets wore 24/7 — were the norm, as were pesticide shampoos, sprays and powders.
Certainly the dawn of the persistent topicals and oral drugs designed to migrate pesticides to the skin was an improvement over those days. And because they’re so easy, most people used them, and dogs with big patches of raw skin above the base of their tails from flea allergies became rare or even non-existent.
But in the last few years, pet owners have started muttering that these products, particularly the topicals, just don’t seem to be doing the job anymore. Maybe they’re just using the products wrong. Maybe they’re using counterfeit product bought over the Internet. Or maybe, just maybe, fleas are becoming resistant to these miracle substances — even though that’s disputed by most experts.
Whatever the reality, there are people who for some reason either don’t want to use persistent topical pesticides, or believe they don’t work, or haven’t had the luck with them they’d hoped.
I was once a flea-bomber, but long before the first topicals hit the market, I’d found a better way to fight fleas. It’s not particularly easy, although once you get the hang of it, it’s really not that hard (sort of like home feeding, really). So for those who are looking for something else to try, this is how I beat the flea — naturally.
First, all my indoor/outdoor cats (this was a long time ago) had terrible flea problems until the day I started feeding a homemade diet, at which time their fleas vanished. You can tell me that’s unscientific or even impossible, but all I can say is, it happened. They not only looked shinier and fluffier, with brighter eyes and sweeter breath and better-smelling litter boxes, but they stopped having fleas.
Make of it what you will, but I urge everyone who is trying to combat fleas to at least try to feed your pets a homemade diet and see what happens.
Now, if your home is infested with fleas, changing your pets’ diet isn’t going to be enough. And while my own cats lost their fleas with a diet change, I’ve known a number of people who continued to have flea problems regardless of diet. And you may just not be ready or willing to make that change.
So here are the steps I recommend to fight fleas:
One, bathe your pet. You don’t need to use a shampoo with pesticides. Just use a shampoo formulated for cats or dogs.
Start at the pet’s neck. Wet the area thoroughly, by which I mean make it sopping wet. Apply a generous palm full of shampoo, and, adding more water if necessary, work it up into the biggest fluffiest collar of suds you can. Make sure to work it down into the fur so it’s in contact with the skin.
Then put little rings or blobs of suds on or around the pet’s eyes, mouth, ears, anus, vulva, and urethra. This is to prevent fleas from fleeing to “dry land” when you shampoo the rest of the body.
Now you can wet your entire pet, and, again using liberal amounts of shampoo, work him up into a big heap of suds. Then wait 5 minutes or so while the fleas all drown.
Rinse until the water runs clear and there’s no sign of soap — or fleas — in the run-off.
Only once did I have to repeat this process, for a dog I rescued from a backyard kennel who had so many fleas he turned out to be anemic. But you can do it a second time if it makes you feel better.
Before letting your pets back into your home, you’re going to need to make sure it’s flea-free, too.
Start out with a thorough cleaning. Wash everything that’s washable — dog bed covers, throw rugs, slipcovers, bedding — everything.
Vacuum thoroughly, then seal the vacuum bag in a plastic bag, taped shut, and dispose of it.
If you have a true steam cleaner, it will kill all stages of the flea life cycle, including eggs, if they come in contact with the steam. Use it on hard surfaces, upholstery, wall-to-wall carpeting, and any other surface that can’t be laundered — including your mattress and pillows.
If you don’t have a steam cleaner, vacuum all upholstery and surfaces as deeply as you can — and consider getting one. Just make sure it creates true high-temperature steam, and not just hot soapy water. You want steam, like the stuff that comes out of an espresso maker.
For the next week, vacuum every day, and safely dispose of the bag as soon as you’re done. Don’t skip this step!
If you find that doesn’t do the trick — and if you have indoor/outdoor cats, it probably won’t — you can kick it up a notch.
Spray the house with a product containing the insect growth regulator methoprene, which is essentially non-toxic to mammals but prevents juvenile fleas from ever maturing into the adult biting stage. Unable to reproduce or mature, they’ll die. The effect lasts around 7 months, but I’ve never heard of anyone who ever needed to re-apply after getting rid of an initial infestation.
