Gah flease!!!!!!!

[LunasMomma]

So, we've been having a battle ROYALE here with fleas For a while there, we were so darned broke that we couldn't afford to go to the vet and get a new prescription of Revolution, which is what they've always been on. It's always worked for us, So one day about three weeks ago, the girls were itching and scratching away, and I made an appointment with a new vet (the former one was UBER expensive, our last visit for their checkup with heartworm test and fecal was over $600!) So anyway, they had fleas and this vet recommended and sold me Comfortis for the two girls. I got them home, fed them a little cottage cheese so they wouldn't have empty tummies, and dosed them up. I sprayed everthing down with Raid flea killer, aired the place out while we went for a drive(the girls waited in the car with the A/C on in the driveway), and returned. They had no fleas for about 5 days, then BAM! Itching and scratching like mad again.

We were due at the groomer that day, so I took them in and they were given a Capstar each, and then bathed and groomed. I put 6 flea bombs in the house, left for 4 hours, returned to air the house out, cleaned the kitchen floor, and start on the ton of laundry (doggy beds, blankets, etc.). Picked up the dogs and gated them into the kitchen while I cleaned up the rest of the house, and washed all their bedding and ours too. Thought we were now flea-free. NOPE!!!! Two weeks later it was groomer time again, and they informed me that the girls had fleas AGAIN. OMG At this point, I go home and treat everything again and about kill myself spraying flea stuff on EVERYTHING. Oh, and I did treat the yard this time and the last time. I also put Frontline Plus on them, though I am wary of too many pesticides, we have to do something! By now I've spent over $600, including the vet. Not to mention all the work. I've been doing non-stop laundry and vacuuming like a crazy person. Thank goodness we don't have carpet, that would be ten times worse, I'm sure. We basically spent our mortgage payment this month on fighting fleas I just hope that we can catch up.

It's been since last Weds. that they were groomed and de-flead and the house de-flead, and yesterday I find about 10 fleas on both of them. I'm at my wits' end and have called an exterminator who is coming tomorrow. More money that we don't have and if this doesn't do it, I'll be beyond upset! I have washed everything in this house in hot water and dried it on high heat (something I never do, as it ruins fabrics), I've borderline poisoned myself and probably my little babies, and to still have these #*(#&*$&^ fleas?!?!?! OMG! Someone please shoot me!

So I just wanted to whine a little and see if anyone else has gone through this. Any suggestions for me on what else I could possibly do? Do I have to throw out my furniture and beds, burn the house down, WHAT?!?! Yikes!

[LunasMomma]

Oh, and I did treat the car and their car seat too. Frustrated beyond belief

[kjc]

Wow! That's totally insane! Here ya go! Sapphire shoots!2.gif You did say Shoot you???

The only other thing I can think of would be to wait for a dry spell... we had a bad tick problem one year and the only relief happened when the weather finally changed.

I'd watch using too many different chemicals... dangerous for them and you too! Maybe use a flea comb every day would help...

[AlicetheYorkie]

Ya know, I really don't know what the heck is going on because so many people are complaining that they can't get rid of fleas even though they're using vet prescribed and recommended products. I personaly haven't had a problem since there honestly don't seem to be any fleas in my yard or neighborhood (haven't used a preventative at all since we've lived in this house except for when we go on campling trips and haven't seen one single flea). Alice had a few on her when I first got her but one bath in Dawn and one dose of Frontline Plus and not a single one since.

I'm starting to think that some areas are just so heavily infested that even the best products just can't keep up. All the wet weather may have something to do with it. I'd say the Frontine Plus is a better choice than Revolution if your problem is really bad though or Advantix (regular Advantage if you have a cat). Don't give up on the Frontline just yet though - they say that with a big infestation that it can take 3 months of useage before the entire problem is alleviated, although I'd think it would be much faster if an exterminator was also used. There could be eggs in your furniture that aren't being killed like the adult ones are and they're hatching and that's when you see the fleas again? I do know that Frontline is supposed to kill all 3 life stages of the fleas though, so that will get rid of everything on the dogs.

I would really be pulling my hair out - hopefully the exterminator will help and I'd look for something else to treat the yard with again if they don't (just make sure you follow directions carefully about when you can let your little ones out there, I think you have to let it dry then go over it with a hose before they can go on the lawn).

[ArmaniMan]

Once your infested the only way to really get rid of them for good is to professionally treat everything at the same time.

Take all the pets in the house to be bathed and given capstar. While they are gone have the inside and outside of the house treated by a professional exterminator and wash all bedding- yours and the dogs. Then treat all the animals before they are returned home with whatever flea meds you use.

[LunasMomma]

Well, what a fun day yesterday was! We took care of all the bedding, etc. in the morning and bagged it all up in those huge ziploc bags. The exterminator came and treated the house, furniture and yard. While we were out, I camped out at a park pavilion and flea-combed the girls. Didn't find any fleas, but they sure were in the house because you could feel them *shudder* and the bug guy had them on his khaki pants He did say that since we've been in a drought here in Florida, that the flea problem has been horrendous this year. We never ever had a problem before this year.

They'll come back and treat the yard in two weeks, just for good measure, and they will re-do inside the house if we need it. I hope and pray that this is the end of it. I am sick to death of watching my girls suffer with the itchies and also not having any one over to the house, because I'm afraid that they'll take the fleas home with them and then they'll have to go through all this madness. The treatment used in the house is supposed to kill all stages and also prevent any adult fleas from laying anymore eggs.

