Cannot get rid of fleas on the dogs?!!!! Could it be anything else?

[SiltSilt]

We have done it all, given them flea treatment, flea collars, used flea spray, we have washed all bedding repeatedly, even threw the last lot out and started from scratch, steam cleaned all floors and bathed the dogs regularly in treatment, yet everytime I look both dogs (a cockerpoo and a greyhound/lurcher) have very large, adult fleas. We have treated exctly as per vet advice. What is going on, we have never had this problem before!! I have spent an absolute fortune so far and getting nowehere. Dogs however seem very unbothered by fleas!

[Wolfiefan]

What products have you used? OTC stuff is generally rubbish.
We use Nexgard monthly from the vet.
Indorex is great for the house.

[MadameLeFunky]

How long have you been trying? Most treatments require you go through at least one full lifecyle of the flea - which can be a few weeks.

[dementedpixie]

If you're treating the dogs with spot on stuff then dont wash them afterwards. What are you using on them/in the house? Indorex is supposed to be good for treating the house. Have you been hoovering regularly too?

[SiltSilt]

We've been using Bob Martin but vet recommended nexgard which we'll try this week. We've been bathing them before treatment. we hoover daily - honestly the house has never looked so shiny!! It's been going on for about 3 mths now.... within that there have been times we thought we were winning and then they are back...

[BlueBirdGreenFence]

We had an infestation a few years ago that we just could not get rid of. We ended up giving up a full weekend to decontaminate everything in the house.
-Dogs sent to kennels in the morning after being given their monthly flea tablet from the vet

• Every single item of clothing and bedding bagged and taken to the launderette
• Every room individually Indorexed
• Every room hoovered and bleached within an inch of it's life - think hospital sterilisation level

It was an absolute pain to do and it left us with little money for the rest of the month but it finally solved it. I have never missed their monthly treatment since and it only comes from the vet because I never want to have to do that again.

[IWishItWasSummer]

You can’t be getting rid of all the eggs. I second Indorex (I only use it for spiders). We use Bravecto tablets and have never had an issue.

[MadameLeFunky]

Bob Martin is next to useless and the cat version once burned a cat I was sitting quite badly.

I won't ever touch the stuff.

Nexguard and Indorex. Lots of hot washing and vacuuming (through the vacuum contents straight out into a bin, don't leave it in the vacuum). You will beat them that way.

[Whynosnowyet]

For tonight lots of shallow bowls of hot Fairy water.
Catches loads!!

[MadameLeFunky]

When you bathe the dogs, the fleas run to spots they can hide and survive in (on the body). Little fuckers.

[SiltSilt]

Thanks all, we've had such a challenging year with the dogs (pup diagnosed with addisons and she's been really up and down) that this has just been icing on cake. Advice above is appreciated, we will double our efforts!!

[dementedpixie]

You should never have used Bob Martin in the first place as it is ineffective. Use a vet strength treatment and once you've sorted out your infestation keep using it monthly. Only a small amount of fleas live on the pet so most are in the environment. They need to be on the pet to bite to get killed or you kill those ones with something like indorex

[Amicompletelyinsane]

So the Bob Martin stuff is rubbish. It won't work. Nexguard will. Apply Nexguard, use indorex or stay kill and spray entire house after vacuuming. Keep using the Nexguard as often as you are meant to. It can take three months to see no fleas. There is a stage that isn't killed so has to hatch to then be killed. Let the dogs go everywhere in the house as they help treat the problem once they have decent fires product on. You will get on top of the problem fairly quickly.

[Junie70]

My older dog had fleas last year that we just couldn't get rid of. We ended up bathing every 3 days with flea shampoo...... (very satisfying to watch the little bastards all floating away), a Bravecto tablet from the vet and then a flea collar on. We boil washed his bedding, sprayed Indorex on the carpets and eventually they relented and fecked off.

I was almost burning the house down, I was so fed up of it. He lies on his back next to me most evenings and I could see the fleas running across his belly, taunting me

[Floralnomad]

Moving forward just use prescription only stuff from the vet , non prescription flea treatment is basically just throwing your money away .

[ShowOfHands]

Did your vet seriously recommend Bob Martin?!

[Wolfiefan]

Bob Martin is at best useless.
Get the Nexgard. Use it monthly.
Indorex the house.
You haven’t “done it all”. Do the vet recommended treatment.

[Ylvamoon]

Indorex everything that can't be wasted. Including soft furnishings.
Wash everything you can at 60°C that will kill the eggs.
Brush the dogs (outside) & clean the brushes after each dog (indorex/ boiling water) ... than bath dog. Use dog conditioner.
Spot on treatment from vet.

Repeat accordingly to flea lifecycle = 2-4 weeks at least 3x.

[Savidog]

Bob Martin's your issue.
Listen to the vet, use a drug that works for at least 2 treatments and treat the house as well. Itll be a lot more expensive longterm if they get a hold in the house...