Help! Non-toxic flea solutions?

S

SarahProcter

Guest
We had a beloved (and evidently flea-ridden!) cat pass away, right before we were out of town for two weeks during a hot spell. We came home to a house full of millions of very hungry fleas! We've washed bedding and upholstery and we've mopped and swept and vaccuumed over and over and over, and we've gotten down from tons of fleas to just a few every day - but a few is too many because they are biting my baby!

My 8 month old baby has CF and is (obviously!) a baby, so on both scores I don't want to subject her to toxic chemicals. The leading recommendation I have found for non-toxic flea control is diatomaceous earth, but that has all these warnings to the effect that you mustn't inhale it as it is a very fine dust that can hurt the lungs - so I don't want that anywhere near a baby with CF.

Help! What can we do???? I am coming close to the point of moving to a hotel for a week and calling a professional exterminator, but we really can't afford the expense if there's any other solution. When a flea lands on my baby it fills me with rage and despair - help!
 
S

SarahProcter

Guest
We had a beloved (and evidently flea-ridden!) cat pass away, right before we were out of town for two weeks during a hot spell. We came home to a house full of millions of very hungry fleas! We've washed bedding and upholstery and we've mopped and swept and vaccuumed over and over and over, and we've gotten down from tons of fleas to just a few every day - but a few is too many because they are biting my baby!

My 8 month old baby has CF and is (obviously!) a baby, so on both scores I don't want to subject her to toxic chemicals. The leading recommendation I have found for non-toxic flea control is diatomaceous earth, but that has all these warnings to the effect that you mustn't inhale it as it is a very fine dust that can hurt the lungs - so I don't want that anywhere near a baby with CF.

Help! What can we do???? I am coming close to the point of moving to a hotel for a week and calling a professional exterminator, but we really can't afford the expense if there's any other solution. When a flea lands on my baby it fills me with rage and despair - help!
 
S

SarahProcter

Guest
We had a beloved (and evidently flea-ridden!) cat pass away, right before we were out of town for two weeks during a hot spell. We came home to a house full of millions of very hungry fleas! We've washed bedding and upholstery and we've mopped and swept and vaccuumed over and over and over, and we've gotten down from tons of fleas to just a few every day - but a few is too many because they are biting my baby!

My 8 month old baby has CF and is (obviously!) a baby, so on both scores I don't want to subject her to toxic chemicals. The leading recommendation I have found for non-toxic flea control is diatomaceous earth, but that has all these warnings to the effect that you mustn't inhale it as it is a very fine dust that can hurt the lungs - so I don't want that anywhere near a baby with CF.

Help! What can we do???? I am coming close to the point of moving to a hotel for a week and calling a professional exterminator, but we really can't afford the expense if there's any other solution. When a flea lands on my baby it fills me with rage and despair - help!
 
S

SarahProcter

Guest
We had a beloved (and evidently flea-ridden!) cat pass away, right before we were out of town for two weeks during a hot spell. We came home to a house full of millions of very hungry fleas! We've washed bedding and upholstery and we've mopped and swept and vaccuumed over and over and over, and we've gotten down from tons of fleas to just a few every day - but a few is too many because they are biting my baby!

My 8 month old baby has CF and is (obviously!) a baby, so on both scores I don't want to subject her to toxic chemicals. The leading recommendation I have found for non-toxic flea control is diatomaceous earth, but that has all these warnings to the effect that you mustn't inhale it as it is a very fine dust that can hurt the lungs - so I don't want that anywhere near a baby with CF.

Help! What can we do???? I am coming close to the point of moving to a hotel for a week and calling a professional exterminator, but we really can't afford the expense if there's any other solution. When a flea lands on my baby it fills me with rage and despair - help!
 
S

SarahProcter

Guest
We had a beloved (and evidently flea-ridden!) cat pass away, right before we were out of town for two weeks during a hot spell. We came home to a house full of millions of very hungry fleas! We've washed bedding and upholstery and we've mopped and swept and vaccuumed over and over and over, and we've gotten down from tons of fleas to just a few every day - but a few is too many because they are biting my baby!
<br />
<br />My 8 month old baby has CF and is (obviously!) a baby, so on both scores I don't want to subject her to toxic chemicals. The leading recommendation I have found for non-toxic flea control is diatomaceous earth, but that has all these warnings to the effect that you mustn't inhale it as it is a very fine dust that can hurt the lungs - so I don't want that anywhere near a baby with CF.
<br />
<br />Help! What can we do???? I am coming close to the point of moving to a hotel for a week and calling a professional exterminator, but we really can't afford the expense if there's any other solution. When a flea lands on my baby it fills me with rage and despair - help!
 
M

MicheleGazelle

New member
There are some tips here:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html">http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html</a>

This might also be of interest:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_flea_control_for_cats">http://cat-care.suite101.com/a..._flea_control_for_cats</a>

Another site mentions eating garlic as a means to repel fleas from you. My ex used to take garlic pills starting a few days before deploying to areas where chiggers were bad. This really works with some insects.

Good luck with this.
 
