Carpet treatment for fleas

[bassrique]

Aside from vacuuming, what is a good carpet treatment to prevent fleas from coming back? I was at the pet store yesterday, and I saw several carpet treatments available. What has worked for you?

[MatticusMania]

None. They all suck.

Get some Advantage for your pets, that stuff is supposed to last like 60 days. Give a good vacumming and by the time the stuff wears off the fleas should be gone. Thats how we gopt rid of them at my house.

[James Hart]

boric acid powder

[Jim Nazium]

You have to get the eggs that are constantly hatching. Vacuum, then spray the carpet / sprinkle the powder, then wait for like 2 weeks before vacuuming again so any remaining eggs will hatch, consume the poison, and die. Meanwhile, treat your pets with Advantage or something similar.

Good luck. Fleas are a major bummer.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by James Hart

boric acid powder

I've hears of using that under sinks for roaches, but how would one treat carpet w/it?

[MJ5150]

Are they coming in from pets? Cats? Dogs? Something else?

-Mike

[hover]

don't be fooled, you could get the majority in the rug, and have eggs that lie dormant in all the craks and crevices of your floor moldings and stuff. It's hell. It's a freakin war. I have had rugs repeatedly pro-cleaned, and bombed and sprayed all the nooks and crannies... got it under control in 3 week's time, but it really really sucked. Constant shampooing the animals and good internal treatments, the topical stuff doesn't work well on animals, they crawl up in to warm, damp areas where you usually cannot get thoroughly with shampooing...Constant powdering of rugs with good flea control, followed by constant vacuuming per directed with a good hepa vacuum, and all around baseboards and stuff. they burrow in everywhere and lay eggs like mad. I've bombed the entire yard as well. sucked.

I don't EVER want to live through that again.

[MatticusMania]

If you allow your pets outside you'll most likely never get rid of the fleas.

[Phalex]

My dog takes Sentinel. It's for heartworm prevention, but it also has the nifty added benefit of making fleas sterile. Fleas need blood to lay eggs, but when they bite the dog they are rendered incapable of reproducing. It doesn't kill the fleas on the dog, it just keeps the eggs from hatching.

Something along those lines along with something that actually kills the adults would seem to be the way to go.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Are they coming in from pets? Cats? Dogs? Something else?

-Mike

Cats.

[MatticusMania]

Are they indoor only, or outdoor/indoor cats?

[masturbasser]

I use a flea-light. It's a small night light over a sticky pad. The fleas are attracted to the light and get stuck. It works great.

[nutdog]

We had fleas a few years ago. I tried several off the shelf treatments and nothing worked. Finally called an exterminator and they treated house for $35 and the problem was solved.

My dogs go in and out. If I stay on top of the Frontline treatments I don't have any problems. That year I got behind.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Are they indoor only, or outdoor/indoor cats?

Indoor.

Originally Posted by masturbasser

I use a flea-light. It's a small night light over a sticky pad. The fleas are attracted to the light and get stuck. It works great.

I never heard of that. Pet stores have those? Will any nightlight work with a sticky pad?

[bassrique]

A trap like this?

Springstar Electric Flea Trap

[MJ5150]

Small amounts if garlic in dog food helps repel fleas, but I'm not sure about cats.

-Mike

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by bassrique

Indoor.

Get them the Advantage stuff. Its supposed to last 60 days. It wont hurt to also dust your carpet and vaccum up every few weeks until the egss all hatch and the fleas die. That did the trick at my house.

[boing]

Once upon a time I had 15 dogs and 6 cats, all indoor/outdoor. In my experience, if you treat the animal, you're also treating the house.

Frontline Plus ceased to be effective for me. It's been said that either the US flea population developed a resistance to the active ingredient(s), and/or that the manufacturer changed the formula to allow the over-the-counter/internet/not-through-a-licensed-vet sale of the product. I dunno how true that is, I just know it stopping working for me.

I use Comfortis for the dogs (chewable tablet, doesn't wash off), and Vectra 3D for the cat.

Any chemical you put on an animal has the potential for side effects, and there are some horror stories, so read the adverse reaction info completely and keep an eye on the critters after application<disclaimer>.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Get them the Advantage stuff. Its supposed to last 60 days. It wont hurt to also dust your carpet and vaccum up every few weeks until the egss all hatch and the fleas die. That did the trick at my house.

I went to the vets today and they have something new that does the same thing as Advantage. It's called First Shield.

One thing that may complicate the situation is what goes on past my sliding glass door to the patio. I feed strays. Their fleas may be crawling under the glass door.

What if I put Boric Acid in the door rails?

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by bassrique

I went to the vets today and they have something new that does the same thing as Advantage. It's called First Shield.

One thing that may complicate the situation is what goes on past my sliding glass door to the patio. I feed strays. Their fleas may be crawling under the glass door.

What if I put Boric Acid in the door rails?

I havent tried first sheild, but if its as effective as Advantage (or maybe its Advantix?) it should do a good job.

Is it possible you can feed the strays further from your patio door? Them being so close to your door could possibly allow some fleas to get inside.

I cannot comment on the effectiveness of Boric Acid. But, if you use an kind of carpet treatment I would be sure to put some extra near the door, and probably outside as well.