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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

Found a flea please help!

21 replies

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 14:29

99% sure I found a flea on the dog last night. A little black thing that ran off before I could pick it out. I have looked again and again and I can't find anything on the dog. I can't check the cat as he doesn't like being touched and will scratch and bite me if I try.

I gave vet prescribed flea treatments to both animals last night. I've hoovered the house and washed all pet bedding on a 60 degree wash. I've ordered indorex to treat the housr wth tomorrow.

Is it likely that my house is infested with fleas? I'm panicking so much.

OP posts:

Jappydooda · 14/12/2017 14:32

Unless both animals are swarming with them, that fact that you have treated both cat and dog quickly after finding just one means you should be OK. It takes a while to get flea-infested.

I very rarely de-flea the dogs - only after coming out of kennels or if I find one on them.

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 14:37

I'm very 'natural' with the animals. I've never given flea
Treatment before, raw feed, titre test ect. So this is the first time I've ever had to deal with this. Should I hold off using the indorex? Thanks for the reply by the way.

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AuntieAunt · 14/12/2017 14:39

Years ago my mum's dog got fleas. They're unbelievably hard to get rid, and I must admit that if you've got one, you've got a hundred, so if you can't find a hundred in a few days it wasn't a flea!

I remember as a kid my mum giving up with burning the beddings, cushions and anything related to the dog (except the dog, he looked quite smug about the whole thing). I remember I was the one to first find one and I put it in an A4 plastic wallet to show my mum when she got home. I totally forgot about it and a couple of weeks later it was still alive in there!!

If you do have fleas I'd recommend getting pest control in. It honestly works out cheaper.. I wouldn't wish fleas on my worst nightmare.

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 14:46

Oh god I'm literally panicking so much

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pupchewsleg · 14/12/2017 14:49

I wouldn't worry if you have treated the animals. Just keep your eyes peeled.

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 14:51

Thanks, I'm just feeling really anxious at the moment anyway, so this isn't helping. I'm going on holiday in a few days so I haven't got much time to sort this out.

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cricketqueen · 14/12/2017 14:52

You found one flea, you have treated the animals there is no need to panic. If you have fleas you will know about it. Stop stressing, keep on top of flea treatments and it will be fine. Fleas are annoying but theywont harm you.

whifflesqueak · 14/12/2017 14:59

What? You found a flea?

It’s okay. It won’t harm you. There are probably more, but not enough to worry. They live in the environment all around you.

We are a farming family. Fleas are a mildly annoying fact of life in our house.

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 15:00

Sorry I don't mean to sound like a loon but I do have anxiety problems and I honestly can't help it. I'm really trying not to stress about it.

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whifflesqueak · 14/12/2017 15:03

Okay. Then just rest assured that fleas are quite an easy pest to keep on top of. Try diatomaceous earth, works a treat and perfectly safe around pets and children.

They live in the grass. This hasn’t happened because you are dirty or anything. And they can’t hurt you.

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 16:37

I've already ordered indorex as it has great reviews. Can not wait for it to come.

Is there anything else I can be doing right now? I keep checking the dog. Found two bits of what I assume is flea dirt but nothing else.

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missbattenburg · 14/12/2017 16:43

Indorex is awesome.

Vet-prescribed anti-flea is normally pretty good.

Washing at 60 degrees is a good precaution.

If your vacuum has a disposable bag then change it after each hoover for a few days so that you throw any fleas/eggs out that you might have sucked up.

You may find a few fleas yet but relax knowing that as soon as they get on a dog or cat (or the carpet after it's been sprayed) they will be dead.

You can test for flea dirt by getting a wet kitchen roll tissue, squeeze out the excess moisture and place the spec of dirt on the surface. Fold the tissue over so the spec is sandwiched between two damp bits of tissue and leave it for a few mins. Open the tissue up and look:

if the spec is still black with nothing on the tissue it's just normal dirt
if the tissue is stained a rusty red colour, it's flea dirt (the colour is the old blood that has been sucked out by the flea then excreted)

Honest, you have nothing to worry about. You have got this covered

Wolfiefan · 14/12/2017 16:43

What did you treat the dog with?
Is dog going on holiday with you?

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 16:48

Thanks missbattenburrg you've made me feel a bit better.

Dog had simparica, cat had broadline.

Dog isn't coming with us. He is going to my parents house. They have pets who have just regular flea treatments.

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Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 21:10

I've just thought... will to need to wash all the clothes in my house too?

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Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 14/12/2017 21:36

And will they breed like crazy when we go on holiday as the dog will be out of the house and the cat will be kept in the kitchen.

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missbattenburg · 14/12/2017 22:09

It helps to understand the flea cycle:

They live and feed off the cat/dog and this triggers the egg laying.

Eggs are laid on the animal but fall off into the carpet or into the animal's bedding

Eggs hatch in the soft furnishings and mature into larvae then fleas that jump onto the animal to start the cycle again.

If you spray the carpet with Indorex this kills the eggs, the larvae and fleas. Nothing that comes into contact with the carpet at any stage of the cycle will make it out alive

If you also treat the animal then, if a lucky egg manages to hatch and mature into a flea (perhaps by avoiding the carpet or just getting lucky in falling on the bit of carpet you didn't spray) they will feed off he animal but the animal's blood contains the poison so again, the flea dies before it gets a chance to lay any eggs.

Washing things like dog bedding, cushion covers, bedding helps because eggs may have fallen into the places when the dog was there or may have been transported by humans (e.g. getting stuck to socks then moved). It theory, this bit is not necessary as fleas cannot breed until they have fed and must feed off the animals. If they feed of treated animals, they die.

Washing clothes is overkill, imo. The Indorex or treated animals WILL get them all within a single generation cycle (about a month) and get almost all of them immediately. Any on the pet will feed and die. Any in the carpet will get sprayed and die. Any lurkers that survive this will have to make it to an animal sooner or later and (you guessed it) will die .

Spray before you go on holiday and then enjoy your break thinking about them dying fleas back home... if you have sprayed they will not be breeding. They must feed off the cat to breed and he has been treated.

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 15/12/2017 07:35

Thanks so much for that. I've still not seen any fleas but I've got two itchy spots on my back which I'm assuming must be flea bites. Literally couldn't sleep last night at all. Can't wait for the indorex to come. Thank god for Amazon prime next day delivery!

OP posts:

Original poster

Shnazzyshot · 15/12/2017 09:28

Sorry for another question but should I start hoovering now or wait until the indorex comes later today?

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ButFirstTea · 15/12/2017 10:36

You can hoover whenever, I don't think it will make a difference to the effectiveness!

Try not to panic. You've treated the animals and you're about to treat the house. You won't have an infestation. Our dog goes to daycare so occasionally comes home with a flea. We treat it and/or give him a bath with a flea shampoo. Never seen any in our flat, only ever the odd one on him. The indorex will get any that have jumped off and are hiding!

Catsrus · 15/12/2017 15:34

All dogs and cats get the odd flea. I've have animals for 30+ yrs, most of that time I've had no problems, I've had years with no treatments and no fleas BUT by choosing to go down the "no treatment" route I accepted that if one animal got fleas then they'd all have them and I'd have to blitz them and House.

For the past two years I've had to regularly treat -as I've got a rescue dog and a cat who are both horribly allergic to fleas and it's not fair on them to risk it.

If you're anxiety levels are this high I would recommend monthly treatments for the dog with Advocate from the Vet.

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