Fleas. God help me.

[AimeeM]

Today I was treating our GSD's "rough elbows" and I found fleas. Like, a lot. I freakin' cannot believe I didn't notice them before. I thought the area he was constantly licking and scratching at was a hot spot, as he's prone to them on the insides of his upper/inner thigh. Nope -- fleas.

 

Checked the small dog, too, and FLEAS. They haven't been around any other animals, so I'm assuming they came from the backyard, which our GSD frequents.

 

I bathed the GSD in dish soap, just to take the edge off for him, until DH got home with the good stuff. Don't ask me what the good stuff is, because I was just frantically applying and paid zero attention to what it was -- only that the Iggy's medication was flea bath-based, because of her age and size, and the GSD's was supposed to be some magical collar that kills fleas and prevents them for up to 8 months (and better darn well work, considering that it cost, lol). Also, a spray for the house. All of which was advised by the lady at the pet supply store. 

 

We have a 5,000 square foot house. I want to cry. I vacuum very frequently as it is, which is likely why I hadn't noticed until now. The downstairs level is entirely hardwoods, other than an area rug in the living room (when I say area rug, I mean it covers the entire living room, though, and furniture sits on it). All furniture is leather.

 

Upstairs is all carpet -- but the dogs aren't allowed up there. I did vacuum up there recently.

 

I am very, very concerned about any more chemicals. I used the spray (which reads as incredibly toxic, on its own) on the area rug, because the kids were upstairs in bed already, the big dog crated for the night, and I locked the small dog in a bathroom. 

 

Two of our boys are autistic. One of those boys (The Marvelous Flying Marco) stims frequently by rubbing himself on carpeted areas -- his forehead, namely. 

 

I'm going to call our pest control service tomorrow, but I'm sincerely worried about what they will use. So far, they spray for things normal to the area and current weather -- spiders, ants, palmetto bugs -- and everything they use is dog and kid friendly, but I'm not sure they have anything for THIS that is friendly to my particular kids.

 

Is there any way to do this without heavy chemicals? Tomorrow I'm vacuuming again (everything) several times over. Supposedly, the chemicals I sprayed on the area rug should protect it for a few months, but I'm not sure I buy into that. 

 

 

We've had many dogs over the years. Never once fleas. Argh!

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Capstar and Comfortis, and lots of vacuuming. That what worked for us.

 

Bombing/spraying house, and all the other house treatments failed.

 

If possible, I would treat your yard though.

 

 

ETA capstar kills adult fleas fast, and can be given several times waiting on Comfortis to do its part. Comfortis stops the flea cycle.

Edited September 1, 2017 by PinkyandtheBrains.

[MercyA]

I would get a topical treatment for both dogs immediately, both as a repellant and to kill remaining fleas. I use K9 Advantix II, which is available without a prescription. Our neighborhood is crawling with fleas at times and it has worked well. Plus, it is waterproof. Just don't let the kids pet the dogs for a few hours after applying it. Use it once a month (maybe a little more frequently until your problem is under control).

 

It will be okay.  :grouphug:

Edited September 1, 2017 by MercyA

[Guest]

I use apple cider vinegar (spray everywhere a few times a day for like a week) and vacuum about an hour after every spraying.  Always worked for me.

[Bluegoat]

I would look at one of the flea medications.  The old fashioned bath and flea collar approach never did work very well.

 

Fleas do live outside, so dogs and cats that aren't treated will get them at certain times of year, almost inevitably.

 

I've never found it is a huge deal to get rid of them inside.  It doesn't sound like you have a lot of scope for a big infestation anyway - I wouldn't be calling an exterminator in your place.  They don't really prefer to bite people, so once you treat the dogs, they will usually die.  And a few flea bites really aren't a huge deal if they do happen.

[AimeeM]

I keep having flashbacks to my Father-in-Law's bedbug "problem." Three stories of house. All of his furniture had to be tossed. Several thousand on an exterminator.

 

Fleas aren't like that... right? Because (over the top or not), I'd rather call in the big guns now than let it get that bad. Tell me fleas aren't like bed bugs :P

[AimeeM]

Capstar and Comfortis, and lots of vacuuming. That what worked for us.

