With all the rain we've been having, it's no surprise the bugs are out in full force, especially the fleas. A couple of weeks ago I sprayed the yard. We kept the dog inside for a few hours while the grass dried. Trouble was, the sprinkles and intermittent rain made it a tough call as to when to let the dog out to pee.
Pepper likes to run the length of the fence barking at the Chihuahuas next door. Seriously, the dogs are good friends, they just play loudly. Of course Pepper ran under a few bushes and a early the next morning I had a hint things weren't going well for him. He couldn't hold his bowels for anything. Plus, he was foaming at the mouth. We took him into the vet who gave him a steroid and some heartworm medicine. He literally got better over a 12 hour period. Whew!
Now the only problem is the fleas.
He loved his bed, but those nasty buggers took over his bedding and no amount of spraying and washing will convince him to try it again. I can't blame him.
One of my wife's friends suggested we give him a bath using Dawn dishwashing soap. Desperate and willing to do anything to ease his suffering, we tried it. I put on a bathing suit, picked him up and carried him into the tub. My eldest daughter and I gave him the best bath of his life.
Dozens, if not a few hundred fleas died in the soapy water. As soon as the Dawn hit his fur, the fleas popped off of him. My best guess is it interferes with their breathing. And you know how the saying goes; later, rinse, repeat.
After drying him off, I checked. Unfortunately there were still a few bugs on him, but noticeably less so.
Today we did the same thing again. I've noticed he's more relaxed. Checking him once more after his bath, I didn't see any fleas. It's been a few hours and he's been outside to relieve himself. I'm sure their are a few bugs on him.
I'm going to keep looking for other methods of flea control, but I thought I'd pass this along. It's cheaper than those foo-foo shampoos that promise flea control and it does a better job.
This might become our new weekly thing.
Pepper likes to run the length of the fence barking at the Chihuahuas next door. Seriously, the dogs are good friends, they just play loudly. Of course Pepper ran under a few bushes and a early the next morning I had a hint things weren't going well for him. He couldn't hold his bowels for anything. Plus, he was foaming at the mouth. We took him into the vet who gave him a steroid and some heartworm medicine. He literally got better over a 12 hour period. Whew!
 |
| Demon Dog hates fleas! |
Now the only problem is the fleas.
He loved his bed, but those nasty buggers took over his bedding and no amount of spraying and washing will convince him to try it again. I can't blame him.
One of my wife's friends suggested we give him a bath using Dawn dishwashing soap. Desperate and willing to do anything to ease his suffering, we tried it. I put on a bathing suit, picked him up and carried him into the tub. My eldest daughter and I gave him the best bath of his life.
Dozens, if not a few hundred fleas died in the soapy water. As soon as the Dawn hit his fur, the fleas popped off of him. My best guess is it interferes with their breathing. And you know how the saying goes; later, rinse, repeat.
After drying him off, I checked. Unfortunately there were still a few bugs on him, but noticeably less so.
Today we did the same thing again. I've noticed he's more relaxed. Checking him once more after his bath, I didn't see any fleas. It's been a few hours and he's been outside to relieve himself. I'm sure their are a few bugs on him.
I'm going to keep looking for other methods of flea control, but I thought I'd pass this along. It's cheaper than those foo-foo shampoos that promise flea control and it does a better job.
This might become our new weekly thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment