Pet preps: $$ saving flea treatment for dogs and cats

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by hot diggity, Jan 12, 2019.


  1. hot diggity

    hot diggity Monkey+++ Site Supporter+++

    Full disclosure: I'm a cat man. Yes, they're pretty much useless and their meat is stringy, but for 25 years or so I've lived with a bunch of rescue cats that, like me, have parts missing. (an eye here, maybe an ear or tail off, or a missing foot.)

    Treating multiple cats or small dogs for fleas can run into some real money in a hurry with the little pre-packaged topical treatments that work best for my critters. Add the trouble of cats under 5 pounds and over 12, and now I need different doses. When I was dealing with a local cat rescue
    group to trap and neuter all my feral cats, I learned that they were using treatments that were safe for both dogs and cats, although in different doses based on weight.

    I checked with my small local pet store owner and we sat down and carefully read some labels. Finding identical ingredients in Extra Large Dog and Cat under 9 pounds we then did the math and figured out that I could get 9 cat doses out of a single extra large dog vial. (the under 9 pound dose works fine on my big cats) With the purchase of a syringe and needle for $1.00, (only for neatly drawing the doses from a needle hole under the cap in the original container.) I realized an instant savings of about $75.00.

    I'm not endorsing a product or saying that this is a good idea for everybody. There are dangers, you could prick your finger or something. Life is dangerous. If you're smart enough to do your own product research, find a cat and dog compatible product and develop safe dosing levels for your pets you could save some money. Saving money of flea treatment leaves more for pet preps, including future flea treatments as well as stock piling their food.

    If you don't think of a flea infestation as a survival issue, try entering a property that had been infested and then left vacant for a couple weeks. I've entered vacant homes where the hungry fleas covered my legs as soon as I stepped in the door. Unchecked they will slowly kill smaller cats and dogs. They're no picnic for humans either, and if you unknowingly spread than to a friends home you may become unwelcome. A good flea treatment turns cats into mobile flea killing machines, and any flea that jumps on them after treatment is a goner.


     
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  2. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Another intresting problem l is that each year, rhe flees tend to become immune to last years treetment, and certain years conditions make infestations worse! Having a large and a humongous dog both with very dense coats amd sensitive skin makes this much much worse!
    I have found that the topical treatments no longer work, and we ether use a internal treetment, a combo of internal and topical (vet prescribed for serious grade treatment) or we go all out with a very time consuming and expensive full scorched earth assault! This is a full steam cleaning of the entire house, a full chemical bomb, ditamaticulous treatment of every thing ( messy as hell) and a full strike on dog to include a serious bath, professional strength topical and internal meds and a serious assault on the yard and other areas the doggies may visit!
    We do a year round treetment, and at the first sign of flees, we go full def-con condition 3 nuke options to prevent an infestation!
    Your local feed stores may have Vet strength treatments available for topicals, but the internals require a visit to your friendly vet for a check up and eval before dosing internally, especially with a very advanced senior citizen k-9 buddy!
     
  3. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I have never had a flea problem in Colorado. Back East, fleas were something we battled yearly. Our cat would bring them in so we would have to fumigate the whole house. @hot diggity have you even run across a flea & tick powder combo?
     
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  4. hot diggity

    hot diggity Monkey+++ Site Supporter+++

    I took it a little further this year.
    [​IMG]With bare concrete floors I was able to enjoy roasting the little buggers! This thing has a pressure release that momentarily extends the fireball to about 48". I was able to see the fleas flash in a low altitude aerial fireball as they encountered the flame front. Bwahahahaha!!! [reddevil]

    It was extremely effective, and satisfying, though short lived. I don't know if they were hunkered down, or if the eggs survived the fire, but the fleas were back before the burned cat hair smell was gone. Two days at best.
     
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  5. snake6264

    snake6264 Combat flip flop douchebag

    I use Nexgard I can't say enough good things about it I literally treated my dogs twice about a year or so ago and have not had a flea of tick since my vet basically gave us a money back guarantee
     
  6. hot diggity

    hot diggity Monkey+++ Site Supporter+++

    Nothing that worked. Diatamecious earth is effective on bare floors, but is a mess. Application to pets will kill some fleas, but may dehydrate the pets. Topicals work quickly every year for us, although some brands we've tried over the years were ineffective. I save packets now, in a special Tupperware container. I keep notes on dose/date and effectiveness in the container.
     
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  7. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Head & Shoulders will kill fleas deader than dead
     
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  8. hot diggity

    hot diggity Monkey+++ Site Supporter+++

    Indeed, and leave your pets smelling fresh, with silky smooth fur and no dandruff. Dawn dish washing detergent works too, but that only gets the fleas off the cats. I've mastered bathing cats, and have the scars to prove it, but bathing is only effective if you can absolutely wipe the fleas out in the rest of the environment as well.
     
  9. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Are there not certain plant or plant parts that will repeal fleas?
     
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  10. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    It's so dry in NM fleas can't really survive.
    But ticks do.
     
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  11. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Cedar oil is about the most effective at repelling all bugs, but some how once you have flees, they dont go away! Lemon grass is another good repellent, but again, same problem!
     
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  12. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Permethrin?
     
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  13. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    That's what I use for ticks on dogs.
    It may not be that good for cats, but I have used it on cats and they are still around.
     
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  14. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    My dad had a dog he neglected and was a danger to deal with most of the time but being dads dog I couldn't just ignore him .
    But I learned about garlic and bought some minced garlic and added to his food .
    Wonder of wonders ticks left him and nary a flea in sight . his demeanor became milder with me but I was still guarded.
    Less than a teaspoon in his dry food and he stayed free of parasites till he died.
    Insects don't like garlic.
     
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  15. Mountainman

    Mountainman Großes Mitglied Site Supporter+++

    I've always use Frontline on our dogs when they have fleas and it wipes them out within hours of application and also clears the house of them. They also make it for cats but have never tried that since I don't have any cats.
     
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  16. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    My mom used to treat the house for fleas/mites/ect by throwing a block of dry ice into a bucket of water in every room and we'd leave for the day.

    She would open every drawer and cabinet beforehand. I remember having fun running through the 3' of spooky and mysterious CO2 fog. Oxygen displaced: mission accomplished.

    After she would just open the windows and vacuum up all the dead creeping things. I think Dad sprayed the house perimeter with Neem oil to keep outside bugs out as part of the process.
     
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