 

Bombing/spraying house, and all the other house treatments failed.

 

If possible, I would treat your yard though.

 

 

ETA capstar kills adult fleas fast, and can be given several times waiting on Comfortis to do its part. Comfortis stops the flea cycle.

 

Are those prescriptions or OTC? If prescription, will our vet call them in without seeing the dogs? The idea of having yet another area to treat isn't heartening :P 

 

Can our pest service treat our yard? And will it do any good if it's stray / feral cats causing the issue? I'm obviously not positive, but we've been having a stray cat problem in the subdivision. 

[justasque]

I agree with previous posters.  Call your vet to get the latest, greatest flea treatment.  (Used to be Frontline, but they've put out more recent ones.)  That will kill any fleas on the pets.  You usually have to reapply once a month.

 

Then, vacuum daily.  Hardwood floors and leather chairs are good.  Vacuuming may bring out more fleas - the eggs hatch with heat and vibration - but that's good, because then they will be vacuumed up before they have a chance to lay eggs.  So just keep vacuuming.  That's what did the trick for us.

 

Also - Google the flea life cycle.  It will help you to understand the process you are trying to stop.  When you know the life cycle, you can determine the appropriate vacuum frequency, etc.  Good luck.  If the fleas are only on the pets, this is not an infestation and there's no need to panic (and I would argue, no need for flea bombs, chemical treatments, etc. except for the pet meds from the vet).  Just keep vacuuming.

[Bluegoat]

I keep having flashbacks to my Father-in-Law's bedbug "problem." Three stories of house. All of his furniture had to be tossed. Several thousand on an exterminator.

 

Fleas aren't like that... right? Because (over the top or not), I'd rather call in the big guns now than let it get that bad. Tell me fleas aren't like bed bugs :p

 

No, fleas aren't like that.

 

They really aren't a big deal.

 

You can usually just pick up the meds from the vet.  

[AimeeM]

I agree with previous posters.  Call your vet to get the latest, greatest flea treatment.  (Used to be Frontline, but they've put out more recent ones.)  That will kill any fleas on the pets.  You usually have to reapply once a month.

 

Then, vacuum daily.  Hardwood floors and leather chairs are good.  Vacuuming may bring out more fleas - the eggs hatch with heat and vibration - but that's good, because then they will be vacuumed up before they have a chance to lay eggs.  So just keep vacuuming.  That's what did the trick for us.

 

Also - Google the flea life cycle.  It will help you to understand the process you are trying to stop.  When you know the life cycle, you can determine the appropriate vacuum frequency, etc.  Good luck.  If the fleas are only on the pets, this is not an infestation and there's no need to panic (and I would argue, no need for flea bombs, chemical treatments, etc. except for the pet meds from the vet).  Just keep vacuuming.

 

I vacuum literally 2-3 times daily (the main living area -- hardwoods and area rug) already, so that's good. I'm super allergic to our GSD, and he's been shedding like crazy, so vacuuming is already part of our life in a big way, lol.

 

I'm afraid our little vacuum may bust on me soon, though :P 

[AimeeM]

No, fleas aren't like that.

 

They really aren't a big deal.

 

You can usually just pick up the meds from the vet.  

Thank you!

 

Now I wish our dogs had the same vet, lol. We keep our senior Iggy with her vet in our old city, and our GSD goes to a "big dog-friendly" vet down the street from us. 

 

First world problems, though. I'll drive where needed. 

 

How safe are the vet's meds for dogs with serious health issues? Our Iggy's cancer is back, she's almost 16 years old, and while she has a good enough quality of life that we plan to keep her around for a while more, we do try to be careful regarding what we give her. <---- Pretty much why DH was able to be swayed by the pet store lady into a nice, gentle, Sentry oatmeal flea bath for this particular dog :P 

Edited September 1, 2017 by AimeeM

[AimeeM]

Question: our vacuum is bagless. How do I ensure none of little pests are escaping BACK to the floors? Spraying inside of it with the flea spray would mess up the filters, right?

