Flea Prevention Alternatives?

I've got so many pets that Frontline is no longer affordable. I suspect
it's overpriced, anyway. Drs. Foster & Smith make their own version, but I'm
told nothing but Frontline really works.
Are there any inexpensive over-the-counter, or possibly homemade, flea
and tick preventatives for dogs and cats that work? Not interested in
powders, but mainly in spot applicators or flea shampoos. I don't trust the
Hartz company, bering old enough to remember their misdeeds.

There is nothing homemade that works. Pretty much it's Frontline or
Advantage that do the trick.

Celeste

"skddlbyp" wrote in message
...
I've got so many pets that Frontline is no longer affordable. I suspect
it's overpriced, anyway. Drs. Foster & Smith make their own version, but
I'm
told nothing but Frontline really works.
Are there any inexpensive over-the-counter, or possibly homemade, flea
and tick preventatives for dogs and cats that work? Not interested in
powders, but mainly in spot applicators or flea shampoos. I don't trust
the
Hartz company, bering old enough to remember their misdeeds.

"Spot" wrote in message
news:7A68h.719$ki3.252@trndny01...
There is nothing homemade that works. Pretty much it's Frontline or
Advantage that do the trick.

Since your post, I have been told Original Gain soap will annihilate
fleas on cats. In fact, the blood will pour out of the fleas, so you must
protect the cats eyes.
Don't know about dogs.

"skddlbyp" wrote in message
...
"Spot" wrote in message
news:7A68h.719$ki3.252@trndny01...
There is nothing homemade that works. Pretty much it's Frontline or
Advantage that do the trick.

..........There are alternatives, but none are as easy as once a month
application of those products and all require work!

.....First of all you have to treat your house, and preferably your yard
also. The house can be treated with Flea Busters or Precor (a juvenile
growth hormone which stops fleas from moulting). Some people use Borax on
their carpets, then sweep it up. Borax would settle in the cracks in a wood
floor, for instance, but won't stay on the surface.

.......There are quite a few herbal products out there that act as deterents,
shampoos with neem, etc. You can Google and find them. I wouldn't use
essential oils on cats, even if it was just put on a collar as they can make
them sick.

......Just plain flea combing for 10 minutes a couple of times a day will
knock the population down significantly. Costs nothing but time. Also wash
bedding once or twice a week. Sweep frequently and either toss the bag each
time or put it in a couple of plastic bags and then into the freezer to kill
the fleas. Some people put moth balls in the sweeper bag. I'm not a big
fan of this as it spews chemicals out in the air every time you sweep.

Since your post, I have been told Original Gain soap will annihilate
fleas on cats. In fact, the blood will pour out of the fleas, so you must
protect the cats eyes.

........but putting laundry detergent on a cat, who spends a significant
amount of time grooming is NOT one of them. And I don't believe the story
of the blood *pouring out of the fleas*. If they see blood when they wet
the cat, they're probably talking about all that flea dirt, which would turn
the water pink or red. Please do not put detergent on your cat or you'll
have vet bills which will cost you more than the Advantage/Frontline would
of in the first place. Besides doing them immediate harm it will totally
wreck the oils in the coat, leaving your cat with dry hair.

........I don't know where you got that suggestion, but I urge you to post in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

HERBAL FLEA POWDER
1 part eucalyptus powder
1 part pennyroyal powder (use sage or rosemary for cats)
1 part fennel powder
1 part yellow dock powder
Combine all ingredients in a shaker top jar and shake to mix.
Apply to your pet's fur by brushing backward with your hand or comb
and sprinkling the powder into the roots of the hairs. Concentrate on
the neck, back, and belly. Use just enough to add a little odor to the
hairs.
For severe flea infestations, treat daily; otherwise, use two or three
times a week.

Sincerely,
Daniel James
http://www.catlovercatalog.com


buglady wrote:
"skddlbyp" wrote in message
...
"Spot" wrote in message
news:7A68h.719$ki3.252@trndny01...
There is nothing homemade that works. Pretty much it's Frontline or
Advantage that do the trick.

.........There are alternatives, but none are as easy as once a month
application of those products and all require work!

....First of all you have to treat your house, and preferably your yard
also. The house can be treated with Flea Busters or Precor (a juvenile
growth hormone which stops fleas from moulting). Some people use Borax on
their carpets, then sweep it up. Borax would settle in the cracks in a wood
floor, for instance, but won't stay on the surface.

