Yikes -- FLEAS!

In My Humble Opinion
1

Well, we do have a dog, but we’re pretty sure they came in on our adult daughter, who spent some time in a flea-infested apartment (long and boring story).

Anyway, they quickly showed up on the dog, who promptly got a bath with flea-killing shampoo. That was two days ago. And back they came this evening, not just on the dog but a couple of them hopping around freely in the living room.

Okay, dog got another bath, and this time we are sending all of the dog’s bedding, daughter’s bedding, and our own bedding through the laundry machine, using hot water. What else can/should we do? Call an exterminator? Buy some over the counter product, Fleas-B-Gone or something? I should note that one complicating factor is the fact that our daughter is living with us at the moment with her very small baby, which may make certain treatments off limits.

Any thoughts/advice/opinions would be much appreciated. Our dogs have had fleas on occasion before, but the fleas have never seemed to have such, you know, staying power…Thanks.

2

Take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

Seriously tho, fleas suck and I instantly started itching just reading about them. Thanks for that. (yesterday it was the bed bug thread). Anyway, besides washing everything, vacuum everywhere, then throw the bag away (or burn it). Then flea bomb the entire place.

3

Diatomaceous earth.

It works (first-hand experience). But it’s messy and you gotta let it hang around for awhile so that all the flea babies can hatch and be exposed to it. At least it’s not toxic.

In the meantime, apply insect repellent to your feet and ankles. It won’t kill 'em, but at least they won’t drive you crazy when you’re walking around.

4

Once again, we have a nominee for the Grand Bull Moose Competition for best thread title/OP username combo.

5

Everything faulkner said, plus vacuum at least twice a day, get dog (and daughter) on Trifexis (or similar flea repellant), and watch the baby closely–dogs can become anemic lickety-split from fleas and I wouldn’t be surprised if a baby is equally susceptible.

If you’re going to try combing fleas off the K9, drop the bastards in soapy water or alcohol.

Clean-up from flea bombs is arduous, but must be done.

6

If you have W/W rug that needs to cleaned too and your couches and chairs too. Did you do the closets too and bathroom ? If you decide to use flea bombs follow the instruction very carefully . When I was a health aide I had a client who lived with her daughter , the daughter set off 13 flea bombs and went out with her mom when the family got back home the whole house had blow up ! The daughter didn’t turn off all the gas appliances and heater ! If you have wooden floors the fleas and get into the wooden floor slats . You really need to clean the whole house , it would be best to get rid of your dog bedding and buy a new one when you know the fleas are gone. YUCKY fleas ! :eek:

7

A light solution of powdered boric acid on your carpet will solve the problem and keep the problem gone for along time. You don’t even have to do every room, just get the main areas and don’t vacuum for a few days.

8

Flea baths are a waste of time.

Go to the pet store and buy Advantage II in whatever the appropriate size for your dog’s weight. You can also get it from Amazon, but it’s faster to just go get it.

It’s a liquid. Squeeze it down on the skin on his neck or shoulders, somewhere where it won’t get all over his collar, but where he can’t possibly lick it. You need 1 tube a month.

This stuff kills fleas, eggs and larva within 24 hours of application. You won’t need to worry about bug bombs or strewing earth about. Every flea that munches your dog will die within hours. This will interrupt the egg laying cycle and eventually, clear out your infestation.

If the itching gets too bad in the short term, you might want to talk to your vet about a cortisone shot. You can also get topical anti-itch stuff, but again, make sure he doesn’t lick it off.
I wouldn’t put a flea collar on an pet. OTOH - perhaps the daughter of Ulf the Unwashed needs sterner measures.

9

Another vote for Bayer’s Advantage products.

10

Take it from this entomologist - Advantage is often a waste of time these days (resistance is common).

Use selamectin (brand name Revolution). Applies the same way as Advantage, but MUCH more effective. It’ll also cure any worm infestation your dog may have.

Downside is its more expensive and you’ll have to get it from a vet (not available over the counter). But the shit works. I have 3 cats, its the only stuff I use.

11

Keep in mind that the current “old, used to be prescription only” products have had issues with resistance (hence the “new, need prescription” products like Bravecto, Promeris, Trifexis, etc.). Advantage II (and Frontline, and their generics) can be very useful, provided that the fleas aren’t resistant.

I second the other recommendations, you also have to treat the whole house. For some of the products, you could perhaps have it so that the baby and the mom both stay out during the day that they’re being done (for example the flea bomb).

Selamectin is the one preferred for cats, but for dogs there are other options. All of them, though, require a prescription.

12

Seconded.

Most flea collars are completely worthless, but there is a new prescription one that seems to be very effective. Seresto. The advantage over the topical cures (which I’ve used for years) is that it’s good for 6-7 months and does not need to be applied monthly. It also can’t harm children and others who might pet an animal treated with Advantix or Frontline that hasn’t been completely absorbed.

No particular endorsement, haven’t used it - haven’t needed to use any flea stuff for years on our dogs. But I’ve seen and been told a lot about it with various puppy interactions.