Consider a powder like Fleabusters, which deyhdrates and kills fleas in all their life stages — including eggs. Some people have concerns about the product’s safety with cats, or dogs who might lick the powder up. All I can say is that I never had a problem with it. You’ll have to decide for yourself if you’re comfortable with the product.
You can purchase and apply the Fleabusters powder yourself, but if you have the company do it, they apply it with a water mist that cuts down on dust. They also work it much deeper into carpets and hardwood cracks than you’re likely to be able to do. If you can afford it and are planning on using this powder, I recommend letting the company do it.
However, if you’ve used the methoprene and vacuum like a maniac for a week or so, that will probably be enough.
If you really want to go all the way, think about getting rid of any wall-to-wall carpeting in your home. It’s full of bacteria, mold, mildew, fungus, dust mite feces and all kinds of allergens and dirt. It’s impossible to clean, unlike hard floors, and can’t be taken up, shaken out, and exposed to sun and the occasional deep professional cleaning like area rugs can. So to control fleas and improve your indoor air quality, lose the wall-to-wall.
I used to treat my garden with nematodes that killed immature fleas in the soil, but when I moved to the country, treating acres instead of square feet was daunting. However, nematode sprays come in small batches marketed specifically for pets as well as in formulations for bulk application to acreage. (The nematodes target some agricultural petsts as well.)
However, their efficacy varies wildly depending on amount of moisture in the soil, soil type, and other factors. They’re very effective in cool, wet climates and times of year, such as coastal northern California where I live, but not so effective in places like Florida, which suffer from some of the worst flea problems in the country.
That’s what worked for me back in the day. Any other oldtimers here who had luck with non-toxic or at least less toxic flea treatments? Share them in the comments!
We haven’t had trouble with them in years [knock on wood]. But I used to use many of the methods you described. I also would take anything non cleanable [decorative throw pillows,etc] & seal it in a plastic bag for a few weeks & then air out & beat to loosen any dead fleas.1 good use is still true for those flea collars, put them in the vacuum.Especially for the newer bagless types.
Comment by Leslie K — July 16, 2010 @ 5:42 am
I called my vet about fleas once when I didnt have much money - I had just spent the last $20 I have on some flea shampoo on Petco and after the bath I noticed about 10 fleas in the water. My vet said to never buy any flea shampoo again and just get something like a $2 bottle of Dawn or Joy dishsoap. I tried it out. After the bath I noticed at least 30-50 fleas in my tub (My huskies were covered in them) The only drawback is it is drying to their skin so I followed up with an oatmeal bath. Apparently an ingredient in the soap will remove a layer of their “shell” which protects them and makes it easier to kill them.
Comment by Mary — July 16, 2010 @ 5:58 am
Frontline hasn’t worked for me in years and now Advantage is starting to be iffy. So this is going to be really helpful.
And back in the good old days it was just horrible. I had an unhealthy older ex-street ex-tom who loved to sleep beside me at night, but the fleas crawling on me would keep me awake. Daily flea combing didn’t do more than put a dent in his population. So he slept in a pillowcase and kept his fleas to himself. Boy, just knowing how to have bathed him would have made a difference. Live and learn…..
Comment by rheather — July 16, 2010 @ 6:37 am
Knock on wood here, but I haven’t seen a flea in my house or on my pet in years.
None. Not one in at least a decade. Frontline still cuts it, at least for my pets and house.
Now ticks, that’s another story … but of course you’re still going to pick up ticks no matter what.
I remember the pre-spot-on days. Nothing worked. Nothing.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 16, 2010 @ 6:59 am
Keep a flea comb handy and use it often on every pet — especially cats — to check for fleas and flea dirt so that you can get on top of a problem before it gets out of hand.
Always include the area around the base of the tail in these spot-checks.
I have a flea comb down in the barn so I can check the barn kitties regularly.
