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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

SIL keeps giving us fleas

18 replies

flamingflamingo · 03/04/2011 07:42

I am pretty angry. SIL has 3 cats, we have 1 dog. The last 2 times SIL has come over our dog has mysteriously got fleas the next day.

Not only is it unpleasant for the dog, and costly I just found one of the buggers on my DD who is 1. Its made me feel sick. Surely SIL must know her cats have fleas. I can only imagine they are being transported here in her massive fur coat.

I didnt say anything last time as I didnt want to upset her but this time I am fuming! I dont think I am being unreasonable in ringing and telling her to check her cats am I?

Any ideas how to say it diplomatically as opposed to shouting "DEFLEA YOUR CATS YOU FILTHY MARE!"

And breathe.

OP posts:
lisianthus · 03/04/2011 08:10

YANBU. Just tell her that you think her cats have fleas.

LynetteScavo · 03/04/2011 08:11

If she has that many flees she must know!

Are dog and cat flees the same? Hmm

LynetteScavo · 03/04/2011 08:12

fleas. duh!

WhiteTrash · 03/04/2011 08:18

She cant possibly bring over so many fleas that your dog is infested the next day. She may bring round the odd few and over time they multiply, but the only way you would notice it the next day is if she bought round the offending animal who had a serious infestation. Even bringing round an animal with a regukar amount of fleas (i.e not a serious infestation) would take a good few days to set up camp in your dog enough for you to see. Also, if you de. Flea your dog and house each month as you should, he and your home will not get them. If you do not take those measures I dont see how you can blame her, your dog would have got them from anywhere.

Im thinking, you check your dog after she has gone and you see the fleas your untreated dog already has. Treat your dog monthly, your house annually and this will never be an issue again.

onceamai · 03/04/2011 08:19

It'll be the coat. Tell her not to bring the coat. Is she really dirty or is just the cats/coat?

WhiteTrash · 03/04/2011 08:21

Its the OP not defleaing her pet and home.

ModreB · 03/04/2011 08:24

Cat fleas do not go on dogs and dog fleas do not go on cats.

If your dog has fleas, then they are dog fleas and not coming from her cats. Deflea your dog properly and you should stop the problem.

hecate · 03/04/2011 08:24

if you frontline your dog regularly then fleas won't be a problem.

and no, Lynette. Dog fleas and cat fleas are not the same. here

hecate · 03/04/2011 08:25

modre - that's not actually true. they can. cat fleas can live on dogs.

seeker · 03/04/2011 08:25
  1. Dog and cat fleas are different - cat fleas can;t live on dogs.
  1. it's pretty unlikely that she will be transferring more that 1 or 2 fleas to your dog, if any. It's a pretty bizarre mode of transmission. So if your dog has a noticable infestation the next day it's nothing to do with her.
  1. You should keep your dog de-flead anyway.
  1. You think she's bringing them so you chec your dog after she goes and find fleas, so you think it's her fault. This is called a false correlation.
SarahStrattonHasNiceBears · 03/04/2011 08:26

WhiteTrash is right. Unless your SIL is secretly bringing over a Tupperware full of fleas. You should be treating your dog/house on a regular basis and not waiting until you see them. Your carpets are going to be full of flea eggs. SIL is probably posting on NetMums about her cats/fur coat catching fleas at your house Grin

Original poster
flamingflamingo · 03/04/2011 08:26

Our dog has a bad reaction to flea bites so we have to check him weekly for any signs of fleas. It is only after her visits - literally the day after I check him and he has them - I am not talking full infestation but 4 or 5 fleas. However 4 or 5 is bad enough!

OP posts:
hecate · 03/04/2011 08:29

seeker - cat fleas CAN live on dogs. See my link.

and this one

and this one

and this one

in short, the cat flea can live on dogs.

WhiteTrash · 03/04/2011 08:30

Flea treat your dog each month without fail and no fleas will bite your dog. They will be repulsed by him. If your usibg frontline, ditch it and try Advocate. Its the new one, if which the fleas havent built up a resistance to (as they have frontline). Its down to YOU. Not your SIL.

SarahStrattonHasNiceBears · 03/04/2011 08:32

See Seeker 4. you are probably looking more thoroughly as you are expecting to see them. There is no way you are finding all 4 fleas your SIL has brought with her, there will be loads more.

Is your house a semi? We had a problem with cat fleas getting through the party wall. And how often do you see SIL?

Car/dog fleas can and will live on each other (and us).

seeker · 03/04/2011 08:42

Stand corrected on 1. 2,3 and 4 still apply!

SarahStrattonHasNiceBears · 03/04/2011 08:57

See Seeker 2, 3 and 4.

If your dog has a flea allergy you need to prevent the fleas, not react to them.

MotherNight · 03/04/2011 09:09

Why isn't he just frontlined? That's what I do for my dog and she doesn't pick up fleas.

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