Fleas!!

[kate egg]

Thx Wendy I will try that, he does take treats from me still, although he has got in the habit of running in his basket when you ask if he 'wants a sweetie' as he always does this when we call him in from the garden at bedtime and it seems to have stuck.

First dog, so much to learn, took him to training classes for nearly a year from 12 weeks old - to train me how to train him, plus they were good fun. Now when I go up the field with him and he meets other dogs I sometimes end up either training the owners how to recall or I have to recall Dino so they can get their dogs back!

[Gwenoakes]

Years ago we had a huge infestation of fleas as there were lots of feral cats around.
I just could not get rid of them. The vet suggested that I use an upright hoover, as the beating action/vibration hatched the eggs then they were sucked up.
It worked as well alongside the more conventional flea treatment. I did it day after day, week after week and finally we were flea free.

[bluebell]

I must admit, Wendy, I don't use chemicals as a precaution/preventative measure, I use them when I think the problem is there. Totally agree I hate taking chemicals/dr-ugs so why should I expect the pets to be different.

[Willow]

Years ago we had a huge infestation of fleas as there were lots of feral cats around.
I just could not get rid of them. The vet suggested that I use an upright hoover, as the beating action/vibration hatched the eggs then they were sucked up.
It worked as well alongside the more conventional flea treatment. I did it day after day, week after week and finally we were flea free.

Thanks for that gwenoaks.. I'll vacuum twice per day if it helps
I have one of the supah doopah D*son uprights.. suction is incredible..
I keep a clean tidy house and the pet bedding is washed regularily.. I felt a bit better when my extreemly houseproud neighbour told me they had the same problem.. I know I must be missing something or the problem wouldnt be so persistant..
I just dont know what!!

[seahorse]

Felix has had fleas lately. I caught one on him and also found bites all over my legs...bad kitty! He has been doused in flea powder and diatom for good measure.!

[Lilo-Lil]

Kate egg - as Wendy says, hand feeding, with his bowl in your lap, is a good way to go if your lad is nervous of you going near him when he is eating. Your could also try putting small bits of his dinner in his bowl at time, and topping it up every minute or so, until he has had his quota. This way he would get to associate you apporaching his bowl with a positive. Even better if you keep it low key, and casually drop it in whilst passing, and make it a real treat, eg, cheese, ham etc.

Everyogne I know is saying hat the flea problems seem to be much worse this year. I found one or two on Lilo-Lil in September, which I caught early. I hadnt had any for 2 years.

I used to do the dogs much more often when I live down south and walked Richmond Park where there was a greater chance of them picking up deer tics.

I dont routinely do my dogs or cats now, but am a bit obsessive about daily hoovering of floors, and washing bedding once a week.

I usually wait until I find one of the little blighters, and then do everyone with spot-on frontline. The dogs seem to be more sensitive than the cats.

If I remember I worm them too, but only becaue my cats are great hunters, and the dogs being Labs eat everything they find in the park.

I get my stuff from an on-line pharmacy, or at Crufts (if I go as part of a rescue stand) as it is so much cheaper there if you can afford to buy in bulk.

Lots of people add garlic cloves to their dogs dinner to help ward the little s**ds off, and it does seem to work for them as long as they dont have any in the first place.

[kate egg]

Thanks Lilo-lil, its a bit messy but I have been giving him some food by hand since Wendy suggested it yesterday. Tonight he saw me getting his tea ready so ran inot his basket. I took it in there and crouched down with it and picked some little bits out which he took off me. After a few nibbles I stood up and said come on then, get your tea and he followed me into the kitchen, I put it down and he gobbled it all up with me nearby. I am going to keep doing this until i think he is OK again.

Its funny cos he is fine with treats etc, he would still take them from me, it was only his own food. I even tried using different bowls to cahnge the association in his head but it didn't make much difference.

I always put a squirt of garlic puree in when I make a supply of food for him, he really seems to love the flavour And hopefully it'll help prevent fleas, there is NO WAY I am going to frontline him again

[Evie]

We are having the same problem Tina with our 3 cats. Its becoming quite expensive now. We have just treated all the cats and house again today. Never had such persistant fleas before.
If this treatment doesnt work will try again, wont be beaten.

Evie