[gaillardia]

We treat our cat and dog once a month after finding fleas in abundance on them also. I feel your pain.

The cat was miserable, the dog was miserable. We used food grade diatomaceous earth, sprinkled it around on the floors. I didn't like that, too dusty, but left it sitting for 3 weeks. Washed the dog. Had the vet's office wash the cat. Kept washing the dog weekly with a mixture of Dawn dishwashing liquid, fresh lemon juice.

Vacuumed like we were crazy people at first, but after letting the DE sit for 3 weeks and the monthly treatments, we are not having any problems.

I put cedar chips in pillow cases for the pets to lay near or on the floor, on the beds (who can keep a kitty off the bed?). 

We washed any human bedding where the cat would slumber on hot water and I kept cat out of my room until there were no fleas. 

So after using the DE and treating the pets on a monthly basis, we just keep up with vacuuming. 

I also used lavender, cedarwood, and mint essential oils on a bandana around the dog's neck for the first week.

There was another thread about this probably in the spring but I've no idea how to track it down.

[gaillardia]

I've read that putting a flea collar in the dust collection bin or bag of a vacuum helps.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Are those prescriptions or OTC? If prescription, will our vet call them in without seeing the dogs? The idea of having yet another area to treat isn't heartening :P

 

Can our pest service treat our yard? And will it do any good if it's stray / feral cats causing the issue? I'm obviously not positive, but we've been having a stray cat problem in the subdivision.

Capstar could be found at our pet store, I can't remember about Comfortis. If you've been to the vet more recently they might. Mention you don't want fleas in the car too.

 

 

Treating the yard will still help some but treating the pets is the most important part. The two meds will help to, they work much like flea birth control stopping them at all the stages.

[carriede]

Question: our vacuum is bagless. How do I ensure none of little pests are escaping BACK to the floors? Spraying inside of it with the flea spray would mess up the filters, right?

Maybe take the vacuum outside? Then dump it into a plastic grocery bag, tie it up, and toss straight into the trash can.

[Pawz4me]

I wouldn't trust a bagless vacuum to help with a flea problem. I'd go out and buy and inexpensive bagged vacuum and plenty of extra bags. Every time you vacuum immediately dispose of the bag, tied tightly inside a plastic garbage bag and placed away from your house.

 

I would be at the vet as soon as they open this morning getting either Capstar, Comfortis or Nexgard. I would NOT use flea shampoos. Most of that stuff is IMO much more toxic and dangerous than the newer oral medications, and flea shampoos never worked anyway. Any shampoo will work to kill some of the fleas if you leave it on long enough (ten minutes or so).

 

Really -- I'd be much more concerned about the safety and efficacy of anything you buy at a pet store or OTC versus what you can get from your vet. I'd get your vet to have a look at whatever you used on the Iggy to make sure it was okay.

[Katy]

You haven't made it clear if you have fleas in the house or just on the dogs.  Things have to get pretty bad to get a flea infestation in the house, but if there is, there is no need to panic.  Get some food grade diatomaceous earth from amazon, overnight it if you have to, and spread the dust around your home.  Then get a cheap bagged hepa filter vaccuum (the dust is so fine it can kill a bagless type) and vacuum it up in a few hours.  Easy peasy, no chemicals to bother the kids.

 

The dogs can have all the fleas killed immediately with Capstar, and then should take a drop-on flea and tick killer like K9 Advantix II on an ongoing basis to keep them from coming back. The vet told us that the Advantix was so safe we could give it to ourselves to prevent ticks if we wanted, but we'd have to stop showering because water dilutes it from your skin.

 

All of these things can be sent from Amazon.

 

 

ETA:  Flea collars are worthless.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Katy

[Acadie]

We give our dog Nexguard once a month for fleas and ticks, and have been very happy with it. He's a poodle with a sensitive belly and just a sensitive guy all around, and he's fine with it. I have heard that the topical treatments are more risky both for pets and humans, and my sister's dog had a terrible reaction to topical treatment, so I feel strongly about sticking with oral flea and tick meds.

