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AIBU?

To think someone should flea treat the bloody dog?!?

37 replies

MoreCakePlz · 30/07/2015 08:29

DH got a dog when he lived with his parents before we got together. When he moved out, first with friends, then with me, the fog stayed at his parents but he diligently continued to go back there once a day to walk it. Fast forward 8 years and this ridiculous arrangement still continues.

Now to the AIBU bit...

when FiL and MiL go away the dog often stays with us. However twice in the last couple of years he's had fleas so bad they've stayed in the Capet after he's gone and I've had to pay for an exterminator to get rid of them. On another occasion I bought flea treatment and treated him myself because I couldn't bear to see him scratching.

MiL came over to our new house yesterday and bought the dog who scratched a lot while he was here. Now I have bites on my feet and I'm worried the house has fleas again!

MiL struggles to treat him because he's a big dog with a thick coat and she's frail, FiL isn't really interested at all in the dog and DH sees his responsibilities as ending firmly with the walks.

AIBU to think that for the sake of the dog and my sanity , one of them should bloody step up and get him regularly treated???

OP posts:
LikeTheShoes · 30/07/2015 08:30

how is treating a big dog any harder than a small one, its just some goo on the back of their neck.

MoreCakePlz · 30/07/2015 08:32

She has to get him to stay still so his very thick hair can be separated enough for the goo to reach his skin - he doesn't like it so he resists

OP posts:
TheoriginalLEM · 30/07/2015 08:34

its your dh's dog. he should do it.

EponasWildDaughter · 30/07/2015 08:35

DH should be doing it.

It's only once every 3 months after all! Surely on one of the walks he could squirt a bit of flea treatment on?

Backtobedlam · 30/07/2015 08:36

If your DH goes round every day, he can put a preventative flea treatment on (like advocate) once a month and this shouldn't be a problem. The dog also needs to be regularly wormed, and vaccinated, which is guess isn't happening either.

EponasWildDaughter · 30/07/2015 08:37

Sorry, might be monthly not 3 monthly. Same applies though - not a difficult job for DH.

Seriouslyffs · 30/07/2015 08:38

Poor dog :(
Someone needs to do it!

Bellebella · 30/07/2015 08:38

Surely your oh and not his frail mum then should be defleaing his dog. How much trouble would it be for your oh to give him the treatment when he is walking the dog.

LilyMayViolet · 30/07/2015 08:41

It's very irresponsible of them not to flea treat their dog. We do ours religiously and have no problems. I once looked after a dog with fleas and had the same awful experience that you did. Fleas love to feast on me and Dd in particular. The poor dog must be very uncomfortable.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 30/07/2015 08:41

Bravecto. A chewy tablet thing that most dogs seem to like, once every three months, job done. Much easier than a spot on.

LilyMayViolet · 30/07/2015 08:41

Agree that your DH ought to do it if they're not.

wankerchief · 30/07/2015 08:43

Dh needs to grow up and look after his purchase.

Poor dog.

Nabuma · 30/07/2015 08:43

Yes, it's cruel and a bad flea infestation in the house is nightmare to get rid of-the eggs can lay dormant around the house for fucking years. I think you need to speak to dh-it's his responsibility to sort this out, not frail mil and fil and not yours either (although I can see why you did it last time). I took a friends cat in when she moved temporarily. She had fleas and it was easily treated with the monthly stuff on the back of the neck but I can't remember the name although it's very popular. The house caught them too and a friend recommended Indorex which I got from amazon. It's a tad dear (although worth it esp compared with exterminator costs) but you spray it everywhere. Hoovering regularly prompts any eggs to hatch (heat, vibration-they think it's a possible host) and then they're slightly easier to kill with the spray. Think, hoover, spray, hoover, spray regularly until bites stop appearing. Dont forget to treat your mattress-bites could be coming from there as they can really get anywhere even where dog hasn't been. But maybe keep any kids away, and windows doors open. Good luck, it's a bloody horrible feeling having that in your home.

Nabuma · 30/07/2015 08:44

Cross posts, slow typer!

SkatesMcgee · 30/07/2015 08:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EponasWildDaughter · 30/07/2015 08:54

Hang on. If the dog is that badly infected then the ILs house must be too.

Treating just the dog in that case is pointless isn't it? The house will need to be treated too. It will be heaving with fleas and dormant eggs.

Nabuma · 30/07/2015 08:56

Good point epona

coolaschmoola · 30/07/2015 08:58

It's your DH's responsibility!

wankerchief · 30/07/2015 09:03

Yes he should pay to have his mums house done too

But if he begrudges putting on stuff for the dog chances are he thinks the house isn't his problem either.

whothehellknows · 30/07/2015 09:03

TBH, if nobody can be bothered flea treating the dog then I'm guessing he isn't wormed, vaccinated, regularly groomed or given health checks. I'd be seeing if a more suitable living arrangement can be found.

ohidoliketobe · 30/07/2015 09:12

Someone should yes. Your DH bought the dog and obviously still feels some responsibility towards it. You can order flea treatment in bulk online (vetmeds website and similar(. If you just bought it in would he be more inclined to do it? All 3 of them sound pretty lazy tbh. Poor dog.

MoreCakePlz · 30/07/2015 09:29

MiL and FiLs house also has fleas but because they're not bothered by the bites (and nor is my DH) they haven't had it properly treated. It got to the point where if I went round there, I could see them crawling on my hands. I made a fuss, they sprayed a bit of treatment around and now Hoover more regularly which seems to have calmed things down but I don't think it's gotten rid of them.

They have a pretty good relationship with the vet and always take him to have his glands squeezed/if he's hurt etc but for some reason don't see regularly treating his fleas as a priority!
Vet actually does a flea clinic once a week but suggestions he be taken along are met with indifference.

OP posts:

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MoreCakePlz · 30/07/2015 09:34

Have asked DH when the dog will come to live with us so we can manage all of this properly - apparently never because MiL will miss it too much. This makes things more complicated in terms of responsibilities!

Agreed DH should step up if MiL and FiL won't can't, but he doesn't see it that way Hmm

OP posts:
TheHouseOnBellSt · 30/07/2015 09:35

You need to have the dog permanently. If MIL is too frail to treat him, then she's too frail to have him full stop!

girlywhirly · 30/07/2015 09:55

Agree, the dog and environments must be treated for fleas and worms, as they have interlinked life cycles.

Vets often have loyalty schemes where you pay a monthly direct debit, and for this your pet gets two health checks a year, flea and worm medication, and often discounts on pet diets and any other treatment needed. I pay £9.35 a month for my cat. She gets her check up every six months and I collect her medication at the same time. Vets can supply flea sprays for the home as well, Acclaim is one I have used in the past for previous homes with different cats. It can penetrate the flea egg cases and stop them hatching. Don't be tempted to use cheap flea sprays as they will only kill the fleas themselves.

It's expensive caring for a pet properly, and if neither DH or his parents are willing to do this the dog should be rehomed.

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