A flea trap — you can make one yourself with a night light and some sticky tape — is another early-warning system
Rotate your IGRs — don’t always use methoprene. Alterate with something like archer or nylar.
And if you are going to bomb — something I’ve done twice when moving into a house where the previous tenants’ pets had fleas — definitely use one with an IGR in it.
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 16, 2010 @ 7:02 am
I sprayed my dogs with human insect repellent (OFF!) before I took them somewhere where they might pick up fleas. Then I bathed them when I got home. Prevention was the key.
These days, Capstar seems to be the pill equivalent of a good flea bath. It is a godsend for times when you just can’t bathe a dog, but need to get the fleas off them immediately. But I wouldn’t call it a natural, non-toxic alternative.
Comment by Rori — July 16, 2010 @ 7:04 am
I have Chinese Cresteds and have never had a flea problem with them. This year for the first time, we have a huge tick infestation. I even resorted to using K-9 Advantix. Although it worked OK for about 2 weeks, the ticks are back. I have all tile floors, wash & check bedding frequently, and check the dogs daily. I still cannot seem to beat the ticks. Does anyone have any good tick-fighting methods?
Comment by Susan G. — July 16, 2010 @ 7:58 am
Christie, what kind of steam cleaner do you have? We are having an issue now for the first time in years. I haven’t used the spot-ons in several years because the dogs always seemed even more itchy afterward.
Comment by Kim Thornton — July 16, 2010 @ 8:07 am
At AAHA I almost bought a Ladybug, as in “almost if I it didn’t cost more than I paid for my truck.” But still, wow.
Check out these three on some review site:
http://www.consumersearch.com/steam-cleaners
That first one seems pretty reasonable, the McCullough.
I know the one Christie has is no longer made, because I wanted to buy one.
I still want a Ladybug. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 16, 2010 @ 8:27 am
I will give up my Frontline (also Revolution and Advantage) when you pry my cold dead fingers from the tube. Having a dog with flea allergies even one could cause misery. The house and yard was a toxic mess but it never lasted. Frontline was a genuine miracle: no more fleas, period.
After 20 years Frontline didn’t seem effective this year but a switch to Revolution was. I hope to be able to switch back in time.
Comment by Scott — July 16, 2010 @ 8:52 am
Make sure whatever you get is an otherwise well-reviewed machine that is a TRUE vapor steam cleaner, which will deliver pressurized vapor at between 240 and 260 degrees Fahrenheit. Mine (a no-longer-made Delonghi that I love) cost around $400; the top of the line residential models come in around $2000, but if *I* didn’t need one of those, I don’t know who would.
From a Pet Connection feature I wrote:
They’re as easy to use as a vacuum cleaner and are completely safe for you, your kids, your pets — including birds — and the environment. Unlike extraction cleaners, including those with onboard hot water heaters, true steam cleaners will also kill fleas, flea eggs and dust mites, will wipe out mold, mildew, fungi, bacteria and viruses, and won’t leave any chemical or soapy residue behind to attract dirt.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 16, 2010 @ 8:56 am
Scott, I’m certainly not suggesting you should fix something that’s not broken, but I will say this: What started me on my holistic pet care journey back in the 80s was a cat with flea allergies so severe his veterinarian was advising me to put him to sleep.
The reality is that most people who try a “natural” approach aren’t doing everything, and you have to do EVERYTHING or it won’t work. It’s definitely harder than putting on a persistent topical pesticide or popping a pill in their mouths, but for those who for whatever reason don’t want to do that, I thought I’d share my approach, which DID work back in the day.
Those who didn’t have luck with it were often skipping at least one of the steps, usually the one involving the diet change. ;)
Comment by Christie Keith — July 16, 2010 @ 8:59 am
Thank you Christie. Great stuff. I have done everything here, except the home cooked diet, but I did add $upplements and vitimins. In the end, it was the Revolution that did it, not Frontline, nope, not the Frontline. the thing was, I had to wait a month (even though I was told I didn’t have to) for the Front line to go the full 4 weeks. If I did the drowning shampoo again, I would use something like an oatmeal bath, leaving regular shampoo for 5 intues dried out all the dog’s fur.