 

We also have some health issues in the family that require avoiding chemicals when possible, and our vet recommended not to use foggers, which are toxic and less effective than the powdered insect growth inhibitors that you sprinkle on the rug at night and vacuum up the next morning. The vet said IGIs are not toxic to pets and humans, only insects. You need to repeat it a few times within a stretch of two weeks, because eggs can hatch two weeks later. 

 

If you really want to avoid chemicals you can trying sprinkling salt on rugs and vacuuming, the same way you would with IGIs. But you'd have to decide which you'd rather have on your rugs! Salt and vacuuming worked for us in our car. We actually left it on the carpet in the car for a few days before vacuuming it up--it wasn't raining so it didn't make a mess. I would not have left an IGI for days, because I wouldn't want to be tracking that all over the place.

 

Diatomaceous earth is nontoxic but you have to very careful not to inhale it, as it can cause lung damage. We decided not to use it for that reason.

 

And no, fleas are not the disaster that bedbugs are, not anywhere close. They do respond to treatment and tend to stay down low, on carpets or on upholstery where pets lie down, so you can be very focused in your treating/cleaning efforts. Just make sure you follow up after a couple weeks to kill any newly hatched fleas.

 

Amy

Edited September 1, 2017 by Acadie

[Guinevere]

We had a flea problem once. We just gave the dog long baths where he was submerged with just his head out of the soapy water several times a week. We also vacuumed a few times a day. No need for chemicals or other drastic measures.

[Pen]

We have sensitive to chemicals people and a dog both sensitive to chemicals and with flea allergy. After a horrific flea problem last year, my dog ended up taking Nexguard, which is an internal (eaten) dog flea Rx.  

 

It is supposed to be used monthly, but last year it was only needed 2 or 3 times until problem was solved. This summer just once so far did it. And last year the cats got a topical-- 2-3 times.  I think the internal is at least safer for family members cuddling the dog than a topical. The cats are not really cuddled and are hard to give pills to. The cats had to stay outside after treatment.

 

The yard got some diatomaceous earth and plantings of things that tend to help (mints? I forget now what it was).  

 

House got vacuumed and some ? Borax ? to help with fleas in crevices and under dog crate and other such areas..

 

 

After trying and trying with all natural methods, I was grateful to have the Rx be so effective. 

[Alicia64]

There is absolutely a form of flea control for your GSD that is taken by mouth. Flea collars like the super good Selestra aren't good around kids because they'll touch the collar, touch their mouth etc.

 

I have a GSD too and have him on the Selestra collar, but my kids are teens.

 

I think this is an excellent price for Next Guard that is taken by mouth. Buying from your vet will be pricey, so instead go w/ these guys: https://www.1800petmeds.com/NexGard+Chewables-prod10356.html.

 

Good luck!!

 

Alley

[Bluegoat]

Thank you!

 

Now I wish our dogs had the same vet, lol. We keep our senior Iggy with her vet in our old city, and our GSD goes to a "big dog-friendly" vet down the street from us. 

 

First world problems, though. I'll drive where needed. 

 

How safe are the vet's meds for dogs with serious health issues? Our Iggy's cancer is back, she's almost 16 years old, and while she has a good enough quality of life that we plan to keep her around for a while more, we do try to be careful regarding what we give her. <---- Pretty much why DH was able to be swayed by the pet store lady into a nice, gentle, Sentry oatmeal flea bath for this particular dog :p

 

I'd look at it this way - 16 is an old dog.  If his life is shortened, it won't be by much.  And he'll be more comfortable without fleas.  Some kinds do bother the tummies of some dogs, so talk to the vet about that.

 

You might find one vet is quite happy to sell you the meds for both dogs.

 

As someone mentioned above, having fleas on the dog doesn't necessarily mean they are in the house.  They want to be on the dog, so that is where they tend to stay.  They will get back on the dog once it's medicated too, and then die.  Lots of people don't really treat the house at al with fleas unless it is an extreme infestation.

[heartlikealion]

I posted about food grade DE in a couple threads. I cannot find the thread with the links to the amazon product listings but I will dig them up out of my Amazon history if you need them. Here's one former thread on the topic.