......There are quite a few herbal products out there that act as deterents,
shampoos with neem, etc. You can Google and find them. I wouldn't use
essential oils on cats, even if it was just put on a collar as they can make
them sick.

.....Just plain flea combing for 10 minutes a couple of times a day will
knock the population down significantly. Costs nothing but time. Also wash
bedding once or twice a week. Sweep frequently and either toss the bag each
time or put it in a couple of plastic bags and then into the freezer to kill
the fleas. Some people put moth balls in the sweeper bag. I'm not a big
fan of this as it spews chemicals out in the air every time you sweep.

Since your post, I have been told Original Gain soap will annihilate
fleas on cats. In fact, the blood will pour out of the fleas, so you must
protect the cats eyes.

.......but putting laundry detergent on a cat, who spends a significant
amount of time grooming is NOT one of them. And I don't believe the story
of the blood *pouring out of the fleas*. If they see blood when they wet
the cat, they're probably talking about all that flea dirt, which would turn
the water pink or red. Please do not put detergent on your cat or you'll
have vet bills which will cost you more than the Advantage/Frontline would
of in the first place. Besides doing them immediate harm it will totally
wreck the oils in the coat, leaving your cat with dry hair.

.......I don't know where you got that suggestion, but I urge you to post in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

DO NOT USE LAUNDRY DETERGENT!!!!. Do you know what the will do to his skin
let alone his insides when he grooms himself. I saw a dog who was kept in a
laundry room in a kennel and a bottle of detergent fell over and spilled in
the kennel during the day. The dog had caustic burns to his skin and
required a lot of veternary care.

Don't be stupid spend the damned money to treat the cat for fleas the proper
way. If you can't afford the flea treament then maybe you just can't
afford the cat and should find it another home. Preferably one where the
owner has some common sense.

Celeste

"skddlbyp" wrote in message
...

"Spot" wrote in message
news:7A68h.719$ki3.252@trndny01...
There is nothing homemade that works. Pretty much it's Frontline or
Advantage that do the trick.

Since your post, I have been told Original Gain soap will annihilate
fleas on cats. In fact, the blood will pour out of the fleas, so you must
protect the cats eyes.
Don't know about dogs.

I have been told that a good and safe way of getting fleas out of a carpet,
is to sprinkle it with common table salt. This is to avoid insecticides
that the cat would otherwise pick up when it lays on the carpet and then
ingesting it when hit grooms.

The use of salt also means that the relativly harmless substance would be
picked up by the vacuum cleaner and would be killing any residual fleas in
the vacuum bag and the vacuum body, until you can dispose of the bag. Also
it would be a good idea to use HEPA bags to minimize the chance that fleas
and eggs could manage to escape and contaminate the vacuum's storage area or
other areas of the room or house.

"Spot" wrote in message
news:qgM8h.6576$LH2.3557@trndny04...
DO NOT USE LAUNDRY DETERGENT!!!!. Do you know what the will do to his
skin
let alone his insides when he grooms himself. I saw a dog who was kept in
a
laundry room in a kennel and a bottle of detergent fell over and spilled
in
the kennel during the day. The dog had caustic burns to his skin and
required a lot of veternary care.

Don't be stupid spend the damned money to treat the cat for fleas the
proper
way. If you can't afford the flea treament then maybe you just can't
afford the cat and should find it another home. Preferably one where
the
owner has some common sense.

Celeste

"skddlbyp" wrote in message
...

"Spot" wrote in message
news:7A68h.719$ki3.252@trndny01...
There is nothing homemade that works. Pretty much it's Frontline or
Advantage that do the trick.

Since your post, I have been told Original Gain soap will annihilate
fleas on cats. In fact, the blood will pour out of the fleas, so you
must
protect the cats eyes.
Don't know about dogs.

"ALBERT C. GOOD JR." wrote in message
...

The use of salt also means that the relativly harmless substance would be
picked up by the vacuum cleaner

.......unless you live in a humid state and then you'd be making brine on
your carpet.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

"buglady" wrote in message
nk.net
"ALBERT C. GOOD JR." wrote in message
...

The use of salt also means that the relativly harmless
substance would be picked up by the vacuum cleaner

......unless you live in a humid state and then you'd be
making brine on your carpet.

I'm not in any state, humid or otherwise. Except possibly when I'm on the
way home from the pub ;-)

Ivor