Florida is flea friendly and we have them 365 days a year - 366 on a leap year.
When my family moved to Florida 25 years ago. Frontline had not been invented yet and we were pretty much on our own. We quickly learned that flea collars don’t work. Back then, nothing worked for long. The solution was more flea management than eradication. We bathed our dog once a week, bombed the house with flea bombs once a month, and put so much borax in the carpet that it was still there when we replaced it way too many years later.
When Frontline came out in 1993, it felt like a miracle. Finally, our pets went from hosts to some of the itchiest parasites around, to walking, barking, flea killing fur covered companions.
Fast forward to 2013.... Fleas seem to be developing a resistance to Frontline and other topical flea preventatives.
Comfortis and it’s cousin Triflexis, that has heartworm preventative in it as well, have come out as oral (chew-able pill) alternatives and seem to work extremely well. I use Triflexis on my own dogs and have had amazing results. Purchasing six months of preventative at a time can feel cost prohibitive, but the monthly cost break down, in my opinion, makes the product very affordable.
What about Flea Baths and Why don’t you charge extra for them?
Flea baths only get rid of the fleas on your pet at the time of the bath. A flea bath does not protect your pet from fleas in your home, your yard, or anywhere else your pet may go.
In my experience the best flea shampoo is *groomer secret* - regular Dawn and water pre-mixed. I use this on pets that we know have a flea infestation. The shampoo mix is applied directly to the pet and lathered prior to any water touching the pet. Using this technique the fleas are unable to use a protective oil bubble around themselves for protection, and the fleas drown almost instantly and rinse right out and down the drain. I then use either a moisturizing shampoo or conditioner to finish the bath.
Most Florida Pets, even if they are on the best flea preventatives, pick up a flea or two by simply being outside. It sometimes takes a bit for a fresh flea to succumb to whatever preventative their owner is using. For this reason, I bathe all pets using the flea killing technique described above (pre-mix the shampoo and lather, prior to applying water to the pet) using my regular professional high quality shampoos. If there are any extra “guests” on the pet, by lathering first, this will usually get rid of the few that may have been picked up outside..
Because I bathe pets using the same technique whether they have fleas or not and the best shampoo for a flea infestation is found in most peoples kitchens, I don’t charge extra for this service.
For more information about the benefits of House Call Pet Grooming in the Sarasota County or Manatee County please call Sunny Dawn House Call Pet Grooming 941-301-8543.
When my family moved to Florida 25 years ago. Frontline had not been invented yet and we were pretty much on our own. We quickly learned that flea collars don’t work. Back then, nothing worked for long. The solution was more flea management than eradication. We bathed our dog once a week, bombed the house with flea bombs once a month, and put so much borax in the carpet that it was still there when we replaced it way too many years later.
When Frontline came out in 1993, it felt like a miracle. Finally, our pets went from hosts to some of the itchiest parasites around, to walking, barking, flea killing fur covered companions.
Fast forward to 2013.... Fleas seem to be developing a resistance to Frontline and other topical flea preventatives.
Comfortis and it’s cousin Triflexis, that has heartworm preventative in it as well, have come out as oral (chew-able pill) alternatives and seem to work extremely well. I use Triflexis on my own dogs and have had amazing results. Purchasing six months of preventative at a time can feel cost prohibitive, but the monthly cost break down, in my opinion, makes the product very affordable.
What about Flea Baths and Why don’t you charge extra for them?
Flea baths only get rid of the fleas on your pet at the time of the bath. A flea bath does not protect your pet from fleas in your home, your yard, or anywhere else your pet may go.
In my experience the best flea shampoo is *groomer secret* - regular Dawn and water pre-mixed. I use this on pets that we know have a flea infestation. The shampoo mix is applied directly to the pet and lathered prior to any water touching the pet. Using this technique the fleas are unable to use a protective oil bubble around themselves for protection, and the fleas drown almost instantly and rinse right out and down the drain. I then use either a moisturizing shampoo or conditioner to finish the bath.
Most Florida Pets, even if they are on the best flea preventatives, pick up a flea or two by simply being outside. It sometimes takes a bit for a fresh flea to succumb to whatever preventative their owner is using. For this reason, I bathe all pets using the flea killing technique described above (pre-mix the shampoo and lather, prior to applying water to the pet) using my regular professional high quality shampoos. If there are any extra “guests” on the pet, by lathering first, this will usually get rid of the few that may have been picked up outside..
Because I bathe pets using the same technique whether they have fleas or not and the best shampoo for a flea infestation is found in most peoples kitchens, I don’t charge extra for this service.
For more information about the benefits of House Call Pet Grooming in the Sarasota County or Manatee County please call Sunny Dawn House Call Pet Grooming 941-301-8543.
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