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/621587-de-for-fleas-really-works-or-orkin/?hl=%2Bfleas&do=findComment&comment=7163080

[AimeeM]

I'd look at it this way - 16 is an old dog.  If his life is shortened, it won't be by much.  And he'll be more comfortable without fleas.  Some kinds do bother the tummies of some dogs, so talk to the vet about that.

 

You might find one vet is quite happy to sell you the meds for both dogs.

 

As someone mentioned above, having fleas on the dog doesn't necessarily mean they are in the house.  They want to be on the dog, so that is where they tend to stay.  They will get back on the dog once it's medicated too, and then die.  Lots of people don't really treat the house at al with fleas unless it is an extreme infestation.

Because the Iggy primarily stays in the living room, we did find some on the area rug (which is very thick, like a carpet). I think. I'm not sure. I did get bit sitting in the living room... but the dog was next to us, too, so I have no way of telling. I treated the rug, too, just in case.

Edited September 1, 2017 by AimeeM

[Alicia64]

HE'S 16?!?!

 

That's awesome!!!!!

 

Is there anything you fed him or did that you think helped him to get to that age??

 

Wow!!

 

Alley

[JBJones]

We use the Seresto collars. They cost $60.00, but my vet always has a rebate so I get them for $45.00. They last for eight months and cover fleas, ticks, and lice.  

Edited September 3, 2017 by JBJones

[AimeeM]

HE'S 16?!?!

 

That's awesome!!!!!

 

Is there anything you fed him or did that you think helped him to get to that age??

 

Wow!!

 

Alley

 

I think that's a pretty standard age for an Iggy. The downside is that pretty quickly in her senior years, it all went to pot -- teeth went bad, cancer was removed and has now returned, and she is so old that putting her under anesthesia for long periods is very risky, so we're kind of riding the "let it go until she seems to be in too much pain," at which point we will make the hard decisions.

 

Food? That dog is an awful eater, lol, so nothing we gave her helped. She literally (within the past couple years) snatches pizza from the boys' hands and sneaks under the dining room table, lol.

[MotherGoose]

My dogs have had fleas several times over the years but they have never infested the house. Get some RX treatment from the vet for the dogs but don't worry too much about the house until you are sure they are actually in the house. Of course vacuuming and throwing out/emptying bags and washing and drying pet bedding is a good idea, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[AimeeM]

I called the vet. She recommended Capstar for immediate "kill," so we're going to pick it up from her tomorrow. She also recommended an oral monthly, but everything we've read indicates a topical gel for monthly prevention, so we were going to grab some frontline. Anybody comment on that or is it purely dependent on preference? 

Edited September 1, 2017 by AimeeM

[Pawz4me]

I called the vet. She recommended Capstar for immediate "kill," so we're going to pick it up from her tomorrow. She also recommended an oral monthly, but everything we've read indicates a topical gel for monthly prevention, so we were going to grab some frontline. Anybody comment on that or is it purely dependent on preference?

I used to think topicals were better until our dog had a horrible reaction to one (K9 Advantix). The vet said generally oral medications will "just" cause nausea and vomiting if there's a reaction. Our dog's reaction was much more severe than that even though I bathed him as soon as I realized he was having an adverse reaction (it was less than two hours after application before I bathed him). It took him ten days, two vet visits and several medications to recover. I'll stick with oral preventatives from now on..

[Scarlett]

I keep having flashbacks to my Father-in-Law's bedbug "problem." Three stories of house. All of his furniture had to be tossed. Several thousand on an exterminator.

 

Fleas aren't like that... right? Because (over the top or not), I'd rather call in the big guns now than let it get that bad. Tell me fleas aren't like bed bugs :P

Fleas are nothing like that. Seriously you can knock this out quite easily.

[Reefgazer]

This is ho we got rid of fleas on our cats, and yep, they got them from the back yard.  Capstar will drop those adult fleas in 2 hours (we isolated our cats to the laundry room with no rugs to do this), something on the back of the neck via prescription to keep eggs/larvae at bay, and vacuum 2x per day and empty vacuum canister outside after each vacuuming for 2-3 months.

