Mites, Fleas, Lice and Kooties

[artisticlicense (imported)]

Moi, your first post does sound like bed bugs. Your whole house (and possibly yard too) will need professional treatment. May even need to buy a new mattress and furniture set.

You have cats. Cat fleas are the worst. But, they are not selective where they bite you.

If you have determined it is fleas only, start vacuuming ever day well past the hot months, and don't skip on the flea drops for the cats. I don't have indoor cats, but I do have a tiny mutt that rubs all over the barn cats every chance she gets. Advantix II works for me. I buy it on-line from VitaCost. They offer a 6-month supply (http://www.vitacost.com/advantix-ii-k9- ... der-6-pack) for a lot less than the biggest discounter.

Apple Cider Vinegar does not have to be ingested to work as an anti-kooties-control. It is a superior anti-septic for cuts & scrapes, bruises, acne breakouts; full of enzymes good for the skin and hair. Acne cleansers can't hold a candle to it. It will also heal and arrest many rashes, including the eczema & psoriasis types, AND shingles (burns like fire at first - then soothes).

Folks in the south have used it for generations as a chigger & tick repellent; especially during hunting season. Wipe it on boots, pants, exposed skin. It lasts several hours, undiluted.

A gallon lasts me several months. The topical ointments I had to order through the pharmacist only lasted a few weeks. No topical from pharmacy ever 'really' worked either. There are many places on the net describing personal uses for Apple Cider Vinegar. Do a search.

As for soaps, I depend upon Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap (http://www.vitacost.com/grandpas-pine-t ... ap-3-25-oz). I order it on-line from Vitacost.com. Works as well as, and is much less expensive than the ZNP soap I had to order through the Pharmacist at $8+ (ZNP=Zink and Pyrithione). Each pine tar bar last me about a month. Smells great. Stops itching from "dry skin". Bugs, mosquitos, ticks and fleas are not fond of it. Wash head and body with it. You can wash the pets with it too. It is that gentle. Here is a current link (http://www.vitacost.com/grandpas-pine-t ... ap-3-25-oz). Price went up some since last I ordered. (I always get 10-20 bars at a time, depending upon the rest of my order, to save on shipping.)

[moi621 (imported)]

I ordered the Emu Oil from Slammr's link.

A whole quart.

Pine Tar soap is terribly drying I thought.

I treated for arthropods, although none seen. Went to Home Depot and got the 'big boy' stuff.

I treated scratching cats, and repeat if I get a flea bite after petting them.

I treated myself inside/internally with these pills 'evermectin' I think, per dermatologist

after Permethrin treatments did not seem to work.

Now I am left with reactive, dry, old man skin. My hide was always sensitive but, oily too.

And one extra Eosinophil, oh my, maybe I have a dermal form of visceral larvae migrans.

Known to happen from cat worms. But, I doubt those lost burrowing larvae are feline oriented.

Revenge of the arthropods?

Moi

don't scratch don't scratch don't scratch don't scratch

don't scratch

scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch

[artisticlicense (imported)]

Pine Tar soap is terribly drying I thought.

Not been my experience. I have naturally dry skin, except for my face; around my eyes and nose.

This soap takes care of the rash I've had most of my adult life. I find it works better than, or at least as good as the prescribed concoctions physicians have ordered over the earlier years. Been using it for several years now. Still wash hair with head-n-shoulders 2-n-1 though.

When the itch gets too bad (as it sometimes did with the prescribed stuff), I rinse or wipe with the cider vinegar. Stings some for a few seconds, but it 'kills' the rash, and I have no troubles with it for several days.

If you've ever had chicken pox, and you've got a rash that just will not go away . . . might consider checking out if you have shingles. It can be anywhere on you, and represent like most other rashes; except nothing kills it for good. It comes-n-goes at will. Stress related. Management solutions and anti-virals is all anyone seems to be able to come up with is more profitable than cure . . .]

When I started using the vinegar, it was a dramatic difference. "Over-night success". The scales drop off, and the red goes away in a day.

But I digress. Your rash is probably bites from boogers.

If you are going to keep animals in the house, keep things simple. Avoid fabric coverings wherever possible. Less places for the bugs and their eggs.

I have wood floors with area rugs (take outside and beat kind). Vinyl covered furniture (no 'skirtings'). Mattress covers. White linens (easy bleaching).

Spray house regularly.

