This is not specific for breeds, but the good folks here have given me good
advice before, so maybe you can help again.

My good dog Muttley has a bad case of fleas, and they are also in the
house. They find their way into my socks, and they are in my bed, and of
course they are all over Muttley. I got a flea collar for him a few weeks
ago, and there weren't as many around his neck, but I could see perhaps
hundreds of them crawling out of his fur along his back and other places,
and then diving back in. I have some flea control spray, which has reduced
the problem of fleas in the house. I also had some flea spray for cats,
which I tried applying to affected areas on Muttley, but he seemed to be
really afraid of it and I didn't want to force the issue. I sprayed a
little on myself, and it didn't burn or feel unpleasant, although it did
smell bad.

Yesterday I applied a tube of Hartz Advanced Care Flea and Tick drops for
dogs 61 to 90 lb, by squeezing it along his spine from the shoulder blades
to his tail. It also smelled bad, but he seemed to tolerate its application
pretty well. However, after about 15 hours, the situation is not much
better, and the insecticide smell is rather strong. The product is 85.7%
phenothrin. I have heard Frontline and Advantix are very good, but I saw
this at Food Lion and decided to give it a try.

I know I should take him to the vets. There are a lot of things I should
and should not do. I should not keep him tied outside during the day in a
place where he digs in the dirt and is exposed to all sorts of insects. I
should take him for walks more often, but I am tired and hot and it is not
pleasant because he pulls on the leash and would like nothing better than
to run off in the woods (which he has done a couple times, and returned).
My house is not a good place for him to be alone because I am doing major
renovations and there are all sorts of dangers like extension cords and
power tools.

I really need to find a better home for this loveable but irksome mutt. My
cat Photon lives in fear of him, and when he has sensed her presence, he
often pees in the house, which makes me angry and I banish him to the
outdoors until I feel sorry for him and let him back in. I have grown too
attached to him to give him up forever to an anonymous new owner through an
adoption agency, although sometimes I think it might be for the best. He is
at the same time a good buddy who snuggles next to me in my bed, and then
also a constant source of worry and frustration. The flea problem is just
another big hassle on top of everything else.

I did not seek out this dog. My friend rescued him from the mean streets of
Baltimore, had him neutered and vaccinated, and I was taking him to the
SPCA where I though he would be sheltered and given for adoption, but they
were overloaded with Katrina victims and told me he would most likely be
put down. I could not look into his big brown eyes and shake his huge
freely offered paw and allow that to happen. That was February, and I have
given a huge effort, but it has drained me and affected my health.

Anyway, thanks for listening. I would appreciate advice on flea control,
but even more I need help finding the best solution to this predicament. I
plan to make a flyer with his picture and a short bio, and distribute it at
pet stores, vets, and other appropriate places. Maybe Muttley and I will
get lucky, and find someone who has a big (high) fenced yard where he can
run and play, and perhaps I may be allowed to visit for a while to ease the
pain of separation. This will be one of the hardest things I have ever had
to do.

Thanks,

Paul

[snip 148 kB of a post too long to read]

Well, I am amazed to have provoked perhaps the longest post ever from Jerry
Howe. Maybe there are some good words of advice in this long winded rant,
but I merely skimmed through it. The condescending attitude and knee-jerk
criticism is just too much. So, Jerry, "Howe" much time has your mostly
unread post subtracted from your life?

I took Muttley on a nice long walk today on the NCRR trail, and he behaved
well. We met some nice people, got some good exercise and fresh air, and
the fleas seem to be more under control. Muttley is now calmly relaxing and
he seems quite happy. I would be pleased to read any advice offered, but I
will not spend time sorting through thousands of words of abuse and
criticism from someone who obviously has, (but will not acknowledge),
serious mental health issues.

Thanks,

Paul

It looks like Jerry has written another lengthy post (111k). Too bad he
spent all that time on something I won't even download, much less read. He
also cross-posted it, as he did the previous one of near record length.
Alas, I may have missed by 2k. He posted 150k of verbage about Pit Bulls.
What is his longest post, I wonder? Well, I've wasted enough time
commenting on this. I would appreciate reasonable and brief suggestions.
I'll even read Jerry's if he can say it in 1000 words or less!

Paul, Muttley, and Photon (and "Sir", my huge Wolf spider)

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote:

I took Muttley on a nice long walk today on the NCRR trail, and he behaved
well. We met some nice people, got some good exercise and fresh air, and
the fleas seem to be more under control. Muttley is now calmly relaxing and
he seems quite happy. I would be pleased to read any advice offered, but I
will not spend time sorting through thousands of words of abuse and
criticism from someone who obviously has, (but will not acknowledge),
serious mental health issues.

Paul,

I thought your first post was a trolling post, so didn't answer.
If you continue posting about JH, I will killfile you too. In the
meantime, though:

Having battled fleas both before and after Frontline, I consider
the stuff wonderful. I suggest next time around you use it
instead of the grocery-store stuff. It is a good idea to treat your
house, your dog's bedding, and such with something that
contains IGR (hormones that prevent flea larvae from developing).

It is a challenge to get rid of fleas in the environment, because when
they pupate they are essentially dormant and impervious to most
insecticides. You may have to keep on treating for some time.

