Too bomb the house or not to bomb the house... That is the question.

Our big Great Pyrenees was trouble enough with all his thick white fur. A few times we had to clip down his hair completely just to get through it. He looked silly but was much happier. The one time they kept coming back, we clipped him down, gave him a thorough bath, combed through all his hair, and bombed the shit out of the house.

Bada bing, bada boom. No fleas.

Ha. My buddy, Valentine. He’s a Great Pyr. He’s two. I cut him down every summer & let his coat grow back in the colder months.

You can make him a collar out of a hankerchief and cedar balls, that can help him. Also feed him a lot of garlic. I hate using chemicals too. Honestly I would wait a few days then see if the fleas go away since you just treated him.

Hire a professional Flea fighter and let them have at it.

We’ve bombed twice now, bought a Dyson Animal and vacuum regularly, shampoo and spray and Frontline and we even sprayed the backyard. And the fleas are still here. I think the bombing helped a lot, but you also have to vacuum every day, and especially right after you bomb. Sweep and mop, wipe down everything to get the pesticide off (vinegar), and then just keep vacuuming.

Okay I have been where you are and can offer yet another alternative.

To kill all the fleas on the dog right away go to the vet or pet store and get some Capstar

I did this for our large dog, put her in the bathroom and gave her one of the tablets which she ate with no problem. Within 20 minutes I saw dead and dying fleas dropping off her onto the tile floor.

I then followed up with Program tablets which solved the problem without putting chemicals in the entire house. (the fleas have no host to bite if the pets are protected and the life cycle ends)

If you decide to go this route you can get this stuff online or at most pet stores or veterinarians. I would call the stores first to be sure they have it.

I used what @Dog did and it is very effective!

I say go for it.

@Dog – I was of the impression that the fleas can lie dormant in carpet or cracks in the floor for prolonged periods of time, but I guess if a host never presents itself, then they would stay dormant until they die. I don’t know, Darwin always knows about this stuff.

I always suggest get a professional exterminator to come in to do your house and yard. By the time you buy enough bombs to do the entire area, not once but a couple of times to make sure you get all the rehatchings and eggs, you have spent as much as you would on a professional and you don’t have a guarantee which the professional will offer.

While this is happening treat the dog thoroughly, I am not familiar with the product @Dog mentioned, but it sure sounds good. As far as shampoo goes, any shampoo will kill fleas, you just have to lather the dog really thick and let the soap on for about 15 minutes, that will kill them. But it doesn’t keep a new one from jumping on next time the dog goes outside, that is why you should treat your yard as well.

White dogs often seem to attract fleas (and are often allergic to them as well) moreso than dogs of other colors, I don’t know why. Bet Darwin knows that too!

@rooeytoo In the past I have hired professionals too. This last time I was able to control it with the above pills. True those little buggers can lie dormant a long time but the program does the job if you keep them on it. If the infestation is bad enough that humans are being bit then absolutely I would call in the pros as you suggest. :)

When my husband and I first married, we lived with his parents for a while. They had two cats, and we had a dog. The dog was treated with Frontline so the fleas left her alone, but the cats were infested. One night, my husband looked down at his leg and saw dozens of fleas hopping all over it. The fleas were all over the house.

We put Frontline on the cats, and also bought this stuff from the vet that we sprayed on the carpets and under furniture. It quickly killed the remaining fleas and eggs, and kept them from returning for (I believe) one year. I think it was Durvet brand. Between the Frontline and the spray, we never had a problem with fleas again.

I’ve used a citrus-based flea shampoo(sorry, don’t remember the name) that worked well…putting mothballs in the vacuum bag will kill fleas & eggs you suck up. Program will definitely help, but as this article says, it doesn’t actually kill the adult fleas, so it needs to be used in conjunction w/other controls. (I hadn’t heard of the Capstar either, but it sounds great!) I also hate using the flea bombs, but sometimes it’s really what’s needed. (Such a nuisance having to wash everything off afterwards!!) I’ve also heard that having cedar chips in the filling of the pet’s bed will act as a repellent.

I’ve worked with rescued animals for years and agree with the Capstar / Program method above. I feel you still have to take care of the house. You and the cat will become the host. I have never found the bombs to work well. I suggest a good pest control company to come in and spray. I will be cheaper in the long run than the flea bombs (and safer).

Good luck

@judochop: Unfortunately, a pro pest control is the only way to go. And speaking of going, you and your pets should relocate for several days in order not to breathe the crap in.

Cleaning up Buddy is a different story. Ask your vet.