If you do buy over-the-counter spray, make sure they have I.G Regulator (http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Growth-Reg ... +regulator) in the ingredients. If not, add it to your pump-spray bottle, with your chosen brand.

I used Lindane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma-hexa ... yclohexane) in the mop water many years ago (might be what's wrong with me!). It's banned in most areas. Never had problems with bed bugs and fleas then.

Check out this 'green' bed bug site (http://www.usbedbugs.com/Sprays-Repellents_c_188.html).

[artisticlicense (imported)]

I treated myself inside/internally with these pills 'evermectin' I think, per dermatologist

after Permethrin treatments did not seem to work.

Ivermectine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivermectin) is predominantly an animal wormer. I give that to the horses about 4 times a year! It's in a lot of dog & cat wormer medications too. Heart worm tabs.

Human version is Stromectol (http://www.drugs.com/cons/stromectol.html) (tablets - not often prescribed). It is also in over-the-counter lotions for scabies (US). Canadian pharmacies sell it (http://www.canadian-pharmacy-24h.com/ca ... mectol.htm) without prescriptions.

It can take several months to see any results, and you have to go give a stool sample regularly.

It can cause itching skin and rashes (mostly from the dying bugs).

[moi621 (imported)]

How do you score Lindane today?

I promise not to tell the Federals.

I did beg my Mexicans when then have a burro coming to try pack some Lindane but it is not available there either.

Please have your contact PM me, send me the link,

or upload the link and we will mourn your passing.

I did try find Lindane and could not. No more Kwell.

Moi

I am oiled and scratching.

[artisticlicense (imported)]

How do you score Lindane today?

I still have a quart size bottle of the stuff somewhere in the barn. Haven't seen it on feed store shelves in 10 years. Production banned 1999, retail sale banned later.

It is supposed to cause all kinds of environmental havoc.

I'm sure it is due to poor use by over-zealous bug-killers (Tablespoon/gallon -vs- teaspoon/gallon). But, I guess factory production protocols had a play in the ban too. It stays in the ground a while. Kills more than it's intended use (earthworms with pine beetles).

I would not use it today.

Poor practices with checmicals is why not much effects fleas today. Chemists keep having to come up with new sollutions. People who buy the chemicals over-use, and mis-use them. "If a quart will do this, then a gallon will be much more effective", ect.

Flea life-cycles are so short, and they reproduce so much; it is inevitable that they can reproduce offspring that can outlive or survive the chemicals you use.

Have you tried powdered sulfur outside and borax inside? Also diatomacious earth (http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/ ... Earth-50lb) really works. Sweep it around all the floors and get it down into the cracks and crevices (don't vacuum for a few days).

Also check out nematodes (http://www.arbico-organics.com/category ... -nematodes). Spray them around under your porches, bushes, flower beds; wherever cats and animals hide. They love to eat fleas and many other human pests.

[bobover3 (imported)]

The FDA says Lindane is available by prescription as a generic in 1 ounce or 2 ounce bottles, intended to limit use.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/Pos ... tsandProvi ders/ucm110848.htm#2

However the NIH says safer medicines are available for the same purpose. Suggested alternatives include Pyrethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide Topical, and Permethrin Topical.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drug ... 01105.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drug ... 98037.html

[artisticlicense (imported)]

The FDA says Lindane is available by prescription as a generic in 1 ounce or 2 ounce bottles, intended to limit use.

I wouldn't use Lindane even if my physician suggested it.

Moi has been to his physician, and found nothing to worry about.

I don't think he wants to treat himself with Lindane. He's trying to get rid of fleas.

Wants a 'super-bug bomb' (ain't no such thing for fleas).

You can still buy Malathion (http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/malat ... p-384.html) on store shelves. It works well at killing fleas, if one must use a chemical.

I would not spray it indoors. The stink lasts forever.

I still recommend treating the cats (by calendar dates), vacuuming daily, treat yard and interior of home regularly (as naturally

(http://www.arbico-organics.com/

) as possible).

[moi621 (imported)]

The quart of Emu oil arrived and as the evening itch started to act up,

I disrobed and oiled.

I suspect it is all due to those intradermal larvae stirring a few specific times a day.

Or something worse.

Moi

Later, Later, the midnite itchies have arrived. I will keep faith with the Emu Oil.

[curious_guy (imported)]

I just saw a TV commercial for FabriClear.com. They claim that it kills bedbugs and dust mites and that it is nontoxic. I have not used it and I have not read any independent reviews of it. TV commercials often make claims that are exaggerated or even false.