Dreaded Fleas!

[Laura447]

We treat our dog to prevent fleas regularly but he has still now managed to get them. I can only imagine that due to his extre fluffiness, not enough of it has actually got into his skin.

Anyway I noticed one crawling on him which was our first warning. He wasn't overly itchy at that point. He still isn't to be honest. The only thing we notice is he nibbles at his ankles and we had found a flea on his ankle a few times (probably the easiest access!)
So this was a couple of weeks ago. We treated him again with spot on and also bathed him in a flea shampoo. We bought some indorex and sprayed the whole house and have been hoovering twice a day. Husband also bought some flex repellant spray which he sprays the dog with and brushes in regularly. Dog still nibbling his ankles a bit but husband says the previous flea bites are probably still itching.
Today he found another flea on the dog but it was a dead one at least. I'm concerned there are still fleas around to get on him to be honest. I've never had a dog before but husband has always had them. He says we are doing everything we can do but I'm not convinced. The fleas are obviously still breeding somewhere. Any suggestions?? I feel like the vets isn't the right road since the fleas seem to be dying on him. Maybe an exterminator?? We have not seen any fleas hopping about or had any bites ourselves by the way if that makes a difference.
TIA for any advice! Xxx

Sorry for the poor spelling of 'extreme' and 'flea' I honestly can't work this phone!

Having lived through a flea infestation after moving into a new house from the previous owners animals I prefer to use a vet prescribed flea treatment which I apply to my dog monthly.

You mention treating the dog frequently. What are you using because I have read a lot of the over counter stuff just isn't up to it.

Totally agree with something vet prescribed.

I would also double up with treating the house carpet, soft furnishings etc with Indorex (you can get it online cheaper than your vet can suupply it, usually). It's pretty effective stuff and I've never known an infestation to survive it - tough occasionally a 2nd treatment is needed 4-8 weeks later.

But do get the vet treatment for the dog.

Thanks both was using front line but will definitely go to the vet to get treatments from now on!
Had already used indorex but maybe need to do a 2nd treatment. Thank you xx

Once treated (Indorex and spot on) - you do then have to wait for the fleas to go through their lifecyles - which can take a few weeks. The products each kill them at varying stages and so you might have to wait for each flea to go through a vulnerable stage to be killed.

If you keep the heating up nice and toasty they will live faster and die sooner.

You can also speed it up by hoovering thouroughly as often as you can and throwing the hoover pick up straight out into the outide bin. Helps mechanically remove some of the little boogers.

Anything washable can also be washed at a high temp.

Frontline is crap, you need advocate or bravecto from your vet. We always used frontline, dog had fleas in July for the first time, 8 years old, used advocate and indorex and haven't seen one after the initial 2 weeks

Nooo, absolutely feel your pain. We have flea treatment through the letterbox on a monthly subscription which so far, so good, has worked perfectly. A couple of years ago in our old house we were inundated with fleas (we had a cat then too, who has since been PTS). Eventually after trying lots of hoovering, high temp washing, treatments for the animals, we paid £300 for the entire house to be fumigated by a pest control company. Which involves being outside of the house for 12 hours while everything dried out. It worked a treat though and such a relief to live flea-free!

I get Bravecto. I live rural so Bravecto does ticks also. Frontline does not work. I use to use it and every walk I was taking at least 3 live ticks off my dog. Go to your vet and get a prescription based flea treatment.

Definitely get spot-on from your vets rather than OTC. Have you hot-washed all your dog's bedding and Indorex-ed the car?

Friends of ours absolutely swear by Seresto collars. They live in an area that's very high in ticks so they mainly use them for that, but they deal with fleas as well.