M

MicheleGazelle

New member
There are some tips here:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html">http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html</a>

This might also be of interest:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_flea_control_for_cats">http://cat-care.suite101.com/a..._flea_control_for_cats</a>

Another site mentions eating garlic as a means to repel fleas from you. My ex used to take garlic pills starting a few days before deploying to areas where chiggers were bad. This really works with some insects.

Good luck with this.
 
M

MicheleGazelle

New member
There are some tips here:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html">http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html</a>

This might also be of interest:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_flea_control_for_cats">http://cat-care.suite101.com/a..._flea_control_for_cats</a>

Another site mentions eating garlic as a means to repel fleas from you. My ex used to take garlic pills starting a few days before deploying to areas where chiggers were bad. This really works with some insects.

Good luck with this.
 
M

MicheleGazelle

New member
There are some tips here:

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html">http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html</a>

This might also be of interest:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_flea_control_for_cats">http://cat-care.suite101.com/a..._flea_control_for_cats</a>

Another site mentions eating garlic as a means to repel fleas from you. My ex used to take garlic pills starting a few days before deploying to areas where chiggers were bad. This really works with some insects.

Good luck with this.
 
M

MicheleGazelle

New member
There are some tips here:
<br />
<br /><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html">http://lacetoleather.com/safefleacure.html</a>
<br />
<br />This might also be of interest:
<br /><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_flea_control_for_cats">http://cat-care.suite101.com/a..._flea_control_for_cats</a>
<br />
<br />Another site mentions eating garlic as a means to repel fleas from you. My ex used to take garlic pills starting a few days before deploying to areas where chiggers were bad. This really works with some insects.
<br />
<br />Good luck with this.
 
D

dlo2977

New member
I am a vet and i can tell you that unfortunately most of the holistic flea products don't work very well, especially with a severe infestation. There is an oral medication for dogs that has a green rating called comfortis but it is not approved in cats. There is a pill that doesn't work quite as well as the comfortis that is not a pesticide called program that you could ask your vet for as well (it doesn't kill adult fleas but it prevent all new eggs from being viable and hatching). I would probably also go with one of the prescription topical flea products to kill all of the adult fleas. Just apply the product and keep the cat separated from your child for 24 hours. At that point you could even bathe the area you applied the product so there is no residue on the cat any longer. An exterminator is also a good idea in addition to washing all bedding and vacuuming a few times a day.
 
D

dlo2977

New member
I am a vet and i can tell you that unfortunately most of the holistic flea products don't work very well, especially with a severe infestation. There is an oral medication for dogs that has a green rating called comfortis but it is not approved in cats. There is a pill that doesn't work quite as well as the comfortis that is not a pesticide called program that you could ask your vet for as well (it doesn't kill adult fleas but it prevent all new eggs from being viable and hatching). I would probably also go with one of the prescription topical flea products to kill all of the adult fleas. Just apply the product and keep the cat separated from your child for 24 hours. At that point you could even bathe the area you applied the product so there is no residue on the cat any longer. An exterminator is also a good idea in addition to washing all bedding and vacuuming a few times a day.
 
D

dlo2977

New member
I am a vet and i can tell you that unfortunately most of the holistic flea products don't work very well, especially with a severe infestation. There is an oral medication for dogs that has a green rating called comfortis but it is not approved in cats. There is a pill that doesn't work quite as well as the comfortis that is not a pesticide called program that you could ask your vet for as well (it doesn't kill adult fleas but it prevent all new eggs from being viable and hatching). I would probably also go with one of the prescription topical flea products to kill all of the adult fleas. Just apply the product and keep the cat separated from your child for 24 hours. At that point you could even bathe the area you applied the product so there is no residue on the cat any longer. An exterminator is also a good idea in addition to washing all bedding and vacuuming a few times a day.
 
D

dlo2977

New member
I am a vet and i can tell you that unfortunately most of the holistic flea products don't work very well, especially with a severe infestation. There is an oral medication for dogs that has a green rating called comfortis but it is not approved in cats. There is a pill that doesn't work quite as well as the comfortis that is not a pesticide called program that you could ask your vet for as well (it doesn't kill adult fleas but it prevent all new eggs from being viable and hatching). I would probably also go with one of the prescription topical flea products to kill all of the adult fleas. Just apply the product and keep the cat separated from your child for 24 hours. At that point you could even bathe the area you applied the product so there is no residue on the cat any longer. An exterminator is also a good idea in addition to washing all bedding and vacuuming a few times a day.
 
D

dlo2977

New member
I am a vet and i can tell you that unfortunately most of the holistic flea products don't work very well, especially with a severe infestation. There is an oral medication for dogs that has a green rating called comfortis but it is not approved in cats. There is a pill that doesn't work quite as well as the comfortis that is not a pesticide called program that you could ask your vet for as well (it doesn't kill adult fleas but it prevent all new eggs from being viable and hatching). I would probably also go with one of the prescription topical flea products to kill all of the adult fleas. Just apply the product and keep the cat separated from your child for 24 hours. At that point you could even bathe the area you applied the product so there is no residue on the cat any longer. An exterminator is also a good idea in addition to washing all bedding and vacuuming a few times a day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top