Capstar and Comfortis, and lots of vacuuming. That what worked for us.

Bombing/spraying house, and all the other house treatments failed.

If possible, I would treat your yard though.


ETA capstar kills adult fleas fast, and can be given several times waiting on Comfortis to do its part. Comfortis stops the flea cycle.

 

[AimeeM]

The vet gave us Capstar today and we gave it to Obi around 3 pm. It's almost 8 pm here now. He is still itching like crazy. Is that normal?

[Pawz4me]

The vet gave us Capstar today and we gave it to Obi around 3 pm. It's almost 8 pm here now. He is still itching like crazy. Is that normal?

 

Many dogs are allergic to flea bites. It's the most common allergy in dogs (far, far more common than food allergies). If he's one of those allergic dogs then you can expect him to be itchy for a long while --a few days to a week or even two wouldn't be out of the norm. It takes awhile for the allergic reaction to subside. If he can tolerate Benadryl or another antihistamine that can be given to dogs it might help.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Pawz4me

[Alicia64]

I think that's a pretty standard age for an Iggy. The downside is that pretty quickly in her senior years, it all went to pot -- teeth went bad, cancer was removed and has now returned, and she is so old that putting her under anesthesia for long periods is very risky, so we're kind of riding the "let it go until she seems to be in too much pain," at which point we will make the hard decisions.

 

Food? That dog is an awful eater, lol, so nothing we gave her helped. She literally (within the past couple years) snatches pizza from the boys' hands and sneaks under the dining room table, lol.

 

I thought we were talking about a German shepherd dog -- and 16 is old for that breed. What is an iggy?

 

Alley

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

The vet gave us Capstar today and we gave it to Obi around 3 pm. It's almost 8 pm here now. He is still itching like crazy. Is that normal?

It can be, existing bug bites itch :(

[AimeeM]

I thought we were talking about a German shepherd dog -- and 16 is old for that breed. What is an iggy?

 

Alley

 

Oh, no, lol. The GSD is a very enthusiastic barely-3 year old :)

 

Iggy. Italian Greyhound.

[AimeeM]

Any progress, Aimee?

 

I think so. Re-bathed the Iggy; gave the GSD his follow-up meds, and I've been crazy-person-vacuuming. 

[AimeeM]

Obi (the GSD who got the Capstar) looks a lot better. The vet advised that we give the one Capstar, and then follow up immediately with the preventative (we did it the following day, to prevent stomach upset). 

 

Bella, who got a more gentle Sentry flea bath, seemed to still have a couple a few days later, so I gave her another bath. I did just notice that the bath states max benefit will not be seen for 7-10 days after the bath :P She's never been cleaner, I'll say that.

 

I'm being pretty manic about the house. I put Obi in his crate in the basement frequently right now, and then vacuum before letting him back up, and doing it over again. I have most throw pillows from the main floor bagged up, and they're going in the wash now, since we're a couple days past major treatment of the dogs. I did spray the living room rug once, but the label was so freaking toxic-sounding, that I can't really do it again -- no kids or dogs should be within BREATHING distance of the sprayed area until it's dried, which is rough with three kids and two dogs, so (since the first treatment on the rug), I've just been vacuuming it and the hardwoods several times daily. 

 

I'm calling the pest control service we already have tomorrow to have them come out and spray at least the yards and patios. I'm not sure if they can do inside the house with the kids.

[KungFuPanda]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have a ten year old greyhound (Saluki) mix. He's been scratching for a few days. I thought his seasonal allergies were kicking in early, but I've seen 4 fleas now! We've had the same house, yard, and dog for ten years and we've never had fleas. The vet warned us it would be a bad year. The dog is on Frontline plus, but I think his last dose was a week overdue :-(

 

Right now I'm in the process of ripping out my LR/DR carpet and putting in vinyl planks. When I head out for 1/4 round trim tomorrow morning, I'm going to pick up something to spray the yard. This is a dog who finds bathing traumatic and if I can avoid that drama while this project is underway that would be awesome.. Does anyone have any non-bath remedies to go along with treating the yard, vacuuming, and frontline plus? Can I throw Capstar in that mix, or is it like frontline? I haven't been bitten yet, but the dog is suffering and now I'm paranoid.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

Capstar is its own thing, you can use it with Frontline etc.