Comment by Nancy Freedman-Smith — July 16, 2010 @ 8:59 am
if *I* didn’t need one of those, I don’t know who would.
Comment by Christie Keith — July 16, 2010
When we finally have our pet-friendly co-housing community, we’re collectively buying that Ladybug steamer. I tell ya, the demo at the convention was more fun than a pile o’ dead fleas.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 16, 2010 @ 9:13 am
Actually, no, I have not tried everything. I didn’t know about Fleabusters. I may git me some of those nemotoids. Squirrels and birds still bring them to my yard.
Comment by Nancy Freedman-Smith — July 16, 2010 @ 9:33 am
Another one here who is knocking on wood—no fleas on our house and we live in flea-haven near the beach. I have always held back on using Frontline except for during the Summer, this year have only applied it once so far. Am thinking I may risk not using it at all and see what happens.
I remember as a kid, fleas being a huge problem. We had a house with mostly wood floors that was cleaned diligently, both by my mom and a weekly house keeper. My room got the most sun and the cats would congregate in there to sun bathe (we had indoor-outdoor cats back then). My room was always the worst, I vividly remember walking in and being absolutely attacked by fleas. So, so gross.
In hindsight, I am sure our poor Springer was horribly allergic to fleas. She was miserable in the later years of her life and I know my mom tried to put her on better foods, but knowing what we know now, I realized we could have managed it much better. :(
I think the difference in our current flea-free environment is that our dogs are very short-haired, we bathe them regularly (just normal dog shampoo), and they eat a very high quality diet (Orijen with dabbles in home cooking and raw, but we are not fully on the “program” yet). It probably doesnt hurt I am a clean freak as well, or that the single carpeted room in our house the dogs are gated off from.
My assumptions are totally non-scientific as well, but I am happy to jump on the healthy-dog-is-a-flea-free-dog bandwagon.
Comment by Liz — July 16, 2010 @ 9:55 am
I recently wrote an in-depth assessment on the mechanisms by which ticks and fleas may be developing resistance to fipronil (the active ingredient in Frontline).
We just fought off a minor flea infestation. Baths for all dogs with regular shampoo, LOTS of cleaning - and treating with diatomaceous earth appears to have done the trick.
After the dogs dried thoroughly I powdered them up with the DE, I also powdered rugs, mattresses and nooks and crannies. Left rugs and nooks over night and vacuumed in the day. Left beds in the day and vacuumed before bedtime. It seems to have worked.
Comment by Janeen — July 16, 2010 @ 11:34 am
??? MY comment was swallowed up somewhere so I’m reposting. AGAIN. (grrrr)
I recently wrote an in-depth assessment on the mechanisms by which ticks and fleas may be developing resistance to fipronil (the active ingredient in Frontline). Spam filters apparently have decided I am apparently not allowed to post the link here. Whatever.
We also recently had a minor flea infestation. Baths for the dogs with regular shampoo, lots of cleaning (I have a steamer) and then treating dogs, rugs, beds and those pesky nooks and crannies with diatomaceous earth (DE) seems to have done the trick.
DE is great stuff, just wear a mask when you apply it (inhalation of any dust is not good) and vacuum beds before you use them.
Comment by Janeen — July 16, 2010 @ 11:39 am
Is is something I said?
I’ve tried three or four times now to post a comment and they all disappear into the ether….
Comment by Janeen — July 16, 2010 @ 11:39 am
as I read this section i paused :
“If you really want to go all the way, think about getting rid of any wall-to-wall carpeting in your home. It’s full of bacteria, mold, mildew, fungus, dust mite feces and all kinds of allergens and dirt. It’s impossible to clean, unlike hard floors, and can’t be taken up, shaken out, and exposed to sun and the occasional deep professional cleaning like area rugs can.”
