There is a new product out for dogs who have fleas or for prevention. It is called the "Ovicollar". it contains methoprene which kills the flea eggs and breaks the cycle of fleas. It spreads through the animal's skin to completely cover your pet within 24 hours. The eggs wither and die instead of falling off into your carpets to continue their cycle. The best part is that it is approximately $20.00 and lasts for 8 months on dogs (full 12 months for cats) but you have to get it from your vet so far, in combination with the salt/borax vacuuming method.
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Each day I give each of my dogs and 4 cats a brewers yeast and garlic tablet and they have had no fleas all season! That's one bottle for dogs and cats!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I'm looking for advice regarding my cat. It's allergic to flea collars, spot-on treatments are too expensive, but he doesn't mind getting bathed and rinsed with Cat Flea shampoo. Temperatures are in the early 30's Celsius he enjoys being cooled down, but too much bathing is counter-productive I think. Powders aren't effective.
Can anyone suggest a tried and true anti-flea washing product that won't be absorbed and kill him? I'm hoping he hasn't developed a dermatitis to fleas and needs cortisone or similar injections.
By Rebecca from Gold Coast, Australia
Neem pet shampoo (spend a little extra, the cheap stuff may not have enough concentration).
Not to be gross, but this is important: Before getting the cat wet, work shampoo into the fur around ALL orifices. Fleas will crawl into eyes, nose, mouth, etc to escape the water. Sorry it's gross but I've seen it.
A neem spray is also helpful for bedding (I even sprayed it in my bed for a couple of weeks during a really bad infestation. It worked!
Good luck and I salute you. no nasty chemicals on our furry friends!
Oh, and keep the environment clean, vacuum, vacuum! keep in mind that fleas will breed in vacuum bags.
More... brewers yeast internally, along with efa oils are also helpful.
Hi! My cat actually had an allergy to his cat litter (the scented formula). I had switched the litter to unscented & that is when I noticed that all of his bald area's had grown back. The itching, redness, rash & white specks on his coat had almost disappeared. I was also thinking it was fleas, when he actually did not have them.
I use Adams spray, not very expensive, and it works for animals and carpet, furniture, so, inside or outside, also you can bathe your cat in dawn dish liquid, and then spray adams spray on after he/she dries. The smell is not the usual chemical smell you get from most sprays. you can get it from your local feed store.
Dry borax in your carpets, then your kitty won't pick up the little boogers. Good time of year for occasional freeze for killing fleas in your yard.
My pets don't normally have fleas:however, there are times when fleas are very bad. I love using flea combs. Some people may not have time for them, but they help me connect with my pets. I put water in some type of bowl container (that I would never again use for food-- an empty tub margarine dish for example), and add some oil to the top, then catching fleas on the flea comb, put the fleas in the oil. Talking with my Vet one day, he told me oil isn't necessary-dish soap in the water also works. (It might take 20 minutes of combing to begin dislodging the fleas, and more time to get them out of their fur, but the pets love it.)It drowns the fleas.
My Vet also told me that flea shampoos only work as long as the pet is lathered up, and the best use for flea collars (flea collars only work in confined spaces), is to cut a flea collar into 4 pieces. Put one piece of the flea collar in the vacuum cleaner bag, and seal the other 3 pieces in a freezer bag, put them in the freezer, and change them out when the vacuum cleaner bag is changed out.
For a really bad outbreak of fleas, I have dowsed - literally rubbed a lot of oil - like mineral oil, and worked it down to their skin, while giving them a good massage. Oil smothers the fleas. I leave this on for 10 to 25 minutes or so, with the pet wrapped so they aren't oiling up all the furniture, and then I have to bathe them twice with warm water in a mild shampoo, to remove all of the oil. I prefer this method during an initial outbreak of fleas.
