Dawn dish soap, for flea control?

Food, Fitness and how to keep them healthy.

Postby BrindleLuv » March 23rd, 2009, 3:24 pm

My grandmother, advised using regular Dawn dish soap when bathing, 2 monthly for fleas.
Any thoughts on this?
User avatar
BrindleLuv
Just Whelped
 
Posts: 17

Postby cheekymunkee » March 23rd, 2009, 3:28 pm

I've never used it but I have heard it works for killing fleas. It wont repel them but it will kill the fleas already on the dog. Put a ring of Dawn around the dogs neck before bathing so the fleas wont rush to the dogs head to avoid the stuff. Lather it real well & work it in for about 10 minutes or so and it should kill the fleas.
There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.

Debby
User avatar
cheekymunkee
I Have Your Grass
 
Posts: 28540
Location: Dallas

Postby pitbullmamaliz » March 23rd, 2009, 3:29 pm

Right now, I would clear any home remedies through your vet, first.
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

http://www.pitbullzen.com
http://inaradog.wordpress.com
User avatar
pitbullmamaliz
Working out in the buff causes chafing
 
Posts: 15438
Location: Cleveland, OH

Postby Marinepits » March 23rd, 2009, 3:33 pm

pitbullmamaliz wrote:Right now, I would clear any home remedies through your vet, first.


x 1,000!

Plus, Dawn strips all the oils out of the dog's skin and hair and I think it would be WAY too harsh to use on your pup right now. The Advantage should take care of the fleas, but you'll have to re-apply it according to directions to get the best results.
Never make someone a priority in your life when that someone treats you like an option.
User avatar
Marinepits
Proud Infidel
 
Posts: 15621
Location: New England

Postby BrindleLuv » March 23rd, 2009, 3:34 pm

I wasn't planning on using it on Mack"one the "flea allergy""
Was going to try it on Babie.
User avatar
BrindleLuv
Just Whelped
 
Posts: 17

Postby cheekymunkee » March 23rd, 2009, 3:36 pm

Awww ok, I just noticed that your dog has a flea allergy, in THAT case I would go with Frontline or something topical like that, it will not only kill the fleas it repels them as well & you wont have to worry about the allergies coming back. Because they will with Dawn as it does not repel the fleas. You can buy individual vials from the vet
There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.

Debby
User avatar
cheekymunkee
I Have Your Grass
 
Posts: 28540
Location: Dallas

Postby Marinepits » March 23rd, 2009, 3:45 pm

You could try the Dawn, but again it's pretty harsh on the skin, so test it on a small spot first and see if she reacts to it -- leave it on that one spot overnight, then wash it off in the morning and see if her skin looks red or irritated.
Never make someone a priority in your life when that someone treats you like an option.
User avatar
Marinepits
Proud Infidel
 
Posts: 15621
Location: New England

Postby Jenn » March 23rd, 2009, 4:03 pm

I have actually used Dawn before for fleas. ONLY because they were literally everywhere, and I was trying to help my friend with her dog. She was COVERED in them, we washed her twice, and then spent over an hour handpicking & combing them off, shudder. It was horrible. The best thing to do for fleas is to prevent them, but the problem can truly "sneak" up on you (hence the situation above).

If you don't have any other means, then yeah bathe the dog and help it out. However, as a preventative or as a method for flea preventative, nope. I agree it is "harsh" and strips the skin of necessary oils. Think of it's purpose - to rid your dirty dishes of food/oil. Think of the commercials where the grease oozes off. (Yes I know it's the "effect" for tv and doesn't always work that way) I grew up washing my vehicles with dish soap, till friends (car enthusiasts) gave me the what for.