One of the most constructive things you can do is train your dog.
This will make him easier to live with and more appealing to
prospective new owners. If you take an obedience class with
him, you may be able to network with people who can give you
leads on finding him a new home, and develop a basis for
understanding and/or communicating with him that will allow you
to improve the peeing in the house and other problems.

HTH,

Amy Dahl

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote in message
...
Anyway, thanks for listening. I would appreciate advice on flea control,
but even more I need help finding the best solution to this predicament.

I thought you were planning on working with Janet Boss. What happened with
that?

Tara

"TaraG" wrote in message
news:XRnBg.971$f8.454@trndny09...

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote in message
...
Anyway, thanks for listening. I would appreciate advice on flea control,
but even more I need help finding the best solution to this predicament.

I thought you were planning on working with Janet Boss. What happened
with that?

Tara


I don't have the time and energy at this time to devote to obedience
classes (or to properly take care of a dog). That is part of the problem,
that I am overextended and overwhelmed, so finding a better home for
Muttley is becoming a high priority so I can take care of other things in a
timely manner.

Thanks,

Paul

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote in message
...

"TaraG" wrote in message
news:XRnBg.971$f8.454@trndny09...

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote in message
...
Anyway, thanks for listening. I would appreciate advice on flea control,
but even more I need help finding the best solution to this predicament.

I thought you were planning on working with Janet Boss. What happened
with that?

Tara


I don't have the time and energy at this time to devote to obedience
classes (or to properly take care of a dog). That is part of the problem,
that I am overextended and overwhelmed, so finding a better home for
Muttley is becoming a high priority so I can take care of other things in
a timely manner.

Try not to think of obedience as yet another claim on your time, but instead
as a fun one hour vacation for you and Muttley to actually enjoy each
other's company.
In effect, training shouldn't actually take up much more time that you're
already spending on your dog (at least, that's if you're spending sufficient
time with him), and after the first couple of weeks, it actually takes LESS
energy (I'm sure you've noticed how much energy it takes just walking him
down the street, right? Well, if you had taken her up on her offer, you'd
pretty much have that under nice control by now).

You're letting yourself get caught up in a vicious circle. By thinking of
all this as being "too overwhelming" you're allowing problems to get worse,
and you're ending up spending even more energy overall just managing the
problems than you would spend in fixing them.

My folks just went through a major renovation that took two years, and now
they're having to go through it again (last summer's hurricanes nearly wiped
out their home). So I do get that this is really hard stuff. However, the
longer you leave him like that, the *less* adoptable he becomes. He's tied
up outside becoming a chronic digger....this is not a dog that is going to
find a home. He could easily end up aggressive if left out there alone for
too long....and this is definitely going to be his death sentence.

Is there any way to at least put him in a Day Care situation during the day
so that he's getting appropriate interaction and socialization (and
hopefully some indoor time) while you're not in a position to put in the
time? That would be a great thing, even if it was only a few days a week.

And, I'm sorry, but one hour a week to at least find out how to make your
interactions with the dog more productive in terms of being rehomeable, or
brought into your own home (whichever ends up happening) could make all the
difference in the world.

Tara

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote in
:

[snip 148 kB of a post too long to read]

Well, I am amazed to have provoked perhaps the longest post ever from
Jerry Howe. Maybe there are some good words of advice in this long
winded rant, but I merely skimmed through it. The condescending
attitude and knee-jerk criticism is just too much. So, Jerry, "Howe"
much time has your mostly unread post subtracted from your life?

I took Muttley on a nice long walk today on the NCRR trail, and he
behaved well. We met some nice people, got some good exercise and
fresh air, and the fleas seem to be more under control. Muttley is now
calmly relaxing and he seems quite happy. I would be pleased to read
any advice offered, but I will not spend time sorting through
thousands of words of abuse and criticism from someone who obviously
has, (but will not acknowledge), serious mental health issues.

Thanks,

Paul


Dear Paul,

I livein Miami, FL, and this year the fleas have been horrendous.
It seems to go in cycles. A few years without problem, then WHAM a flea
invasion.
My Border Collie was suffering. Friends recommended K9 Advantix.
Tried it. It didn't work for him. They then recommended Frontline Plus.
Tried it. The one-month dosage lasted two-weeks before the fleas were
back as bad as ever.
In years past I had used Advantage. Tried it again and with 6-
hours things were better. Within 24-hours the fleas were apparently
gone. It is amazing.
At the same time, I am treating the yard and house for fleas as
well. I tried flea control with pyrthrins (sp?), but the had little
effect, so I went to the old stand-by, Malthion. Once-a-week for three
weeks. Indoors I am using a flea-specific product sold at Home Depot
with an insect growth regulator (IGR).
If you use either the indoor flea spray or Malthion the only major
rule is that the dogs don't go near the treated areas until it is
completely dry.

Good luck with your dog's fleas. Hope all works out well for you both.

Best,
LJL

m wrote in oups.com:

HOWEDY matty you miserable stinkin lyin dog abusin
punk thug coward active acute chronic long term incurable
mental case and professional illegal doggy day care operator
and SCAM ARTIST and FRAUD,


How unfortunate.

Newsgroups like this have so much potential. Someone new to the group,
like myself, comes in to se if there is beneficial information and they, or
I, come across messages such as yours.

How unfortunate.

Just how dangerous is malithion ?