Figuring the vet for a source of re-infestation might make sense. Remember, the vet didn't personally introduce the flea. The critter could have jumped from another dog in the waiting room--or have been lurking in the waiting room waiting for another dog.
Still, if your vet refused to give you some authorative guidelines about toxic chemicals, perhaps it is time to switch vets.
Have you called the Frontline people?
I'm on crutches and therefore a homeloving dog owner at this point. There are no fleas on the family dog, but I have some annoying teeny-tiny bites on my ankles and I'm trying to convince Mr. Noddy that aggressive action may be necessary.
Have you found more fleas--or was your first sighting a loner, a social outcast, a fluke?
I used to live in southern California and the fleas were terrible, our little Doxie was allergic to the fleas so bad, I think we were killing him keeping him there. He was so sick, from all the flea dips and treatments. After about 2 weeks in Montana winter, he was back to normal and playing like a puppy again, he lived to be 19 years old. I am so glad we moved him.
So for 14 years we have been flea free, until this summer, relatives from southern California moved here and we dog sat for them for a couple weeks, now my terrier has a bad flea problem, my vet kinda got on my case over it at first until I explained where she got the fleas from. I have found that shaving her, flea dip shampoo, then using the gel drops is working pretty well. Its been 2 weeks, vacuming, cleaning, washing everything, and I don't have any new bites on me, and my little terrier is sleeping much better. I am crossing my fingers that they might be under control and will go away. The disturbing thing, I've read that fleas can stay dormant for months and reappear at any opportunity. I drowned a flea in water, for over an hour...only to dump it in the sink and watch it crawl out. I bet they were around in dinosaur times and survived whatever killed off the dinos, too.
Getting aten alive
Alright, so we bombed our house not too long ago (but its a kind of a big house.. so.. well.. bleh) We try to use advantage and what not on our pets, but maybe my parents arent putting it on their necks right? My dog, shes almost hairless because of the scratching and biting. (Maybe shes allergic to advantage. But it could be various things. Her food, a nervous tick, who knows.) Anyway, fact is.. we bombed.. and I'm hardly EVER in my room which is downstairs away from everything. When I am home, my mom has to drop the dog off in my room in the mornin cuz i'm too tired to wake up and go upstairs. Well, the way I figure it.. My dog brings fleas from outside into my room, and since my room is freakishly cold due to no heater, when I go down there without her or my cat, they nibble me up hardcore. I thought it was my bfs house because i catch fleas on me at his place all the time, but I don't get as many bites as I do here. My question is.. even if I advantage my cat and my dog.. then what? The fleas will stay away from me and go towards them -because- advantage attracts them?
What can I do to keep them off of me? I heard eating garlic helps as a repellant, not sure how true that is. Also, that flea bites itch mainly if youre allergic to fleas or something? My legs, look so disgusting, and my arms, make me cry. Somebody help me out?
If you read this thread, you'll find all the obvious suggestions: bomb, vacuum, wash everything and then vacuum some more. There are also some offbeat thoughts that work for some people.
Are fleas a problem in the rest of the house? Could you be bringing fleas home from your boyfriend?
Frost should bring some relief--after you bomb and scrub and vacuum and launder again.
Good luck.
I put flea powder in the carpet---like a carpet freshner powder, let it sit a bit--15 min to half hour, then vacume again, this gets most of the fleas in the carpets. There are sprays that will do the same. Be sure to get something that is safe for the pets. Don't want to poison them accidentally. I, too have bad reactions to the flea bites, my hubby NEVER gets a bite...really ticks me off. I tried garlic, and all those "home remedies" but nothing really worked until I treated everything all at once. Carpet, furniture, and pets all in the same day or two.
Do the same at your boyfriends house. Its a pain and expensive, but well worth it in the end.
I have been reading through this subject. . . and thanks everyone for all the great advice. As others have mentioned, I too am staging an all out war with fleas inside my home. I have been a long time dog owner, however, this is the first time we have been infested and my house now is currently the most sparkling clean EVER. We moved from out west to NC and we are being told this is a really bad season. I like to take one day at a time, believeing I can rid my home of these little *******! They love to bite me, and my 14 month old son. Somehow my husband never gets bit!
I am trying to take a holistic approach ( however the dogs are now getting dosed with frontline ) inside our home. I use Neem oil on my skin, on my son's skin, on the dogs, on the rugs and at busy thresholds of our house. I dilute it with lavender essential oil ( neem is pretty funky smelling) and water and put it in a spray bottle. I like to vacuum after spraying the floors and rugs. . . And wetting ones fingers in straight Neem oil seems to confuse the little buggers, making it easier to hunt and kill them on my dogs bellies and such. Hope this might help someone else!
aaren--
Welcome to A2K--and thanks for the input.
By the by, Preparation H cuts the itching from flea bites. I remember that an itchy toddler can make all campers unhappy.
darn fleas
[well, don't know if I'm winning the war,but a friend of ours suggested that we wet down the dogs, and then spray them with hartz 2in1 flea & tick bath . We mixed it in a spray bottle at a 50/50 ratio. I made sure the dogs were totally wet down first, sprayed it on Rocky and he looked at me like I was crazy but he tolerated it (he's a 7 month old irish setter)...Did the same to Tasha (she's a collie/shepard mix) she didn't handle it as well, she ran around like she was on fire, gave her a bath and rinsed her down. This was 3 weeks ago. Still kept vacuuming the entire house, carpets, beds, couches, everywhere. Also washed their beds, our bedding and all throw rugs. Wiped up floors, wiped down doorways and thresholds. HOUSE LOOKS AND SMELLS GREAT !!! BUT..last night I gave Rocky his weekly defleaing bath and only found 1 JUST 1 dead flea in the tub water.
Sadly, I haven't been to this site lately because we had to put Tasha down. Not because of the flea problems or anything related. She had a tumor and she was just in pain. My heart is broken,she was only a bit over 4 1/2 years old. This spring she acted like a puppy,but she was in so much pain that of late she just wanted to lay down, could hardly get up the stairs, and when she did plopped down next to the bed in exhaustion. She didn't want anyone to touch her on the head, and when she would sleep she would lay so her head was protected behind something she used to run like crazy with Rocky who she thought was her own son, (she was a great foster mom) teased him, loved him, and scolded him. We miss her so much. Her eyes used to sparkle with happiness, but when the tumor started taking it's toll they were cloudy.
Anyway, my point about the 2in1 dip did wonders...but I wouldn't do 50/50 again. especially if your dog seems to have a bad reaction to the flea bites, like a rash (which Tasha had, she was allergic to them. Rocky has no reaction except and occasional scratch).
I will let you know if I'm finally flea free or not next weekend...if I don't reply by Saturday, someone remind me...lots of other things going on here too...
or=blue][/color]
eeyyuu--
I'm sorry to hear about Tasha's death. Making the mercy decision is hard, but you know you did the kind thing.
Hope to see more of you on A2K.