I have recently read on thriftyfun of someone that tried using mayonnaise in place of the oil. As long as it is thoroughly worked down to the skin to dislodge and smother the fleas, I don't see why it wouldn't work. And again, wrap the pet to prevent shivers, and getting mayonnaise all over everything, and then shampoo once or twice with a gentle shampoo to remove the dead fleas, and get all of the oil or mayonnaise out of the pets coat.
When I use a flea comb on my pets, it's a very relaxing sensation--like a pet spa thing:however, one has to have the accompanying bowl of water with either oil on top or dish soap and pull the fleas off the flea comb into the oil and water, or dish soap and water, or the fleas will just jump off the flea comb and back onto the dog, or into the home. The fleas, literally, have to be drowned in the oil and water or dish soap water. I do this by combing the pet, and seeing a flea or fleas on the comb.
I cover the comb with my other hand, and with both hands, put the flea comb over the oil and water, or water and dish soap combination, and then with my hand that is covering the fleas to keep them from escaping, I pull downward on the comb, catching loosened fur and fleas, and push them into the oil/water, or water/dish soap combo, drowning the fleas, but not dipping the flea comb in the oil/water, water/dish soap combo, then, I continue gently combing my pet, for up to an hour or so, until I no longer see fleas.
I have actually gently (touching, but not actually scraping their skin), combed a pet for close to an hour, and found fleas that no one would have guessed were there. When the fleas are really bad, I will do this every day, for every pet until the fleas are gone. This can be done while listening to music or watching tv, or just listening to your pet, and realizing their "ooh's and aah's and that felt so good" body language.
Also, after doing this and bathing your pet with a mild shampoo, and towel drying, do use a flea comb again--I was surprised at how many dead fleas I combed out of their fur after this initial treatment and bathing. Although I'm up in the northern states, we can get terrible flea outbreaks. I remember one year in particular, when my mom's vet sent letters to all of us saying if we went to Florida with pets, the pets weren't allowed in for treatment, until they'd gone through flea baths. Some of that experience should be in the thriftyfun archives. That's when I became a "flea-terminator," like Mel but with fleas!
Also, during fleas, I vacuum everyday. I've used carpet flea products, too. Borax has me a little concerned. I have a couple of books on green cleaning, and one of them does not like Borax because borax is a heavy metal, and buildup may not be good.
Let me or us know how you are doing.
Brewers yeast internally, along with fish oil on his food and put a little brewers yeast on his coat (out side) and the fleas will jump off him.
Dawn is safe mild and effective at killing fleas. Once the pet is bathed use some type of flea control, such as flea powder in your vacuum, and vacuum everything. Vacuum at least once a day or more if it's a bad infestation, until their gone. Make sure to wash all bedding, or any fabric they may have come into contact with, or that is low to the ground.
And consider a spot on flea treatment. They aren't too expensive when you take into consideration the well being of your pet. I can't even afford to buy lunch but my dog has everything he needs, because he is in my care.
I think most people can think of something they don't need that can be taken out of their budget or postponed. If you have absolutely no money ask a friend or relative for a little help. If these things aren't feasible consider giving the cat to someone who can better care for it.
Diatomaceous Earth dehydrates insects - any suppliers. I use St. Gabriel Organics. Find at pet stores, garden centers. Use in your yard. You can use in your garage and basements and inside your home. Make sure you use a mask to keep from inhaling. Keep away from the eyes of your pet when you use it on the pet. It is not toxic.
I use it on my cats. I use it outside for safety of the animal's eyes. I stand behind the cat and hold him dusting his entire body. Dusting will kill fleas and many other insects. It kills by dehydrating. Wear gloves so your hands retain their natural moisture. I dust my animals only when I see that they have fleas - supplied from wildlife and dogs that visit my yard. Combing animal fur should tell you when you need to take action and dust your pet.
You can use this product inside but must leave it in carpets about 3 days and then vacuum. Always add some to our vacuum to kill any insects in the house. It does not stay in the air put when applying, I keep windows open and good ventilation. Easy to do. Not a poison, inexpensive. The best thing I have found to deal with fleas.