Thanks to all who responded, I'm doing everything suggested and then some. SO tired

[ArmaniMan]

Originally Posted by LunasMomma

Thanks to all who responded, I'm doing everything suggested and then some. SO tired

that is usually the end result

It sounds like you are on the road to flea recovery though!

Good Luck- I know what a frustration this can be!

[Buster Brown]

Originally Posted by kjc

Wow! That's totally insane! Here ya go! Attachment 345248 You did say Shoot you???

The only other thing I can think of would be to wait for a dry spell... we had a bad tick problem one year and the only relief happened when the weather finally changed.

I'd watch using too many different chemicals... dangerous for them and you too! Maybe use a flea comb every day would help...

lol now that's a gun moll.
I have ordered and will try this cedar spray on Buster to backup the Frontline Plus for later on in the month. You can also treat the yard and house with it an it is non toxic. I figured I would see if it worked with Buster first. Get Rid of Fleas Home Kill Fleas Natural Flea Treatment Home kill Fleas House.

[LunasMomma]

[QUOTE=Buster Brown;3546599]lol now that's a gun moll.
I have ordered and will try this cedar spray on Buster to backup the Frontline Plus for later on in the month. You can also treat the yard and house with it an it is non toxic. I figured I would see if it worked with Buster first. Get Rid of Fleas Home Kill Fleas Natural Flea Treatment Home kill Fleas House.[/QUOTE

Thank you so much! I've bookmarked that link and will order some when we get some more money This thing has been so costly and frustrating! I appreciate the info

[dawn27]

Ever since we got our Yorkies almost nine years ago we have not had much problem with fleas until last year. That is when we noticed the dogs getting fleas, expecialy Ruby our little cotton coat Yorkies. My guess is because of the texture of her hair. And with Quincy... we found out that he is allergic to them. He will just go mad itching and tearing out his hair in search of some relief.

Thank goodness our home has been Flea Free for the past 8 years. They are only on the animals. But when we did have fleas in the home it was really Bad to say the least. That is when I found this little bright idea.

Dish Soap Flea Trap:

1. Shallow dish (a glass pie pan work well).
2. Add soap, mix well
3. White paper (computer paper)
4. Get the safest bright light you can find (If you can find a bright plug in night light that would work).

Place the dish with soap and the paper under it right under the night light each night before you go to bed. If you see no results: add more soap or use a different "Much Brighter Light".

Leave it down over night and in the morning you will be amazed how many fleas you will kill with this trap. It so easy! If it works, than add one or two more in different areas in your home. You must also take care of the animals and bedding but this is a big help in ridding those Ankle Bitting pain in the butts!!

This is simular to what I used when we had fleas take over our home years ago: How to Make a Flea Trap - wikiHow

[Buster Brown]

Originally Posted by dawn27

Ever since we got our Yorkies almost nine years ago we have not had much problem with fleas until last year. That is when we noticed the dogs getting fleas, expecialy Ruby our little cotton coat Yorkies. My guess is because of the texture of her hair. And with Quincy... we found out that he is allergic to them. He will just go mad itching and tearing out his hair in search of some relief.

Thank goodness our home has been Flea Free for the past 8 years. They are only on the animals. But when we did have fleas in the home it was really Bad to say the least. That is when I found this little bright idea.

Dish Soap Flea Trap:

1. Shallow dish (a glass pie pan work well).
2. Add soap, mix well
3. White paper (computer paper)
4. Get the safest bright light you can find (If you can find a bright plug in night light that would work).

Place the dish with soap and the paper under it right under the night light each night before you go to bed. If you see no results: add more soap or use a different "Much Brighter Light".

Leave it down over night and in the morning you will be amazed how many fleas you will kill with this trap. It so easy! If it works, than add one or two more in different areas in your home. You must also take care of the animals and bedding but this is a big help in ridding those Ankle Bitting pain in the butts!!

This is simular to what I used when we had fleas take over our home years ago: How to Make a Flea Trap - wikiHow

Clever idea and not dangerous for the babies either!

[Possum]

We have been using a pill called Comfortis and it is in my opinion the best flea killer on the market. It kills the fleas/ticks when they bite them and repels them from even getting on the dog. We live in the country and Possie plays in the creek and runs through the weeds and has a ball. We haven't had a flea problem since we started using this pill. It works for 30 days.

Good Luck!

[LunasMomma]

UPDATE

We now appear to be flea-free!!!!! YAY! A few days after the pro came, I found fleas on the girls again So, off to Home Depot we went, and we got some Enforcer Flea Spray for Homes. I Dawn-bathed the girls and had them and my daughter wait in the car with the A/C on while I sprayed the crapola out of the house and yard again. Had all the laundry (sheets, towels, and even all our dirty clothes) out in the garage, and sprayed all that too until I could get back home to begin the tedious process of washing in hot and drying on high. My poor bedsheets are so going to fall apart Anyway, we left for a couple of hours, then came home and had the girls and dd wait in the car again while I cleaned the kitchen floor of residue. Gated the girls into the kitchen until I could clean up the rest of the house and make sure that everything was dry and safe for them to be around

I found one flea in Izzy on Tuesday, but it was practically dead. They went to get groomed yesterday and were pronounced flea-free for the first time in weeks! So we'll be re-treating the yard weekly, I guess, until further notice. There's lots of wildlife around here that bring their pests with them, so we really don't have a choice.

Just thought I'd update everyone so y'all can celebrate with me