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amandafnnll · Aug 25, 2007, 11:42 AM

We recently got our 4 year old a puppy and when we got the puppy home she is swimming in fleas. Then puppy is only 5 weeks old and we got it early because the mother ran away. I have tried the dish soap method to remove the fleas and I'm afraid to make her sick. Nothing has seemed to work. I want to correct the problem but the vet says to wait another week before messing with it. To me this doesn't seem healthy. What can I do other than dish soap and calling the vet again? Please don't answer me with comments about being irresponsible and this that or the other. I'm not here to be downgraded for being an animal lover I'm just here for some advice... Thanks guys:confused:

tickle · Aug 25, 2007, 12:36 PM

Okay, I agree wontcritize. My walker hound came home with me at five weeks old and she was full of fleas because she was rescued from a house with lots of dogs. I put her in the sink with (this was l0 years ago) baby shampoo. No one had ever told me to use dish soap and I don't think I would have back then because it was hard on the skin, let alone a newborn puppy skin.

I am probably going to get shot down for this but suggest another bath, if the water isn't pink (from blood the fleas feed on), then I think you have got most of them and that will do until the vet can decide. Good luck.

cpalmist · Aug 25, 2007, 12:56 PM

I have cats - last batch of 4 that I took in as kittens were covered with fleas. Believe there is a home-remedy of patting baking sodea into their fur, the baking soda getting into the flea's joints to main and kill them that way.
Here in the South, we generally use Greenlight 5% Diazanon powder and sprikle that in and work it into the fur. Wow! It works while you are watching but apparently is pretty harmless to dogs and cats, puppies and kittens, according the radio show I was listening to at the time. I leave it on the critters. I do sprinkle it into the carpets and wherever the critters have been laying so kill the adults, larva and eggs. I will vacuum that up in a day or so as once you have fleas in the house, you can pretty much take care of the problem by just vacuuming everyday. If I'm not using Diazenon at the moment, I will pull the vacuum bag out and store it in a plastic sack with a mothball to kill the fleas and stuff. Works great and is like a trip to Granma's when you crank up the vacuum with that bag in it next time...

labman · Aug 25, 2007, 02:58 PM

I think there are some safer and more effective remedies that you have been told. I am very leery of baking soda or Diazanon I think Diazanon is banned now. I am a little disappointed in your vet's advice. Certainly a flea comb is safe. Some of the more effective flea remedies can be applied to a towel, and then the puppy rolled in it. You also need to treat the house and yard with pet safe material. I have used a product called Ovitrol from the vet that kills both fleas and their eggs.

Yes, it is wrong to remove a 5 week old puppy form its mother, but it sounds to me like we should be complementing you for being part of the solution. Bad decisions on the part of the mother's owners are not your fault. Thank you for giving the puppy a home. You will have a tougher time with such a young puppy, but some of the others here and I will give you all the help we can. Start with the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251809

MOWERMAN2468 · Aug 26, 2007, 06:23 AM

Well I do not know what brand of dish soap you used, but Dawn has worked for us in a fix. Some folks just don't live in an area that has an abundance of vets. Or available appts. Kind of like getting into a dentist to see him. If its not an emergency, sometimes you have to try home remedies until you can get in to see them.

amandafnnll · Aug 27, 2007, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by labman

I think there are some safer and more effective remedies that you have been told. I am very leery of baking soda or Diazanon I think Diazanon is banned now. I am a little disappointed in your vet's advice. Certainly a flea comb is safe. Some of the more effective flea remedies can be applied to a towel, and then the puppy rolled in it. You also need to treat the house and yard with pet safe material. I have used a product called Ovitrol from the vet that kills both fleas and their eggs.

Yes, it is wrong to remove a 5 week old puppy form its mother, but it sounds to me like we should be complementing you for being part of the solution. Bad decisions on the part of the mother's owners are not your fault. Thank you for giving the puppy a home. You will have a tougher time with such a young puppy, but some of the others here and I will give you all the help we can. Start with the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251809

I looked up your OVITROL and well you should check your sources or vet or something being as it is the one that is banned. The mothers owneres also did noting wrong... read what I wrote the first time... the mother ran away. I appriciate you trying to help but you should probably read things better and check your sources.. thanks

labman · Aug 27, 2007, 03:07 PM

I have to admit I haven't bought any Ovitrol since before I started using Revolution 4 summers ago. It does seem to still be for sale, and I think I remember a display at my vets office, Ovitrol Plus Flea/Tick/Bot Spray for Dogs,Cats & Horses 16oz

As for the mother's owners, if I had a female worth breeding I would take great care she didn't run off and leave her litter. Even the best efforts sometimes fail. In that case, the litter still should have stayed together to help socialize each other for another couple of weeks. I would have also provided her a flea free environment to whelp in. I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't the planned breeding of a suitable female, but instead an accidental breeding resulting from other bad decisions.

Dr D · Aug 27, 2007, 06:26 PM

A couple of years ago my Yorkie got ticks from a four legged visitor (I think). I sent away for the "Tick Twister"; a couple of different sized plastic crowbars with a slot in the middle. You slide it under the tick, and pull it out without having to squeeze the body of the disgusting parasite, which I understand can inject pestilence back into your dog. My dog is happy. This was in conjunction with tick shampoo and some other stuff.

RubyPitbull · Aug 28, 2007, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by amandafnnll

i looked up your OVITROL and well you should check your sources or vet or something being as it is the one that is banned. the mothers owneres also did noting wrong...read what i wrote the first time....the mother ran away. i appriciate you trying to help but you should probably read things better and check your sources..thanks

Labman's right. Ovitrol is not banned. At least not in the U.S. Where I live, it is the main product along with Siphotrol Plus II Premise spray, that are sold by all the vets in the area.