Fleas!

[mutleyschuckle]

Argh I think I have found a flea on the hound! 😳 first time dog owner & first sighting- what's the best thing I can buy today, I have a pets at home & smaller independent pet shops in town?

Thanks

I use the spot in treatment from the vet, we use one that lasts 3 months. My understanding is that the over the counter treatments are less effective, although I may just be a victim of advertising!

I get flea treatment from the vet and treat regularly.

Thank you, he has the spot on preventer which clearly hasn't prevented them 😳

Repellent shampoo and comb in the bath then apply spot on. Also get flea treatment spray to spray everything soft that you cannot chuck in the wash on 90

What do you use?
If it's frontline its often not effective
And the flea has to be on the dog to get killed by the product; it doesn't stop them jumping on

You need to use prescription strength flea stuff so need to go to your vet , lots of the non prescription things no longer work effectively .

Bravecto is the best prescription flea prevention IMO - and it comes in tablet form. A seresto collar is also a great option if you don't regularly use a vet. But do stay on top of things as once you get an infestation the little buggers are a pain to get rid of! Bathe your dog and comb regularly (daily) with a flea comb - drowning the little f*ckers in a solution of warm water and washing up liquid (comb, check comb for fleas, submerge in solution, wipe comb clean and repeat). Do this until he is flea free. If you start getting flea bites you may need to bomb your house...

I'm prepared to burn the house down, bombing could also work though 😂 after a massive beach walk & lots of swimming (wondering if seawater does anything....?) I managed to get shampoo & a collar at the pet shop, but verrrry broke until payday so I'm going to have to hope that's enough for now. It was very satisfying brushing the dead or dying little beggars off after his shower. Are they like nits, in that I'll need to wash him again to get any hatching ones?

I think the best thing to use is a flea comb.

You may need to use a brush first to get the comb to go through. Advantages if the dog likes it is that you aren’t using chemicals, lovely bonding time, beautiful looking coat.

Right:

Indorex spray for the house. Do today and repeat in a fortnight.

Get vet meds. Not something from pets at home. Nexguard spectra or Bravecto.

You can also use herbal repellent but I wouldn't rely on them entirely.

@mutleyschuckle your vet probably does a scheme where you pay £15ish per month and get all your flea / worming / jabs for the year and probably some extras . It’s a good thing to join if they have one as what you’ve spent at the pet shop today is likely a waste of money .

I'm sure you did... but just in case - Be sure that you kill the ones that you brush out (eg: in the solution of water and washing up liquid) otherwise they will just jump back on!

God it’s a nightmare, I have just hopefully finished with all this

I steam cleaned everything soft
flea collar
tabkets
spot on
did the flea comb

then sprayed the fuck out of the house
indorex is the best apparently although I found that hard to get gold of and used another one by Johnson

Hoover, hoover, hoover really thoroughly & especially where ddog lays. Wash everything you can in the washing machine.
Indorex for areas you can't wash & nooks and crannies.
I don't put chemical treatments on my dogs due to the potential risks (I know.... My preference) but do use Dynamite herbal concoction to rinse & spray them.
Keep up the thorough hoovering at least daily for a week as the vibrations of the hoover encourages the eggs to hatch

OP, we had this last summer - feel your pain!

We paid for Nexgard tablets and they immediately sorted the fleas on DDog. Even vet was impressed when we went back for checks at how well they had performed - we're on them for life now I think.

Then the house needed Indorex, we bought 3 cans (1 from vet then 2 cheaper off Amazon) and used one weekly - washing everything that we could, hoovering everywhere, etc etc etc. Touch wood all successful and no repeat as of yet.

It's costly but I wouldn't waste money on anything else: we had already been paying for spot-on treatments that failed us; the Nexgard is another level and Indorex the only house treatment that I trust not to be a waste of time and money!

Best of luck. It's a horrible feeling - had actual nightmares about them at the time I remember!