[Sandwalker]

Question: our vacuum is bagless. How do I ensure none of little pests are escaping BACK to the floors? Spraying inside of it with the flea spray would mess up the filters, right?

You can put a little piece of the flea collar in the vacuum to avoid this.

 

You can order the flea meds from 800petmeds or similar site without prescription if your vet won't sell it to you without a visit. Its just a small little tube of liquid applied between the dog's shoulder blades. I've used Advantage with good results; we don't have a tick issue here, so I get the plain flea Advantage to avoid extra chemicals (old doggie).

 

A good trick to pick up any stray fleas around the house is to put a nightlight with a dish of water in front of it before bed. They go for the light and fall in the water.

[AimeeM]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have a ten year old greyhound (Saluki) mix. He's been scratching for a few days. I thought his seasonal allergies were kicking in early, but I've seen 4 fleas now! We've had the same house, yard, and dog for ten years and we've never had fleas. The vet warned us it would be a bad year. The dog is on Frontline plus, but I think his last dose was a week overdue :-(

 

Right now I'm in the process of ripping out my LR/DR carpet and putting in vinyl planks. When I head out for 1/4 round trim tomorrow morning, I'm going to pick up something to spray the yard. This is a dog who finds bathing traumatic and if I can avoid that drama while this project is underway that would be awesome.. Does anyone have any non-bath remedies to go along with treating the yard, vacuuming, and frontline plus? Can I throw Capstar in that mix, or is it like frontline? I haven't been bitten yet, but the dog is suffering and now I'm paranoid.

 

Vet told us that Frontline (or, in our case, Nexguard -- whatever monthly preventative you're using) could be used in addition to whatever "get rid of them now" med (like Capstar) that you get. 

[AimeeM]

We found a couple baby fleas upstairs -- so they got to my CARPET. 

 

The pest control guys are coming out tomorrow to do the backyard, where this originated. It rained today, so they had to push back to tomorrow. They also made it very clear that, due to the chemicals used, we shouldn't have THEM do the inside except as a last resort. 

 

My husband is picking up a new vacuum (with a bag!). I'm freaking out. I feel like I want to go through every level of the house and scrub until I drop -- but is it pointless to do anything more than the vacuuming and mopping I'm already doing until the pest control guys do the yard, since it's the "central hub"? Am I at the point where I should just get them to do the inside, too? They seemed hesitant to do the inside at this point, but I'm just so upset right now. 

[KungFuPanda]

We found a couple baby fleas upstairs -- so they got to my CARPET. 

 

The pest control guys are coming out tomorrow to do the backyard, where this originated. It rained today, so they had to push back to tomorrow. They also made it very clear that, due to the chemicals used, we shouldn't have THEM do the inside except as a last resort. 

 

My husband is picking up a new vacuum (with a bag!). I'm freaking out. I feel like I want to go through every level of the house and scrub until I drop -- but is it pointless to do anything more than the vacuuming and mopping I'm already doing until the pest control guys do the yard, since it's the "central hub"? Am I at the point where I should just get them to do the inside, too? They seemed hesitant to do the inside at this point, but I'm just so upset right now.

 

I'm right there with you. I've seen about 5 fleas, but none have bitten me. Lucky for me, this is happening while I'm replacing my LR/DR carpet with vinyl. Read the article someone posted above. You can just vacuum. You don't have to handle the contents of your vacuum with care. Apparently they don't survive that tornado. Fleas aren't like roaches or bedbugs. They're not that hard to get rid of. They're even easier than fruit flies.

 

I guess I'll just vacuum the couch every day for a week or so until I'm sure it's over. I gave the dog the very expensive oral meds yesterday. He's already calmed down on the scratching. Is that it? Just the one dose? WHY did I buy the bottle of this stuff?!?!