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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Fleas, bloody fleas

31 replies

hibbleddible · 27/08/2015 23:01

Ddog has a flea infestation. It was treated with spot on (including advocate), flea baths, vacuuming and spraying house, washing bedding etc.

Despite all this they are still there! They are also huge feckers. Up to around 5mm long and don't really move much. It is vile.

Dog has been given another flea bath and spot on, and I sprayed her bedding while I'm thinking of the next step.

Any words of wisdom? I thought advocate was meant to work??

OP posts:
FiveHoursSleep · 28/08/2015 17:49

How often are you washing your dog or is she swimming often?
Are you using the right size? Do you have any other pets that aren't being treated?

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 28/08/2015 17:55

I was just about to start a thread the same.

Dog is regularly treated with Advocate. Ive sprayed the house with indorax. Dog is still scratching and dd saw a flea on her yesterday.

Ive never given her a flea bath. She gets a normal bath whenever she rolls in fox shit. So sometimes three times a week and sometimes six weeks between baths! Ive been careful not to bath her for a few days after doing the advocate.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 28/08/2015 17:57

Bravecto is better in my experience, spot-ons seem to have had their day.

Original poster
hibbleddible · 28/08/2015 18:55

No other pets.

Ddog is having a weekly flea bath ATM, but its not doing any good.

Bravecto looks good thank you. But its prescription only?

OP posts:
WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 28/08/2015 19:10

Isn't advocate prescription only?

DownWithTheTrumpets · 28/08/2015 19:48

We had great success with Indorex but it wasn't a case of just spraying the house. We boil washed all his bedding and then hung it out on the line while we hoovered the whole house, top to bottom even though he doesn't go upstairs, then usedtwo cans of Indorex (small semi). Also sprayed the bedding outside and the whole car because he travels in there. We were flea free for 13 months and I've just spotted one on him this week so preparing to do the same thing alllll over again.

TheoriginalLEM · 28/08/2015 20:58

You are washing away the advocate with all the baths!

Yes, advocate is prescription only.

You might have to get the house fumigated if the indorex isn't working. If the dog goes on your bed or in the bedroom, try steam ironing the mattress and the sofa if its a cloth one. pay special attention to skirting areas etc.

Seresto collars are very good if you have a dog that gets lots of baths or swims alot. They are quite expensive but last six months i think.

Original poster
hibbleddible · 29/08/2015 09:34

I take the point about washing away the advocate. It didn't seem to be working though as every bath they would come to the surface [boak]

I'll have a look at this bravecto stuff.

The dog used to go on our bed but is now banned. Thankfully the sofa is leather so it is wipe clean (but was still sprayed for good measure).

OP posts:
Collaborate · 30/08/2015 07:17

Urgh! Ddog also has fleas (found at the start of the bloody bank holiday weekend, so no chance of a trip to the vet before Tuesday). Was spot treated with Frontline just under 2 weeks ago, so presumably that's just not strong enough.

We've had a week away in the country, and she's done some lake swimming.

And now I find myself itching. Gross.

If I boil wash some of her bedding it won't fit into her basket (it's one of those fitted things).

Going to go to the vet on Tuesday and suspect they'll give me some Advocate. So will I also have to use Indorex and fumigate? I want to get all the little bastards first time.

BTW I went into PAH and the guy there said not to bother with the flea bath or the flea collars as they're useless.

Original poster
hibbleddible · 30/08/2015 07:21

What's PAH?

I can see the vile critters going down the drain when I do the flea baths, so it feels like they are working.

I think it's also a trip to the vets for me to get bravecto.

OP posts:
Collaborate · 30/08/2015 07:28

Pets at Home.

Lonecatwithkitten · 30/08/2015 08:01

If they don't really move much they are probably dying due to the advocate, but your dog is getting fleas from somewhere and I am afraid your carpets are the most likely culprit.
If you gave bathed more than three times I would add a new product like Bravecto and spray the house with Indorexx and Acclaim.

Original poster
hibbleddible · 30/08/2015 15:33

Good point lone. I think they barely move so they can just sit there tormenting me, knowing I won't go near the gross things!

The carpets have been treated with Acclaim but may need another treatment.

OP posts:
PennyHasNoSurname · 30/08/2015 15:39

Salt. You need salt.

Remove all soft furnishings from a room, pull all the furniture into the middle of the room and get a big tall tub of that Saxa table salt (other brands available!). Start at the doorways (so they cant escape) and salt the heck out of the skirting boards, the carpet, all the cracks etc. Leave the room for an hour or two then vac it all up. Make sure to bin the hoover bag outside after too. Hoover every day for a fortnight.

You will need to treat the dogbed (90° wash aswell) before you then put it back into the rooms that have been salted.

The salt kills them instantly.

kippersmum · 31/08/2015 22:36

You need Bravecto. It is really good. I have up to 3 cats with fleas. Not one on the dog. I wish I could Bravecto the cats!

Original poster
hibbleddible · 31/08/2015 22:40

penny sadly I am not physically able to either move furniture or vacuum, so I will be going heavy on the chemicals and relying on dh to vaccum sporadically.

kippers I will be making a vet appointment tomorrow to get my mits on it!

OP posts:
SonceyD0g · 31/08/2015 22:41

You will still see fleas on the dog if they are treated with spot ons. My favourite quote on the packaging states "all new arrivals will be killed within 24hours". They have to bite the dog before they are killed. Fleas desperate to get inside now the nights are getting colder

Original poster
hibbleddible · 31/08/2015 22:52

since that is truly vile.

Talking about the outside, should I treat the lawn/garden?

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 01/09/2015 18:26

Kippers you may get your wish next year with a fair wind Grin.

MaitlandGirl · 01/09/2015 23:27

Nexgard is also very good but I don't know if you can get that in the UK. Over here it's not prescription only so can be bought in our equivalent of PAH.

Good luck - fleas are one of the worst things about dog ownership :(

Original poster
hibbleddible · 02/09/2015 13:26

I've got an appointment with the vet tomorrow but over the phone they said they don't do bravecto as they don't think it's good, and recommend the spots on. When I pushed they said they could do an online prescription for bravecto, and recommended stronghold spot on if advocate wasn't working (though maybe it was and just needed more time). Hmm.

OP posts:
Collaborate · 02/09/2015 16:32

I eventually gave DDog a Bob Martin flea tablet, which promised to rid her of fleas in 24 hours (it worked). I rang the vet on Tuedsay and they said what with the Frontline being given 14 days earlier, and now the Bob Martin, they could only let me have some Advocate in another 2 weeks. Fair enough.

They said I now need to treat the house. They recommended one of 2 sprays - Skoosh and Acclaim. Has anyone tried either of these, and can comment on their efficacy?

Collaborate · 02/09/2015 16:33

Oh, I also ran the flea comb over her and removed nearly 2 dozen of the little shits. And their poo. Rank.

Original poster
hibbleddible · 02/09/2015 17:49

colla we are using acclaim. I don't know yet if its worked but I've only heard good things about it.

OP posts:
Collaborate · 03/09/2015 07:37

Where did you buy it from Hibble? Our vet sells it for a shade over £20 but I presume it can be cheaper elsewhere.

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