Flea & Tick treatment

[Marianne]

We had two boxers that ran in a large fenced yard or on the acreage when we were outside, but were basically house dogs. For fleas in the yard, I'd broadcast Borax (20 Mule Team) right before it rained. It will work for 2 or 3 years before you need to do it again. It also repels other multi-legged critters. For the dogs (and cats) themselves, I used DE (diatomaceous earth). I just put some in an old spice shaker jar and sprinkled it on, rubbed it all over.

And now that I'm thinking about it, there was one year that every time I walked outside, I came back in wearing a tick. Blech. I can recall only one time that I pulled a tick off of one of the dogs in all the years we had them.

 

[wyoDreamer]

@Marianne I am in need of your expertise ...
We are having a bumper crop year of spiders and ants in the house this summer. Do you think that Borax spread around the foundation of the house might help with those issues?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I believe @Beekissed uses lime around her property with good results.

 

[Beekissed]

I believe @Beekissed uses lime around her property with good results.

That was for fleas, LG....didn't have any impact on spiders or ants at all. We have a ton of those up in the shed near where I spread all that lime.

 

[CrealCritter]

That was for fleas, LG....didn't have any impact on spiders or ants at all. We have a ton of those up in the shed near where I spread all that lime.

DE should work well for spiders and ants. If you have a leaf blower throw down a small pile and gently blow it around to create a "fog" or "dust storm".

My understanding is DE scratches the shell of insects outer surfaces, causing them to dehydrate and die. Think of it as like walking on glass... But micro glass for insects.

Be sure and wear a good dust mask and goggles should you decide to blow it around.

Link to more info ---> https://www.victorpest.com/safer-br...ug-flea-ant-crawling-insect-killer-4-lb-51703

 

[Beekissed]

I don't use DE, CC....it's an indiscriminate killer, so some bugs I'd rather live would die and/or carry it off to their hive/nest and others would die also.

I also don't like to think of my animals breathing in tiny pieces of micro glass as they forage and dust in those soils.

It sounds all nice and natural, but it's not anything I want to put into my soils.

 

[CrealCritter]

I don't use DE, CC....it's an indiscriminate killer, so some bugs I'd rather live would die and/or carry it off to their hive/nest and others would die also.

I also don't like to think of my animals breathing in tiny pieces of micro glass as they forage and dust in those soils.

It sounds all nice and natural, but it's not anything I want to put into my soils.

Its completely your choice... DE is about the most eco friendly, effective thing there is.

 

[Beekissed]

Its completely your choice... DE is about the most eco friendly, effective thing there is.

Unless it gets on honeybees or any other beneficial insect with soft bodies or that clean themselves...then it kills them. Honeybees have enough problems right now without digesting micro glass as they clean themselves and one another. Articles say bees are fine, they have all that hair to protect them...what they don't realize is that bees clean themselves and one another, can ingest the silica at that time.

I don't call that exactly "eco" friendly.

Another interesting tidbit...those that used DE in their composting deep litter found very little composting happening in the layers with DE applied, as all the bugs that help with that process couldn't live there and do their jobs.

I'll skip on the eco friendly tiny sharp pieces of glass.

 

[murphysranch]

Resurrecting this old thread.

I have an almost 4 month old cattle dog puppy. He came to us at 8 weeks with fleas. I've given him two baths. Has anyone ever tried to keep the suds/flea soap on a puppy for 5-10 minutes while the stuff is doing its "thing"? hahahah!! That's impossible with a squirming I'm outa this tub pup.

I bought something similar to @CrealCritter spray. Spraying the puppy is akin to trying to pull off his toenails one at a time.

He's too young for any topicals or ingestibles. Now the 12 yr old cattle dog is scratching.

Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Resurrecting this old thread.

I have an almost 4 month old cattle dog puppy. He came to us at 8 weeks with fleas. I've given him two baths. Has anyone ever tried to keep the suds/flea soap on a puppy for 5-10 minutes while the stuff is doing its "thing"? hahahah!! That's impossible with a squirming I'm outa this tub pup.

I bought something similar to @CrealCritter spray. Spraying the puppy is akin to trying to pull off his toenails one at a time.

He's too young for any topicals or ingestibles. Now the 12 yr old cattle dog is scratching.

Suggestions? Thanks.

I have read that diluted lemon juice helps with fleas, though I haven't tried it myself.

There might be some of the new flea and tick tablets that are safe for under 6 month puppies, a call to the vet might confirm this, though not sure of the cost.