Has anyone else got a flea problem at the moment??
With two dogs and five cats we expect to have fleas occasionally but for the past three months we've spent in eccess of £150 on flea products...
We've used rather expensive treatments from the vet on every animal, have vacuumed, washed, treated every bit of pet bedding, every carpet, rug, blanket, our bedding, towels, our clothes all the soft furnishings... We've used the spray and powder on long pile rugs and then rolled them up overnight to ensure the treatment works..
Each time the animals were treated, everything else has been done once, then repeated three days later.. Within a week, the dogs are scratching again and we're getting bitten too..
I mentioned it to a neighbour with cats and she said she's getting bitten like mad even though she's also got supah doopah flea products for cats and home.. Went to my parents for a weekend and they too have a problem getting bitten (they have a dog)..
I'm now at a loss.. I dont want to overdose the dogs and cats on anti flea stuff.. but what can we do?? Last time (end october) we used fr*nt line.. I dont want to use flea collars on the cats as they are always up trees etc. can I use them on the dogs as well as the spot treatment?
HELP!!
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
I'm constantly getting bitten at the moment too We use a very expensive spot-on flea and wormer combined from the vet. I can't find any on the cat so they must be in the carpet/sofa etc. Have used so many aerosoles of house flea spray that I have probably doubled the size of the hole in the ozone layer
My little dog suffers with very bad skin so i have to be careful what i use on her!
I was at my wits end a few weeks back so i tried using diatom on her, she has been clear for 3 weeks, so today she will have a shower and when dried will dust her over again!
Dont expect it to work straight away it did take around 4 days before i saw any signs(at first i didnt think it had worked)
As you know its all very safe to use! It is very thick to use but it seems to have done the trick
Thanks Stace, I could have a look at that.. I'm not sure if its the flea treatments that aren't working or if they are being re infected constantly because I'm missing something... god only knows what though.. Funny thing is that the cats dont seem to be scratching, just the two dogs.. it definately is fleas though.. 100% sure of that..
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
I was going to suggest that Stace.
I don't like those spot on treatments, I never ever use them. More so this week as one of my clients, little dog nearly died through using it. Much better to powder, also you can spread it around the house as well and vaccum it up later.
Wendy
The flea life cycle is broken down as egg, larvae and adult flea. A lot of the spot on treatments kill the adult flea but the cycle isn't broken as the larvae develop into the adult flea and the eggs develop into larvae - so on and so on.
The more advanced spot on treatment kills all adults, eggs and larvae and kill ticks and mites.
There are a number of treatments you can purchase to spray on soft furnishings, flooring and skirting boards. The downside to using these sprays is having to remove other pets and ventilate rooms afterwards.
Obviously the more potent the chemicals/dr-ugs within the product the more chance you have of eliminating the pesky little devils. Downside of course is knowing that you are using chemicals. Spot on treatments for dogs is dispensed according to weight of the pet, which is why your vet weighs your pet and administers a suitable product.
Touch wood never had a problem with fleas, but seen a lot of people coming into work who have ankle bites off fleas - and we always spray the surgery after they have gone so that no other client is leaving with any additional pets
HI Bluebell..
The reason I've been fumigating the entire house - from soft furnishings through lamiate floors, skirting, carpets our clothes bedding etc. is to break the cycle.. thats why its been getting done several times over days / weeks.. I've even gone so far as to boil all the towels ect incase the cats have rubbed against them..
Our three piece is leather, floors are laminate & tile.. the only carpet is on the stairs which are vacuumed daily and has been drenched in spray and powder.. Rugs as I said have been treated and rolled up overnight to ensure the stuff can take effect..
The drops which we've been using on the cats and dogs are supposedly against fleas and ticks etc..
The only option now is to shave the b*ggers!!!! (joke)
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
Perhaps your council might be able to help? Mine is very good and deals with all sorts but they do charge for some. But it comes with a guarantee of sorts so if it recurs within a certain time they will re do it for free.
Hi lucy, do not worry about increasing the hole in the ozone layer with aerosols as the gas used as the propellent in them is in fact butane often refered to as calor gas, the original suppliers of it.
Both propane and butane are odurless, colourless and heavier than air. Like town gas it has to have a smell added to it and it is a revolting chemical called ethyl macaptan, which will even permetate glass.
Mike
Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before.
I think that the central heating might make it worse. The rate of production increases when it's nice and warm for them.
We don't use our central heating 'cos we can't afford to and I never seem to have a flea problem with my cats. I do use the spot on the back of the neck stuff, but only when I remember. Vacuuming with a powerful cleaner also helps.
My dog HATES frontline, I tried to catch him unawares while he was eating his breakfast about 2 months ago and it upset him so much that he still won't eat if I am in the room
The cat hasn't been 'done' for at least a year but he spends so much time outside and never goes in the bedrooms or living room.
We haven't seen any fleas for ages thankfully, when we had more cats and they were in a lot I had to really clean and spray the carpets and furniture regularly, and eldest son always seemed to have bites as one of the cats liked his bed
I am with the dog.....
I don't like putting anything on my animals that says I have to have gloves on to use it. If I can't touch it what is it doing to my animal ??. You can google it and there is a lot of information about it.
I only dust mine.
Having said that, I only flea and worm treat when I see them. My policy being I don't take a headache tablet today thinking I may get one next week ! Josie is 5 and a half years old and has never been treated for fleas because she has never had them. Granted I do not have a cat and they are more likely to bring them in.
Just a little quirk of mine, we and the animlas do not eat processed food. No more than we put dr-ugs into our bodies unless we really, really have to. Rather going down the road of natural remedies and treatments.
This is just my opinion.
Wendy
Wendy I wish I had never done the frontline to him, he is such a lovely friendly dog, he was always so enthusiastic about his meals, and now he is really hesitant with them when I am there, if I go near him he will be OK for a bit but if I stay longer than he wants he actually growls at me He's never done that before. He did have fleas as a pup and I f/l him then and he was OK. I hadn't seen any on him for about a year so should have left well alone. Its really upsetting me.
I make most of his food myself, lamb mince, brown rice, lightly cooked veg and tinned tomatoes, and to this I add a scoop of Arden Grange kibble. he really loves it and will often turn the dish over in case there is any underneath but I now have to give it him outside or go away while he is eating. it makes me very sad
Put the bowl away and feed him by hand for a few weeks. It should build his confidence up again and know you provide the food.
Plus all learn the lesson don't do anything nasty while the dog is eating LOL. Best bet is to feed tit bits and gently try to apply things you want to.
Wendy
but I now have to give it him outside or go away while he is eating. it makes me very sad 
