Pets
Related: About this forumFleas!
I have 2 cats and two schnauzers. One of eachhas a flea allergy. This past weekend we decided to address the flea problem in the most aggressive way we could so I dropped $115 at PetCo on flea shampoo for cats, dogs, Front line for everybody and repellant (spray for dogs, powder for cats. Checked all labels to ensure no interactions.
Bathed both cats (will trim front claws next time!) dried with hair drier applied Frontline, and following day applied powder. Same with dogs.
Everybody still has fleas.
WTF does it take???
Kali
(55,021 posts)especially beds
vacuum, use DE or specific insecticides
frontline and other systemic products are not instant and will take some time (few days to a week). I have never found shampoos to be very effective. and I suspect any product safe to apply after systemic insecticides is probably basically inert. (just use DE in that case, if you bother)
Arkansas Granny
(31,532 posts)Kali
(55,021 posts)figured it would be fairly well known in here.
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/parasites/a/Diatomaceous-Earth-For-Flea-Control.htm
flamin lib
(14,559 posts)We did the vacuum, wash beds, flea powder thing in all the house. Still, FLEAS! Just on the critters, us humans don't see them.
Kali
(55,021 posts)it is drying. if you can't see them, the itching may be residual allergic reactions to the earlier bites.
keep vacuuming (daily) and let the frontline kick in. http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/parasites/f/FAQ_fleacontrol.htm
also be aware a lot of skin issues with pets are actually food allergies
littlemissmartypants
(22,819 posts)broiles
(1,370 posts)Inside I have put it under the cushions and mattress. I never use Frontline. For 20 years I have never seen a flea here.
littlemissmartypants
(22,819 posts)ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)A copycat brand is "Sentry Fiproguard". Fraction of the cost.
But one thing you left out and really need to do: get one of those hormone sprays to spray on your floors. It stops the flea from reproducing so you can be rid of them. They can get into the tiniest cracks in floors and elsewhere. Really works. We got rid of a flea infestation one time without the Frontline or anything else. Just vacuuming and the spray.
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)I was told to put white socks on and walk around the house. When I was where the fleas were, they were attracted to the white socks and I was able to determine where to treat aggressively.
But I also agree with the other posters who say to give the Frontline about a week to really do it's job.
HeiressofBickworth
(2,682 posts)Some years ago, I was in the waiting room of a local vet clinic. A couple brought in their dog who was sick, listless, vomiting. They told the vet that they had treated the dog with a flea bath, something like frontline and flea powder. The vet said they had poisoned their dog by over-treating. I don't know the outcome as I concluded my business and left. But I've never forgotten that sick dog and how it got that way.
iscooterliberally
(2,863 posts)I recently moved back to South Florida after living in Boston for a couple of years. I have 3 dogs and 5 cats. I used Comfortis for the dogs, and Revolution for the cats. You also have to spray your yard if they go outside. Even if only one or two animals go out. In my case it is 2 of my cats and all 3 dogs. I got some yard spray at Lowes. You have read the fine print and make sure it kills fleas and ticks. They usually don't put that on the front label. You probably need to spray inside your house too. I have mostly tile, so I got away with skipping that part. I have used Fronline Plus in the past, and that is OK, but Comfortis really worked the best for me with the dogs. Be very careful what you put on your dogs though. Some of the flea medicines that work for dogs, will kill cats. Good luck and keep at it. You will defeat them!
shenmue
(38,506 posts)flamin lib
(14,559 posts)The 'video' was just another 4 minute ad and there is no information about the product at all.
But a Facebook friend of mine founded the company.
TorchTheWitch
(11,065 posts)Wash the pets with regular Dawn dish detergent and use a flea comb on them all over to make sure you get them all out. Use the Frontline Plus (Frontline Plus is waterproof, so if the pet gets soaked in the rain or goes swimming they're still protected... I actually think they don't even make the regular Frontline anymore that wasn't waterproof), and before they go back in the house bug bomb the house. For every flea you find on your pet there's about 10,000 or more in the house.
And as another poster up thread mentioned, don't over medicate with flea protection. If you use Frontline or Advantage you can't use a flea collar or powder or spray as well. Only ONE product per pet for whatever time it lasts before it needs to be reapplied or you're over medicating which can be very harmful to both dogs and cats.
I'm convinced that your pets are getting reinfected with fleas (that will eventually die with the Frontline on them, but the more fleas accumulate on them the more risk of a bite before the Frontline makes them croak) because you've got a home infestation and a bad one. Get those foggers and bomb the whole house... just read the label and make sure that it kills the fleas AND their eggs otherwise when the eggs hatch you'll just have to re-fog the place.
