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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Oh shite, the dog's got fleas!

55 replies

Floellabumbags · 29/07/2017 15:59

I've just discovered the dog's got critters. We frontlined him in spring but the buggers have appeared anyway. I've sent DH to the pet shop for shampoo, treatment and worming tabs. I'm washing cushions , bed linen, sofa covers...

Do I need to spray rugs and carpets? I'm considering getting the Bissell out to wash them or possibly a flame thrower. Has anyone got any advice or gin?

OP posts:
Mumof56 · 29/07/2017 16:00

Carpets, rugs curtains, mattress, sofa flame throw the lot (or deep clean everything)

Wolfiefan · 29/07/2017 16:00

You need to see a vet. Frontline is rubbish. You need a decent treatment and must treat every month. I can't believe you haven't flea treated since spring! Shock
Indorex the house.

HighwayDragon1 · 29/07/2017 16:09

Indorex spray. Hoover, spray, hoover, spray, flea dip dog.

Wolfiefan · 29/07/2017 16:10

Anything you get in a pet shop will likely be ineffective at best. Harmful at worst.

Amee1992x · 29/07/2017 16:10

Yeah frontline is rubbish, one of our cats was missing for about 4 months, went down stairs one night and their she was. Eating the other cats food 😂, don't know how long she'd been sneaking back but she was covered in fleas. We tried front line as our vet was shut on the day. Took her on the Monday and they gave us a treatment, advised us what to use on the other pets & the house.

Dancingfairy · 29/07/2017 16:11

I had to call in the council to do my place when my cat got fleas recently, I tried for weeks and weeks with every spray you can buy even indorex twice! And they just wouldn't go, think they became immune. Even though the council took 3 weeks I still had them by the time they came despite trying to get rid myself for about 5 weeks before hand! Good luck.

Dancingfairy · 29/07/2017 16:13

Is frontline rubbish?? I was talked into signing up to there monthly subscription in pets at home for frontline plus.

MeltorPeltor · 29/07/2017 16:13

Get a Soresto collar from the vet, they last 7/8 months and keep fleas and ticks at bay.

Prior to getting one my dog had fleas twice and we never treated the house, just the dog, and they cleared pretty sharpish.

LivingInMidnight · 29/07/2017 16:14

Not necessarily wolfie, advantage has the same flea stuff as advocate and can be bought at a pet shop.

Was a bit aghast at spring. Posts like these remind me why I need to continue trying to put spot on on the ex ferals.

Original poster
Floellabumbags · 29/07/2017 16:14

Right so burn the house down then. I've had dogs for 20 years (all greyhounds) and this is the first time we've encountered fleas. Mind you he's the first one to have been regularly mounted by a husky over the last few weeks.

OP posts:
fuckweasel · 29/07/2017 16:28

I second the Seresto collar. I was frontlining the fleabag dog virtually every week last year to no avail. The collars are expensive (£30?) but work out cheaper in the long run as they last for eight months. Prescription only from vet (who thoroughly recommends them).

Wolfiefan · 29/07/2017 16:30

We use nexgard from the vet each month. A delicious chewy treat that also covers ticks and most worms. I really wouldn't risk an over the counter. Especially not on my giant pup.

Eifla · 29/07/2017 16:32

Frontline is ineffective, fleas have become immune to the active ingredient. I use Advantix (prescription only from vet) and it's much better.

Deadly to cats though, so don't use on dogs in multi dog/cat households.

CouldWouldaDidnt · 29/07/2017 16:35

We tried everything when our cat got them, and I mean everything from the shops.
Shampoo
Frontline
Powder
oovering
Washing
Almost 3 weeks on we were still being bitten

In the end the only thing that worked was the flea treatment from the vet, hoovering everywhere then inodrex spraying, and washing all bedding cushions etc.
This got rid of it in a couple of days!

loubar101 · 29/07/2017 16:42

Be careful using flea shampoo and oral treatment at the same time, its often not recommended

innocentinfamy · 29/07/2017 16:59

We dose with nexgard monthly from the vets.

Acclaim spray is supposed to be very good for fumigating the house and soft furnishings.
Kills all live fleas and prevents any dormant eggs from hatching.
Effects last for a year.
Family member has had very positive results (including no more spiders, bonus!)

I also like to put a flea collar in the vacuum cleaner bin/bag as an added measure.

Original poster
Floellabumbags · 29/07/2017 17:46

Well I changed the hoover bag and sucked everything from curtains to skirting boards, mattresses and DS!

Hoover bag is now in the outside bin. DH has bathed and combed the dog. I can take him to the vets on Monday.

I also made a spray from water, tea tree oil and bacardi and have sprayed everything with that. Tomorrow I'm taking Dog and kids out (probably to the launderette to clean my organic fucking mattress topper) while DH sprays with the proper stuff.
Lesson learned about really keeping on top of prevention.

OP posts:
loubar101 · 29/07/2017 18:17

Unfortunately a lot of treatment on the market doesn't seem to work. I treated one of mine, 2 weeks later she got them Hmmdouble coated breed who is a new rescue and extremely nervous about being touched etc. It's been an absolute nightmare getting rid of them!

I used the flea powder on the carpets, hoovered it up, and then used a carpet cleaner. Also second the flea collar in the hoover bag.

Seen a few of you use nexgard so I might try that out, not stupidly expensive either like the one my vet recommended Hmm

Jessiecat27 · 30/07/2017 02:48

Get some indorex off amazon (cheaper than it is in the vets) it's amazing stuff and it's a huge can! Just ventilate well and stay out of the room for a few hours, well worth the money! I have cats so I'm not sure which flea stuff you would use for a dog. Also you can set flea traps!

JeNeSuisPasVotreMiel · 30/07/2017 07:32

Also interested in flea protection for my dog....

AmethystRaven · 30/07/2017 07:47

Apparently it is a particularly bad flea year, my Mum was talking to the vet at pets at home and she said they have seen so much of it recently and at one point completely ran out of the carpet spray. So I am religiously doing my cats, vet prescribed spot on very pricey but it works!

Thebookswereherfriends · 30/07/2017 07:53

We have a greyhound, too and this is only the second year she's got them. I bought all the flea stuff at the pet shop, drops, flea powder and spray. Did the house and dog then put a flea collar on. Fleas all went, so the shop bought stuff isn't universally rubbish.

DimplesToadfoot · 30/07/2017 07:58

JeNeSuisPasVotreMiel

I swear by Advocate flea treatment for on the animal (have to get from vet)
and Indorex for in the house

nothing else seems to have the oomph needed to get rid of the little blood sucking fuckers shudders

RubyReins · 30/07/2017 08:02

We are enduring similar right now (I am covered in bites) and the pest man said to steam clean all skirting boards (they like to hang out there) as it "opens up" the egg casings and then to go mad with talcum powder. This dries the eggs up before they can hatch and it also suffocates the hatched ones. Hoover every day as activity encourages them to hatch; they can lie dormant for months in an empty house. Our hoover is louping with the fiends so we have replaced it with a bagless one. He also said that Frontline is rubbish but catching our cats to take them to the vet just isn't possible. They live outside and seldom come in.

I am being driven half mad by it. Utterly horrendous. Hope you get it sorted soon.

fuckingroundabout · 30/07/2017 08:06

I just had to get my home fumigated by the council thanks to cat fleas.. shitty thing was it wasnt my sodding cat it was the untreated next door neighbours who kept coming in or sitting on my doorstep if he couldnt get in.