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Abby08 · 10-02-2009, 08:18 PM

It sounds like you are doing all of the right things, it does take a while and seem discouraging because the fleas are hard to get rid of, they eat,poop and reproduce, it is their existance!

I am not an expert, but have had more than a couple of bad experiences with fleas in the past. The last time occurred after I got married and had my own house, and indoor Persian cats, and 2 little girls, so I read extensively on the current info that was available at the time and used the chemicals that were available. I did not use a bomb, just sprayed chemicals on the carpet that worked really good!!!

Any yard can be a source of fleas, and just because you don't see a dog scratching, doesn't mean that they don't scratch. Fleas will jump on, eat their meal, get some moisture,(water) from the eyes,nose,anal area and poop where ever they are and jump off again, go lay eggs,poop some more,etc. then jump right back on again for another meal. This will continue until they die.

If the landlord's dog also comes inside, it can bring in fleas. If you pet the dog or go for a walk, the fleas can jump on your clothes and come in the house with you and jump on your dog. Could be someone in doggy day care brought some in, but didn't know it either!

From personal experience, fleas will bite human ankles with enthusiasm!!! I have also been bitten on the eyeball by a flea, or it jumped on my eyeball, it was a painful experience either way!!!

I am not saying that the fleas came from the landlord's dog or yard, as any passing dog or cat can bring in a flea, or someone visiting who has been exposed to a flea source and not been bitten, but just not aware they are carrying one on their clothes.

It doesn't take a lot of fleas, it only takes one. That one flea can make lots more and it just takes a while for the eggs to hatch and the larva to reach adult hood, then "boom" you have an infestation!

Fleas will bite any warm blooded animal. Cat fleas will bit dogs and people or what ever is available, same with dog fleas,and rat fleas and other fleas. Doesn't matter if the skin is healthy or not. If a flea is hungry, and on an exceptable food source, it will bite. Having said that, dog and cat fleas can reproduce from each others food source, human fleas for instance, cannot reproduce from eating blood from dogs or cats. I would say that healthy skin would be more resilient to pests, perhaps not have an allergic reaction or as bad of one, though I'd think that might be genetic. Perhaps not all dogs are allergic to fleas, but it might just depend on how exposed they are to the biting and flea feces. I guess a vet would be more able to tell you about that.

I would investigate nutrition for dogs and how it affects the skin and pest prevention on same,fleas, mites,ringworm,etc.

Fleas are aggravating and frustrating, but keep up what you are doing, you will conquer them!

Oh, I forget how high a flea can jump, probably not up to the second floor though.

10-02-2009, 08:18 PM	#23
Abby08 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: ,nc,usa Posts: 193	It sounds like you are doing all of the right things, it does take a while and seem discouraging because the fleas are hard to get rid of, they eat,poop and reproduce, it is their existance! I am not an expert, but have had more than a couple of bad experiences with fleas in the past. The last time occurred after I got married and had my own house, and indoor Persian cats, and 2 little girls, so I read extensively on the current info that was available at the time and used the chemicals that were available. I did not use a bomb, just sprayed chemicals on the carpet that worked really good!!! Any yard can be a source of fleas, and just because you don't see a dog scratching, doesn't mean that they don't scratch. Fleas will jump on, eat their meal, get some moisture,(water) from the eyes,nose,anal area and poop where ever they are and jump off again, go lay eggs,poop some more,etc. then jump right back on again for another meal. This will continue until they die. If the landlord's dog also comes inside, it can bring in fleas. If you pet the dog or go for a walk, the fleas can jump on your clothes and come in the house with you and jump on your dog. Could be someone in doggy day care brought some in, but didn't know it either! From personal experience, fleas will bite human ankles with enthusiasm!!! I have also been bitten on the eyeball by a flea, or it jumped on my eyeball, it was a painful experience either way!!! I am not saying that the fleas came from the landlord's dog or yard, as any passing dog or cat can bring in a flea, or someone visiting who has been exposed to a flea source and not been bitten, but just not aware they are carrying one on their clothes. It doesn't take a lot of fleas, it only takes one. That one flea can make lots more and it just takes a while for the eggs to hatch and the larva to reach adult hood, then "boom" you have an infestation! Fleas will bite any warm blooded animal. Cat fleas will bit dogs and people or what ever is available, same with dog fleas,and rat fleas and other fleas. Doesn't matter if the skin is healthy or not. If a flea is hungry, and on an exceptable food source, it will bite. Having said that, dog and cat fleas can reproduce from each others food source, human fleas for instance, cannot reproduce from eating blood from dogs or cats. I would say that healthy skin would be more resilient to pests, perhaps not have an allergic reaction or as bad of one, though I'd think that might be genetic. Perhaps not all dogs are allergic to fleas, but it might just depend on how exposed they are to the biting and flea feces. I guess a vet would be more able to tell you about that. I would investigate nutrition for dogs and how it affects the skin and pest prevention on same,fleas, mites,ringworm,etc. Fleas are aggravating and frustrating, but keep up what you are doing, you will conquer them! Oh, I forget how high a flea can jump, probably not up to the second floor though.