I am sitting here waiting for a wood flooring company to come to my house and give me a quote to take up carpet on second level and put in hard floors.
Your post about carpets have now grossed me out and will soon make a wood flooring salesman’s day.
Comment by Ericka Basile — July 16, 2010 @ 11:47 am
Hi Janeen — I don’t know why, but for some reason our spam filter was trapping your comments and keeping them in Comment Jail, until a warden could come by and free them. I happened to have my Warden’s Key Chain on my belt loop today, so I let them loose. They were unfairly imprisoned. I’ll talk to the prosecuting attorney about it. Sorry about the glitch.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 16, 2010 @ 11:52 am
Janeen … sometimes even MY comments end up in the spam filter.
And Ericka: I have never lived in a house with wall-to-wall carpeting. We kids all had asthma/allergies, and the pediatrician said “no carpeting.”
He also said “no pets,” but my folks ignored that one, God love ‘em.
Wall to wall carpet in hotels creeps me out. Can you imagine what lives in THOSE fibers?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 16, 2010 @ 11:52 am
No one mentioned Neem oil. Any thoughts on it?
Comment by Nancy Freedman-Smith — July 16, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
No one mentioned Neem oil. Any thoughts on it?
Comment by Nancy Freedman-Smith — July 16, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
I was wondering the same. I used some to combat a cabbage beetle invasion in my veggie garden. I ‘won’. If it combats fleas, YES!
I was worried when I got my dog I would bring home fleas to my cats. 8 yrs no problems. Now with the move though, I’ve been wondering if that would hold up. One kitty and the dog are in/out (4 months). So far {knock on wood!!!} no probs. I’m trying to maintain an organic yard where some pests exist, but nature does it’s own thing and there’s a balance. An invasion I will combat against though, as I will fleas on my pets. My biggest prob so far seems to be the freakin’ ants!!!
Comment by straybaby — July 16, 2010 @ 7:13 pm
Thank you Christie. I was just wishing I lived somewhere with a “better” climate. But what I might like better the fleas would like too. The only time the dogs have a flea is when they catch a bunny and pick up a bunny flea.
I can live with the dryness, the altitude, and the cold…whatever it is that keeps the tiny livestock at bay.
We do have the occasional tick too. Ick.
Comment by schnauzer — July 16, 2010 @ 8:28 pm
Here in North Texas, I used Frontline effectively for many moons. I’ve just switched to Comfortis and it seems to work well, too. Back in the days before Frontline, when only Program existed, my apartment got infested. I used DE to eradicate those little buggers, but like a fool vaccumed it up while I was shoeless and sockless (I’d sprinkled it everywhere, as if it were Carpet Fresh). I WAS smart enough to wear a mask, which is a good thing, indeed! After a couple of weeks, the incredibly dry skin on my legs healed. :-) I use it to combat all kinds of creepy-crawlies. It’ll kill anything with an exoskeleton.
Comment by Sherron — July 16, 2010 @ 9:07 pm
Any thoughts on how to best provide good footing for the dogs on non carpeted flooring? I like the idea of getting rid of the wall-to-wall, but my dogs do the major slip ‘n slide on the vinyl flooring as well as the small amount of uncovered hardwood we have at present. I have a serious fear of CCL injury.
Comment by donna — July 17, 2010 @ 3:49 am
I thing your “serious fear” is overblown. Take up the carpets. If your dogs are fit and not fat, a blown ligament is pretty low on your list of things that could happen.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 17, 2010 @ 7:06 am
Donna - In my experience, non-glossy tile with slightly recessed grout works the best to minimize slippage. Even if the dog starts to slip, when their foot hits the grout line, it gets “caught” enough for them to recover their footing. Tile size should be no bigger than the distance the dog can safely splay without hurting themselves.
Comment by Rori — July 17, 2010 @ 7:22 am
My experience is that hardwood provides a decent surface for dogs, while laminate flooring does not.
Tile can be good or bad, depending on the size of the tiles and the dogs — the grout lines are a good surface.