It's a bit of a chore to prepare the house for fogging since you have to open up all the drawers, cabinets, closets, etc. in the whole house and then after it's done wash every one of your dishes and pots and pans. You also have to swab down all the kitchen counters, dining room table or anywhere else food is eaten or prepared.
If your pets have toys made with fabric make sure they are strictly indoor toys since fleas will infect them just as a jacket or carpet or blanket. Any toys the pets put their mouth on you can leave in the house to be fogged with everything else, but make sure you wash them before the pets put their mouths on them. Fabric toys you can probably do in the washing machine without any problem (I wash Yoshi's frequently since he loves to roll them in dirt), but if any are stuffed toys make sure they have no little holes or tears before they go in the washer or you'll end up with a big mess of bits of stuffing all over the inside of your washer and everything else that was in there with a stuffed toy with a hole... been there, done that, and more than once.
If your pets ride around in your car then your car is infested as well. To deal with the car get a can of regular bug spray that kills fleas and their eggs, spray the hell out of the inside of your car, and leave it for a bit with the windows rolled up. Don't drive the car until you let it sit for a few hours with all the windows down to air it out or the telltale fumes will make your eyes bleed though I swear that's all the noxious perfumes they put in the stuff. You might need to Windex the inside of the windows of the car after this to get rid of any residue from the bug spray that can really screw up visibility when driving though you may not notice there's any residue until you drive at night and a car comes toward you with their lights on. I found that out the hard way years ago... the whole windshield suddenly went opaque and I had to stick my head out the window to see whenever a car with it's lights on came toward me.
A couple of times my first dog got fleas, the house got infested, and I had to do the whole bathe, medicate, fog, spray the car bit, but it killed ever last one of the buggers and their eggs. It took most of the day though a lot of that was the washing dishes and counter tops and stuff after the house got pristine of creepies with the foggers.
Incidentally, both times I got a flea infestation was by going to someone's home that had the most disgusting massive flea infestation imaginable, and I carried some home on my own clothes or person. A month later and my house, dog and car were a flea carnival. This was actually two different homes, and it skeeves me out that even one person had such a gross massive infestation. If you looked at the carpet you could SEE at least 50 fleas bouncing up and down all over the place. I also went home with dozens of flea bites. The very thought of fleas getting on and biting ME and on my clothes totally fouled me out.
The nice thing about most basic foggers is that they kill a huge variety of bugs like flies, spiders, roaches, silverfish, and a long list of other buggy creatures. They aren't expensive, and you can even buy them in most big supermarkets.
What worked well for me time wise was to prepare the house for fogging by opening all the drawers, cabinets, etc. and set up the forgers ready to blast off. Make sure you get enough fogger canisters for the whole house as well. They actually cover a good amount of square footage though per fogger. Make sure you do the entire house... basement, garage, attic, etc. not just the living spaces. Though you probably don't have fleas in the attic, since the foggers kill all manner of creepies, might as well murder the spiders in the attic, the flies in the garage and the variety of creepies in the basement.
Once the house is prepared and the forgers are set up bathe the pets, dry them (or not... I always let my dogs air dry), and take them outside. Go back in the house and set off the foggers, and immediately leave the house. While the house is being fogged and then aired out medicate the pets if it's time for it, and use the flea comb on all the pets to make sure you got them all. You might also want to go spray the inside of the car while the fogging and airing out is going on. Except for a fish tank, no living creature you want to keep living can be in the house during the fogging and airing out time. If you have a fish tank there's directions on the canisters to tell you how to prepare the tank so your fish won't be effected.
All this takes most of the day especially if you have more than one pet to bathe and comb, but it's the only thing that wipes the stinking fleas and their nasty eggs out completely. Once the pets, home and car are flea free as long as you keep using the Frontline every month and avoid those homes where other people have pets with fleas since carrying one or two home on your clothes will just reinfect your own pets and home you probably won't see another one.
The only way to get rid of fleas and keep them away is to do a clean sweep of the pets, home and car first. If you miss even one or two in a couple of weeks you're going to have another infestation. It's scary how much and how fast the stinkers breed creating a miserable infestation.
Fleas are so icky. Go medieval on their asses and do a clean sweep.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)steam clean the carpets and wash all the bedding.
Hope for an early cold snap to kill the outdoor infestation.