13

I’ve mentioned this often on this site when fleas are a problem.

Get a shallow pan like a cookie sheet, put it in the center of the room, add soapy water. Put a reading light over the pan, directed at the pan. Shut off all the other lights in the room. let it go all night.

The fleas in the room will be attracted to the light, they jump towards it and land in the soapy water. The soap reduces the surface tension so the fleas sink to the bottom and can’t jump out of the water.

It will definitely work, though I don’t know if it will get rid of all the fleas. At the very least its interesting cheap entertainment to watch them jump into the pan and try to jump out of the water.
Also, I’ve systematically walked through a room intentionally attracting them. I’ve worn finely knit white socks without shoes…walk across the room, sit down, pick off fleas into a soapy water bath. get up, walk across the room, sit down, pick fleas. rinse, repeat.

Then I nuke the place.

14

We had to deal with a flea infestation last year. I think they came in on our dog since the cat was indoor-only.

As others have noted, Advantage was not killing the fleas. I spoke to our vet who recommended one of the new treatments. We washed both animals, re-treated them. I kept the cat in the bathroom for a few days, brushed her daily and picked up a lot of dead fleas.

All of the bedding got washed on hot including dog beds, blankets from her crate, etc. Cat furniture was moved to the garage and sprayed with a flea killer from the pet store and it stayed out there for a couple of weeks. Stuff that might have had fleas/eggs but which couldn’t be washed was sealed in plastic garbage bags and kept that way for a couple of weeks (it takes the eggs several weeks to hatch, you have to keep killing or ensuring there is no food supply long enough to get current fleas as well as the next generation of eggs).

Plan on having to wash everything - all your linens, towels, clothes.

Vacuumed the whole house multiple times with a HEPA bag in the vacuum - cleaning up hardwood floors is simple but carpets took a lot of going over.

I also dusted the carpets with diatomaceous earth (get the stuff specifically intended for killing insects, not the pool supply variety). Sprinkle a little on the carpet, brush it in, let it sit for a while and then vacuum up. Note that a little bit of DE goes a long way and that you really want to use a HEPA vac to suck it up. Wear a dust mask and open the windows because no matter what you will get dust all over the place. Wipe down non-porous surfaces afterwards (I just used a damp rag, to get the dust that settled on the TV and furniture and whatnot).

Seal the vacuum bag in a plastic garbage bag and toss it in the trash outside right away. You don’t want fleas and/or eggs in the vacuum to get back into the house.

You’re in the home stretch. Continue vacuuming every couple of days (it may take a few tries to dislodge all the bugs/eggs, and there will be a few more hatching over the next couple of weeks as noted above) and disposing of the bags as before.

I used the same flea-killing spray to hit hard-to-reach areas such as carpeting under the sofa, mattresses and the like. Read and follow the directions - there are safe ways to use the stuff around pets and babies.

Finally, if you’ve got a yard, keep the lawn mowed, trim plants to minimize shade (outdoor fleas seek the shade) and you may want to apply a spray-on flea killer designed for yards. I got a bottle of the stuff that snaps onto the garden hose.

Good luck!

It took a while and some work but we haven’t had a flea problem since.

15

Advantage stopped working on my dogs. I had fleas jumping on me every day.

We finally got a prescription for the pill.
Comfortis worked. We noticed a difference in a couple days. But it took three weeks before I completely stopped seeing any fleas.

Comfortis is given monthly.

16

See - I’ve had nothing but good results with Advantage, and now, Advantage 2. Perhaps I just have really crap fleas in my neighborhood. I don’t know.

Is Revolution the Trifexis medicine that was being advertised a few years ago?

As it happens, I do need to get more stuff for my beast. I’m a little reluctant to switch since he’s done so well on Heartguard + Advantage. It would save money, though.
My larger point is that you can’t fool around with fleas. This is one of those times where drugs are answer. Consulting with a vet before starting is a good idea.

17

Thanks for all the replies.

The dog has been on a monthly “dose” of Advantage for…well, probably since we got her a couple of years ago, so we were kind of surprised to see the fleas on and around her.

We have no carpets and hardly any rugs, just wooden floors, which I’m not sure whether it’s a good thing or not.

I did call the vet this morning. They suggest giving the dog another Advantage treatment tomorrow, on the chance that the previous one had worn off a mite (sorry) early and then monitoring…they seem pretty sure that “as soon as the fleas bite her they WILL DIE.” We have been on the lookout for fleas elsewhere in the house, including around the baby, and haven’t seen much thus far today, knock wood.

The vet also said we could get some spray for furniture etc from them…as others have suggested it might be time for a field trip for the little guy if we go that route.

Sigh. Thanks again. We shall see…

18

No, selamectin is the drug in Revolution, while trifexis is the drug in Comfortis.

19

To everyone who says ‘then vacuum everything’, it’s also VERY, VERY, important that you immediate remove the vac bag, and take it outside your house to the garbage.