Can you vacuum your dog’s coat with a vacuum cleaner to get rid of fleas?
Filed in Dogs on Nov.07, 2003
Alexis B asked:
My dog has fleas despite the fact that I treat him with flea medication, give him garlic pills, and regularly vacuum the house to break the flea cycle. Can I vacuum his coat with a vacuum cleaner? Did anybody try that on their dogs? Will the fleas be gone? Would vacuuming the dog’s coat hurt him?
Vacuum Cleaners 2 Go
My dog has fleas despite the fact that I treat him with flea medication, give him garlic pills, and regularly vacuum the house to break the flea cycle. Can I vacuum his coat with a vacuum cleaner? Did anybody try that on their dogs? Will the fleas be gone? Would vacuuming the dog’s coat hurt him?
Vacuum Cleaners 2 Go
November 10th, 2003 at 5:46 am
Do NOT vacuum your dog’s coat.
Get your pet on a quality flea and tick treatment like Frontline or Advantage.
If fleas have invaded your house and live in the carpet, you can buy cleaners or “bombs” that will help eradicate flea infestations. Vacuuming just doesn’t cut it if your house is infested.
November 11th, 2003 at 11:58 pm
What flea medication are you using?
If you purchase Advantage from the vet, use it once a month religiously, you will not have a flea problem.
If you’re using pet store flea applications, it’s no wonder you are still having a flea problem.
Vacuuming will not help, you only be doig the fleas and eggs a favour.
November 12th, 2003 at 7:44 am
You can vacuum it, and remove an occasional flea, but it will not remedy the problem at all.
November 15th, 2003 at 9:42 am
If your dog is long coated this can cause mats which are very painful. If you use a Frontline Plus or Advantage, your fleas will go away. If they are really bad it will take two treatments to completely get rid of them. The cheap brands don’t work.
November 16th, 2003 at 9:22 am
use advantage , well i can relate my dog hates it when i vacuum him!
November 19th, 2003 at 4:21 pm
Wash your dog well with dish soap, it’ll kill any fleas in the fur. Do this BEFORE you put on Frontline, not after b/c then you’ll wash away the medication. Spray your carpets with a flea killer before you and the dog leave the house for the day. Make sure the spray kills flea eggs. Also be sure to replace your vacuum bag.
November 20th, 2003 at 3:27 am
Vacumming or sudden weather change can cause the eggs around the house to hatch….So dont vacum up fleas from her fur
November 22nd, 2003 at 8:15 am
-_-; i don’t believe it would be very effective, and it would be very traumatic to the dog. i don’t suggest it.
don’t purchase department store brand flea meds, they hardly work. you need to get quality products from the vet or look for frontline or advantage. those 2 brands are good but every dog is different and what works for some may not work for others.
if you are tight on cash and can’t afford the meds you could try submerging the dog in a bath of “dawn dish soap”. scrub the dog while he is under the water and drown the fleas. the soap in the water will make it so they can’t jump out. as for his head be very careful and brush it with a fine comb laced soapy water. this is not a way to prevent fleas, only a way to get rid of the current ones. the eggs stuck to his fir will still hatch but the adult fleas will be gone.
as for the carpet, vacuuming isn’t always enough.. sometimes you need to use products. again if you can’t afford it you can try putting out low bowls of water (like cake or pie pans, or casserole dishes) and put a GREEN light over the water. (like a Christmas light). Do it during the night, and add dish soap to the water to create a light film of soap over it. the green light attracts the fleas and they will jump in the water and drown cuz they can’t jump back out cuz of the soap film.
goodluck
November 25th, 2003 at 5:05 pm
Wow!! What a funny mental picture. LAMO
Get a monthly flea treatment from the vet, and vacuum the floor. Also, spread Sevens dust in your yard to kill the fleas outside. Just keep doing that, and you’ll win the flea battle.
November 26th, 2003 at 8:15 pm
they reproduce so fast even if you vacuum them it will not help! you have to eliminate them from your, house, dog,& go to the vet and find a treatment that works! or you will never eliminate the problem. vets have sprays for your house, dip your dog and continual treatments. this is the only way to eliminate the problem for good! as far as vaccuming your dog, no it wont hurt him. however it may scare him,besides the bag or cannister will have to be thrown out every time. and remember the fleas are still alive in your vac and can escape and multiply!! good luck!!! BIG-G,,,
November 28th, 2003 at 7:47 am
im sure you could but it would just torture himor her just go get some medicine also vacumm your whole body and see what it feels like
November 29th, 2003 at 8:28 pm
It won’t hurt him, but it won’t **** out the fleas either. They stick like glue with those spiny legs of theirs.
Have you tried Frontline? It is the best product available at this time.
November 30th, 2003 at 10:54 pm
Let’s just say that is not the best idea you’ve ever had and leave it at that.
And while we are talking vacuums - I use my swivel sweeper all the time…
Take Care.
December 3rd, 2003 at 8:12 am
Don’t, that could be unpleasant for the dog - and is no way to try to get rid of fleas!
What flea medication are you using? If it’s from a pet store I can tell you right now it won’t be working. Stores aren’t licensed to sell the proper chemicals that work against fleas. Vacuuming the house won’t break the flea cycle, you need to get a proper house spray.
I would lose the garlic pills too, since they don’t do anything to fleas (as you can now see) - they’re a scam. Just pick up some PROPER flea treatment from a vets. Frontline, Revolution, Advantage and Advocate all effectively kill and prevent fleas.
Chalice