I've heard that like onion, garlic is poison and my old dog did die of liver related stuff at age (almost 16). i was reading about brewers yeast/garlic pill and thought i should put this out here~ maybe what I read was wrong? I know brewer's yeast is stinky lol. I used to take it in powder form long ago~ yuck! I can't imagine spraying my dogs every day with it.
By Robin
I just read that using Nematodes in the yard will kill most fleas that get on your pets outside. You can get it at your local hardware or home store. I'm going to try it!
I put about a tsp. of Brewer's Yeast in my palm and when I pet my cat, I casually sprinkle on fur and try to rub in a little so it doesn't go onto floor so much. My younger American Shorthair just accepts and starts the licking routine. My older Turkish Angora, though, gets really upset that anything is on his beautiful coat..and then becomes a bit afraid to even let me pet him. In the food, sprayed on coat? Neither works, probably because both cats were feral at one time and still are, a bit?
Front line and advantage, even advanticks does not work anymore we have done it all, flea dip baths with flea shampoo bombing the house treatment of the yard steam cleaning and all flea treatments so I started the B-yeast thing going let's see how it goes
Try Revolution..it kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks, worms..just about any cat pest there is. Years ago my dog had fleas an vet said to use it. Within a day or 2 it was like he never had them. Now I use it on my cats
I have seen deworming medications for pets that also list nematodes as something the dewormer kills.
For a year already we've put a sprinkling of dried brewer's yeast into food (wet mixed with a little dry) for 2 ferals that we feed. Now I'm starting to add a little coconut oil as well!
Has anyone heard of giving brewers yeast to their dogs to prevent fleas? My mother in law swears by it for her cats, but not sure if it is the same for dogs.
By Stacey
Hi Stacey, brewer's yeast definitely works for cats and dogs to repel fleas. My vet told me years ago that it works by making the pet's blood taste bad to the fleas. If you're lucky, and your pet likes the taste of it, the pet will eat it readily by mixing crushed tablets or brewers yeast powder into their food (moist food works best).
I had one cat who loved it, and would pick the tablet off the top of her food and eat it first! If your pet doesn't like the taste at first, try introducing it gradually, by mixing a small amount (a pinch of powder or half or less of a crushed tablet) into the food, then increasing every few days until they get used to it. All of our dogs and cats ate it with no problem.
After our flea problem went away, we were able to stop using it, but if I ever saw fleas again (not likely because my cats are all indoor pets), I would use it again. It also gives them extra B vitamins, as a plus.
My sister uses it for her dogs she owns a kennel she swears by it all her dogs are akc champions and they all have very shiny coats
my cats eat the tablets with no problems. frontline, advantix, etc no longer work on them..my cats are also house pets and the do not go outside.. I do not understand how they got fleas to begin with but this year I am having the hardest time getting rid of them...
where do i buy brewers yeast is it at the pharmacy with garlic pills
Is there any flavor of brewer's yeast other than garlic? My dogs don't like garlic.
By Rosario
When I went to my local home brew shop they have all sorts of flavours of brewers yeast...
Is there a strength or milligram per pound of weight for kittens and cats? How many times per day do I administer brewers yeast tablets and garlic tablets?
By Kaylyn L.
For an average size cat give 1 teaspoon of brewer's yeast per day (mix it in their food). If you're talking about kittens under 5, 6 or 7 pounds I suggest asking a veterinarian to be sure.
You can also dust your cat's coat with brewer's yeast as a flea powder.
*Warning! Some cats are allergic to yeast. If you see an adverse reaction, stop adding the brewer's yeast to their food.
**And another warning! NEVER EVER give cats or dogs garlic nor let them eat anything in the allium plant family because it causes Heinz Body Anemia which will eventually cause internal organ failure! Alliums include garlic, any and all types of onions (including chives), leeks, etc. and even flowers like lily's.
Where in Worcestershire can I buy diatomaceous earth?
By Carole H.
How many grams of brewers yeast, per day, for a 12 lb cat?
By Jenny
