Fleas

[queenofthepirates]

Any opinions on good flea spray for the house? I've emptied a can of Bob Martins round and put frontline on kitty but they still seem to be here-little buggers

I'd go for Indorex (from the vet) and Stepford Wives vacuuming. Frontline, additionally, is losing its efficacy in some areas of the country - you may need to try another. Other posters will recommend.

I bought Indorex online.
I've read different things, but I think the trick with Indorex is to leave it at least 5 days after spraying and then vacuum daily for weeks to encourage the feckers to hatch out.

Yup. That would be Stepford Wives vacuuming.

Bulk bought front line from costco and it seems to be doing nothing.

Need a spray as well I think

Vacuum then vacuum all the furniture, the edges of carpet and walls, every nook, cranny and place you would hide if you were a flea. Be careful to air rooms out after you spray. Empty vacuum cleaner outside. Cut the grass if the cats go out in it. Frontline/advocate them frequently. My vet said can do it every 2 weeks when bad as it only lasts a few days not a month as it says on pack but get advice.

Maybe try another potion, chocolate? Frontline has lost its efficacy in many areas of the country.

Yes I think I will cat is an old girl and I don't want to overdose her!!

I use Acclaim for the house and usually Advocate for the cats/dog. You can get Acclaim on Amazon for about £10 a can, it says 1 can for a three bed house but mine is a large 3 bed and I get 2 uses out of it.

www.amazon.co.uk/Acclaim-Household-HHold-Spray-400ml/dp/B003GD0A62/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1374784569&sr=8-4&keywords=acclaim+flea+spray

When they/the house has fleas I hoover everywhere and spray everywhere the day the pets are treated then repeat the house spray 2 weeks later. I also redo the carpets after they have been shampooed.

Frontline hasn't worked properly for the last few years which is why most vets don't stock it anymore and anything you can buy over the counter won't work (especially Bob Martin, please avoid their neck drops, they have been linked to cat deaths).

I think that Advocate is fine. (Frontline still seems to work here although as Seniorboy is a housecat, he's not exposed to too many nasties.)

Lord help us when Advocate stops working, eh?

We have Advocat & I have seen 4 fleas in last 4 days (sigh).

Thanks all, have done lots of online ordering. Normally we're fine with frontline but this year has been particularly bad.

Oh no don't know whether to buy Indorex or Acclaim now

Indorex seems fine. I'd try that.

Ask your vet about Comfortis tablets,we've used them on our dog but I know a cat version has been released this year. They have a faster speed of kill of adults fleas than any of the spotons or other products on the market. Spraying the house will get rid of some stages of the flea life cycle but not all and eggs can still hatch out. Even if your spot on topical treatment is working and will eventually kill the adults fleas that hop on your cat, it can take 24hrs and in that time they can potentially lay more eggs. Comfortis will literally kill them all within 1-2 hrs of hopping on and keep working for a month.

Treat the cat- I use capstar tablets and that works
Close windows
Indorex everything. Strip all beds and wash on hot
Black bag soft furnishings and spray inside the bag.
Take all rugs out to the line and beat.
Hoover everything cracks especially.
Hoover mattresses
Spray house with teatree oil infusion.
Failing the above, move house.

Indorex, Acclaim, Nuvan Staykill and RIP spray are all basically the same thing - permethrin + an insect growth regulator. Get whichever your vet stocks or buy online. Read the instructions carefully and treat the whole house even if there are areas the cat does not have access to. Do it properly once, the IGR keeps working for a year. It will take some time to completely get rid of them because they have a lifestage called a pupa (like a caterpillar in a chrysallis) where they are pretty much indestructible and they will continue to hatch. Warmth, humidity, noise and vibration encourage them to hatch - so hoover first, then spray. I usually advise people to put heating on with a bowl of water on the radiator to increase the heat/humidity but think that's being provided by Mother Nature at the moment, hence the flea epidemic!
Advantage, Advocate or Stronghold spot on, or comfortis tablets for the cat.

Reporting back-Indorex has done the trick and we don't have a single flea in the house!

Rentokil