But it’s not like I have vast expanses of slick flooring. I have Persian carpets in my home — some of them room sized. And if that’s not in the budget, sisal runners, mats and area rugs are CHEAP, as are many area rugs — they’ve come down in price massively. There are lots and lots and lots of options to wall to wall, once we take that off the table.
Plus, speaking as a dedicated HGTV viewer, LOL, area rugs are much more interesting from a design point of view than wall to wall or uncovered hardwood, tile, etc. As David Bromstad says, “The floor is the fifth wall. Use it.”
Comment by Christie Keith — July 17, 2010 @ 7:44 am
The smartest change i made to patio home i bought 8 yrs ago (villa in some parts of country) was to have the off-white wall-to-wall carpeting removed. There already was hardwood flooring in flex room (i use as office) and hall leading to back of home. But i had tile put down everywhere else. Have not-very-expensive area rugs on hard surface floors except kitchen. No carpets a much easier way to live with pets! I don’t buy expensive area rugs because my cats usually make a bee-line to barf up hairballs on the rugs; don’t ask me why, only the cats know why they prefer vomiting on the rugs, rather than the tile floors! I’m a natural-born klutz. When i knock over or drop something, i don’t have to have heart attack worrying i’ve ruined carpet or designer-quality area rug. Don’t know why anyone wants wall-to-wall carpet these days. Most of the new houses have far less carpeting than previously.
Comment by Cericat — July 17, 2010 @ 9:55 am
“don’t ask me why, only the cats know why they prefer vomiting on the rugs,”
Splash back.
Comment by schnauzer — July 17, 2010 @ 10:03 am
Thanks for the flooring suggestions. So far the cheapest option I’ve found is a grooved vinyl runner (major yuck); however, I have not yet investigated sisal and will do so right away. Maybe in my next lifetime I can have Persian carpets. I love that look.
Of course, I do hope my concern about CCL ruptures in my fit-not-fat dogs is “overblown.” Unfortunately, other things correlate besides obesity/overweight condition. Regardless, particularly I do not like to see my older dog wipe out.
Comment by donna — July 18, 2010 @ 6:25 am
We have wood (bamboo) floors, but the Persian carpets have been taken up for now because of Bella’s incontinence. The younger two don’t have any problem on the floors and Bella doesn’t move quickly enough anymore to wipe out, although she does slip a little when she’s standing up. Check Ikea; they often have inexpensive area rugs that aren’t vinyl.
Comment by Kim Thornton — July 18, 2010 @ 8:01 am
When our Mel became both incontinent and unsteady on the tile floors, I bought a bunch of these:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata.....s/80094047
Yeah, they only come in that brown/tan color.
But despite the care instructions, you can throw them into a front-loading washer. I’ve washed mine regularly for 3-4 years, and no peeling or damage from the washer.
They don’t slip, and are impervious to fluids.
I use one now in the work area of our kitchen. Works great.
Very economical for the utility. I do wish there were some more choices for color/pattern, but I guess a rug named Karby is brown and tan, period.
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 18, 2010 @ 10:46 am
I have never been to Ikea. Evah. The scale of the place freaks me out. But I might have to for a washable, durable rug at a decent price.
Serious color suckage, though. Boring.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 18, 2010 @ 11:51 am
Tractor Supply
Harbor Freight
REI
LL Beane
Ikea
Question: What are stores where Houlie will shop without requiring a blow to the head beforehand?
Seriously, for some unfathomable reason, I luuurve Ikea.
Is it the lingonberry juice? The vats of fluffy sheepskins? My ongoing affair with a bookcase named Billy? Who can say?
But how can you not love a furniture/housewares store that sells these:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata.....s/60095321
Per their website, they now also have these runners:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata.....s/30144455
And this small rug in three colors:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata.....s/50138585
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 18, 2010 @ 2:53 pm
Oh, they have lots more choices in rugs/colors than brown and tan. It’s where I get all my rugs to put under the birdcage.
Comment by Kim Thornton — July 18, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
Retroactive spam filter?
