treating dogs for fleas

[mistralmel]

How can I treat fleas on my dog humanely wthout using chemicals?

[rekstout]

I presume you mean humane for your god as opposed to the fleas as I know of no way of removing fleas within killing them.

You can use an herbal flea repellent which is effective (although less so than traditional chemicals)

See http://www.petsmart.com/dog/answers/health_and_nut
rition/articles/article_7132.shtml for a recipe

[cupra]

If you are planning to rid the dog completely then it's a mighty task - even with chemicals. You could use a flea comb and get out as many as possible by hand, but if just one egg is left then it's back to step one within weeks. Even if you do manage to get them all, the eggs can lie dormant in bedding/carpets etc. for months.

Perhaps a one off treatment with chemicals (both animal and house) would allow you to use the herbal repellants from then on (but I haven't had much joy with them.... and my vet's opinion is that they aren't much cop.... but then again he does sell his own treatments!)

[honkytonkman]

With my cat I tried all sorts of over the counter flea treatments.. and all were basically useless.. The best was Frontline spray/drops from the vet. I'd recommend this as to see your pet driven to distraction with itching is very heartbreaking. You owe it to your dog to zap the fleas as quickly and effectively as you can.

[ninalondon]

I take my cats to the vet for hormone injections. Instead of using a pesticide the hormone makes the flea eggs infertile, thus breaking down the life cycle. One injection keeps the cats totally flea free for 6 months, and also deals with all the flea eggs that end up in the carpet!