If you are/have/had a flea issue, then prevention and control are key. There is no easy solution, especially pending on where you live! Spray your yard, rake up leaves, get the dog a preventative from the vet, vacuum your home, wash bedding, etc. etc. It's much easier to "keep up" with preventing them than it is to get rid of them.
I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure....
User avatar
Jenn
undecided
 
Posts: 11382
Location: TX

Postby Dog_Shrink » March 23rd, 2009, 5:09 pm

ANY shampoo will kill fleas if you leave it on for 10 minutes or more. Is suffocates them. Also you can use eucalyptus oil as a repellant if your doggie is sensitivie to spot ons as mine are. My poor little boston terrier breaks out into a giant pimple ball if he even lays on a bed that another dog with spot on laid on :( Last I knew the spot ons didn't repel fleas but treated after the dogs were bit to kill fleas so spot ons might not be the most benifical thing for a dog with flea allergies Something else you can use to kill fleas is CAPSTAR. It's a pill that they eat and it kills EVERY flea on them with in a half hour... approved for dogs older than 4 weeks and they had to dose 146 times the regular dose to get a negative reaction out of the dog. VERY safe, very reasonablly priced. Here's a link: http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=NRNLJJQLAJ499M5F3BFDQ8VTTE386E52&pf_id=0027945&cmkw=capstar

Good luck :)
User avatar
Dog_Shrink
Just Whelped
 
Posts: 62
Location: Lake City, Pa.

Postby Mickle » March 23rd, 2009, 5:19 pm

This shampoo is THE BEST and all natural!! I love this stuff and have used it for the 6 years I have been grooming! http://stores.naturaldogshampoo.com/-st ... Detail.bok
Liisa
Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken
User avatar
Mickle
Loyally Bully
 
Posts: 556
Location: Pepperell, MA

Postby SpikesMom » March 24th, 2009, 11:32 pm

Does Dawn kill the fleas? Yes, but ---- not the larvae.

It is good though for taking chlorine (green) out of human highlighted hair, LOL
SpikesMom
Just Whelped
 
Posts: 7
Location: Killeen, Texas

Postby ArtGypsy » March 25th, 2009, 8:01 am

Mickle wrote:This shampoo is THE BEST and all natural!! I love this stuff and have used it for the 6 years I have been grooming! http://stores.naturaldogshampoo.com/-st ... Detail.bok


And it's REALLY good for flea/ticket control??? really-truly??? :P
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
User avatar
ArtGypsy
First I Caught Her, Then I Didn't Share My Fries
 
Posts: 946
Location: Eastern Nebraska

Postby katiek0417 » March 25th, 2009, 10:42 pm

SpikesMom wrote:
It is good though for taking chlorine (green) out of human highlighted hair, LOL


VERY good to know...THANK YOU!!!

Dog_Shrink wrote:ANY shampoo will kill fleas if you leave it on for 10 minutes or more. Is suffocates them. Also you can use eucalyptus oil as a repellant if your doggie is sensitivie to spot ons as mine are. My poor little boston terrier breaks out into a giant pimple ball if he even lays on a bed that another dog with spot on laid on :( Last I knew the spot ons didn't repel fleas but treated after the dogs were bit to kill fleas so spot ons might not be the most benifical thing for a dog with flea allergies Something else you can use to kill fleas is CAPSTAR. It's a pill that they eat and it kills EVERY flea on them with in a half hour... approved for dogs older than 4 weeks and they had to dose 146 times the regular dose to get a negative reaction out of the dog. VERY safe, very reasonablly priced. Here's a link: http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=NRNLJJQLAJ499M5F3BFDQ8VTTE386E52&pf_id=0027945&cmkw=capstar

Good luck :)


I would recommend against using Spot On...if it's the stuff I'm thinking of (sold at PetSmart/Petco) it has caused severe and life-threatening reactions in dogs (especially small ones).

Neem oil is a natural repellant for fleas, and there are many shampoos and topical sprays that have neem oil...also, diatomaceous earth is a substance that is animal safe that you can use in your yard to rid it of annoying little pesky buggies!

Vectra is a newer flea/tick repellent that has had really good results in studies...I just switched to that for my dogs, and so far so good!

Good luck!
"Rumor has it, compulsion is evil."

Katrina
Sacha CGC - Dumb Lab
Nisha CGC, PDC, PSA TC, PSA 1 - Crazy Malinois
Drusilla SLUT- Pet
Nemo - Dual-Purpose Narcotics
Cy TC, PSA 1, PSA 2, 2009 PSA Level 3 National Champion
Axo - Psycho Puppy
Rocky - RIP My Baby Boy
User avatar
katiek0417
pointy ear hoarder
 
Posts: 6280
Location: Glen Burnie, MD


Return to Nutrition & Health

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

cron