I posted with some links to other Ikea products with the rubber backing, realized that it would likely not go through with so many links, it appeared, then disappeared. (I was actually checking back to find the link to one of the rugs so I could write down the name.)
Strange.
Comment by H. Houlahan — July 18, 2010 @ 7:08 pm
Our spam filter from time to time gets POSSESSED. There is no other word for it. Right now it’s grabbing comments, including from longtime regulars, and slamming them into the spam folder for no reason I can determine. I’m sure one of yours was the links and formatting — but that didn’t explain the others of yours, and of Janeen’s, and of other people’s, that I have liberated today.
Time to call the techies!
Comment by Christie Keith — July 18, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
We tore up the carpet, put down tile and throw rugs about ten years ago and love it! It’s better for my allergies, better for flea control, and for overall cleanliness of the house.
The dogs don’t have any trouble on it at all.
Comment by Liz Palika — July 18, 2010 @ 11:19 pm
Although I didn’t see Heather’s excised comment, I’ve been keeping a very close eye on the spam filter recently, and Christie’s so very correct. The filter seems particularly hungry for certain regulars (Janeen, Marge, and yes, Heather), and I haven’t a clue why. Even staff writers like Kim are getting snagged, so you’re in good company, Heather.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 19, 2010 @ 6:14 am
Even staff writers like Kim are getting snagged, so you’re in good company, Heather.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 19, 2010
Hey … *I* am getting snagged. Every comment.
WTF?
Be patient, gang. We’ll have the Black Dog kids look into it.
In the meantime, don’t repost a comment it it disappears. Just e-mail petconnection@gmail.com and we’ll liberate.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — July 19, 2010 @ 6:53 am
Why do I NOT have a love affair with my hardwood floors? What am I missing? Aside from being pretty to look during a few short hours post-mopping, my floors take 3 times the work to keep clean. Sweeping generally keeps the dog hair whirl winds under control. But with 4 indoor/outdoor dogs, only vaccuuming will get the serious grit picked up. And then I need to mop to get rid of the pawprint paths. Not to mention all the area rugs that need vacuuming/cleaning too. Sigh. There are days when I long for a darkish shade of wall-to-wall that only needs vacuuming and the periodic deep clean.
As for injuries, it hasn’t been an issue for us. Even Nicky No-Hips learned to scamper across our hardwood floors without wiping out. He’s also the best area rug surfer of all 4 dogs.
Comment by Melinda — July 19, 2010 @ 9:45 am
Hi there, found your blog through Google. I’m fortunate enough to live in the Sierra Nevadas at 7500 feet and I’ve been told all my life that you can bring adult fleas on your pet to this elevation but they cannot reproduce so eventually they’ll all die and problem solved. I’m starting to wonder about the accuracy of this claim now though. The last time I went to a flea area was July 1st and now today, August 11th they are still thriving. My poor dog must have been covered in them on the way home because I kill at least 15 per bath, brush out 5, pick off 5, and find 5 dead ones so about 20-30 are dying each week since then and yet they’re still hanging around!! I’ve steeped lemons an turned it into a spray, used Sentry natural essential oil flea drops, apple cider vinegar both internally and externally. Even ordered some diatomaceous earth which is supposed to work in the same manner as flea powder. Vacuumed and bleached the house multiple times. I don’t get it, these disgusting creatures are so strong!!What the heck am I doing wrong? I’m fearful because I’m taking the dog to college with me where fleas are rampant and don’t die because of the altitude and I can’t even maintain them here at home. I’m planning on trying nematodes for the yard where I’ll be living for school. What else can I do?
Comment by Krystle — August 11, 2010 @ 9:33 pm
Hi.
If you vacuum (hoover) the fleas up, you should use a fibre vacuum bag, it normally has 5 layers of filtration to stop 99%+ of dust/hair and fleas getting back into the air. Bosch also do a bag that has a lid you close after you remove it and you can make sure the little blighters don’t escape !!
Comment by Dan Walsh — August 13, 2010 @ 6:44 am