text: getting rid of fleas ~ OLD topic
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  Posted: 6:00:45 AM 6/6/2006
  Try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a gallon of water. It doesnt hurt the pups and the fleas are repelled. Here in Mississippi the fleas are runnng wild and between having the yard sprayed once a month, K9 Advantix and that we are under control
  Posted: 3:23:27 PM 6/6/2006
  That would be alot better than using all the chemicals and crap we put on our dogs nowdays. Safer and worth trying I would think.
  Posted: 3:27:40 PM 6/6/2006
  Posted: 3:31:40 PM 6/6/2006
  I have also heard of using vanilla and lemon mixed with water. I have not tried it for fleas, but ir works great for mosquitos, and much cheaper than Off.
  Posted: 3:38:46 PM 6/6/2006
  Thanks colliemom. you jogged my memory. I've heard that but havent thought using that method in years. The fleas are awful in SC this year too. I think there out in full force! We had to lime the dog yard at the pens and we havent done that in years.
  Posted: 3:39:05 PM 6/6/2006
  Ok,,you've got my curiosity going. I am going to try that, please explain how I apply it, or what. Thanks
  Posted: 3:58:16 PM 6/6/2006
  This is the home remedy I remember. Wash the dog in Lemon dish soap to kill the ones already on the dog and let the dog dry. Then ...To help with fleas on your dogs: take a new spray bottle and fill half of it with apple cider vineger and half with warm tap water. Shake well and spray on the dog's coat. Rub it in good. No need to rinse, just let it dry, and use it daily or as needed. Its supose to work well and save money.
  Course the vinagar smell disapates when it dries but stinks while its wet!LOL!
  Posted: 4:18:07 PM 6/6/2006
  LOL,,,hubby will hate me for the smell, but I am going to have to try it, just 'cause. Thanks for the tips.
  Posted: 6:16:00 PM 6/6/2006
  Posted: 6:34:08 PM 6/6/2006
  I have also found that Nupro an all natural dog supplement works really great. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals etc. but I beleive the garlic in it helps repel the flees. I had several people recommend it to me and I have been using it for about a year...with no flee problems!!! It's a podwer supplement that you sprinkle on their food. It runs about $20.00 for 30 oz. Of course how long it lasts will depend on the size of animal. I guess it may be just as pricey as Advantix...etc. but I love how it is all natural!!
  Posted: 7:01:01 PM 6/6/2006
  Here's a recipe some use:
  one Large lemon, "sprig" of Rosemary (5 0r 6 stems) and40oz. of boiling water.
  Posted: 9:48:41 PM 6/6/2006
  My father has always put vinigar in his outside dogs water and they have never had fleas or ticks. When he first would get a dog then it would take him a little while to get used to it but Dad wouldn't back down and the dog would finally start drinking the water. It really does seem to work.
  Posted: 10:15:15 PM 6/6/2006
  I'd watch tampering with a dog's water. Especially now that it's super hot out. You may get a dog that drinks the bare minimum to survive, and not enough to keep from being dehydrated.
  It's also possible that even if you switched it back they may be finicky on their water after finding it was undesierable for a while.
  Posted: 10:45:19 PM 6/6/2006
  I really wouldnt worry about them not drinking enough but drinking too much. You would think the acid in the vinagar would upset thier stomach if they drank to much. But if it worked then thats pretty neat, I never heard that before.
  Posted: 8:44:41 AM 6/7/2006
  i have found some really great tips for many things in this forum..and i am very thankful...I think...if memory is correct Shinyblackpit wrote of a remedy I thought was interesting..It is salt. She said she had them in the basement and it kills the ones living there...Like i said..I have not tried it..although i have not tried it i dont know if it works i think it and the vigegar are cheaper to try...some times if you catch things before they get out of control it is better also..good luck all..sounds like we are all in for a doosie of a flea and tick season...
  Posted: 8:54:12 AM 6/7/2006
  As ssomeone who's fought intense battles against existing flea infestations on rescue dogs, I have never found *anything* that works to get rid of fleas as quickly and effectively as Advantage and advantix do.
  I can believe that home remedies can work to repel enough fleas to stop them from getting bad, but to me this is way different from treating a dog with hundreds of fleas already on them.
  Posted: 8:59:59 AM 6/7/2006
  Ahhh I'm glad to live in the land of no fleas, and no ticks, LOL. It is just to cold for them to survive the winter, of course if you go south you should protect your dog before you leave, because if they get into your house then you do have to fight them.
  Posted: 8:53:54 PM 6/7/2006
  When we recently had our litter of pups I used a mixture of Avons skin-so-soft/water and put in a spray bottle. Sprayed Mom, pups and yard and it worked.!!
  Posted: 11:03:41 PM 6/7/2006
  I read back over this post and thought I would add this. When I said my father put vinigar in his dogs water I didn't mean alot. Only about a teaspoon a gallon. He has done this for years. He is 85 years old. Alot of his dogs have lived to be very old. One chow mix that we had growing up was almost 17 when he died. Too, back then no body hardly ever took their animals to the vet for anything unless they had them altered. When I was growing up none of our dogs had shots or heartworm meds or anything. I don't know what the difference is now, but all of our dogs seemed to live a long time and were apparently pretty healthy. Now don't think that I don't take my animals to the vet for shots and heartworm meds. All of mine are on them. It just seems like things are so different now. Vinigar is supposed to be good for alot of things, maybe that's why Daddy's dogs always were healthy and lived to a ripe old age. Just a thought. Just thought I would let you know that it wasn't like they got alot of vinigar just a little but it works. Me I use frontline and haven't seen one flea in several years. Have trouble with ticks some though.
  flowerflea
  Posted: 8:58:07 AM 9/3/2007
  we actually still have fleas. we are trying everything.
  it DOES work.later i am going to the movies with my mom and we are gonna leave a bowl of vinegar in every room.