Pet Owners...HELP!

ntroud01 · October 2013

Ok, I am freaking out a little bit. This morning I just found a flea on my german shepherd/ greyhound mix puppy. I also noticed him itching near his tail, but didn't find any other fleas when I checked there. Although I did see little white specs on his fur, maybe eggs? We have another dog, but I didn't see any on him. I have never had to deal with fleas before, we usually use K9 Advantix topical treatment on our dogs, but DH forgot last month and now I am worried about an infestation in our house. I am pretty sure the pup picked up the fleas from the backyard, there are woods right behind our yard. I have heard you need to vacuum all your carpets to help suck up fleas and eggs, but we have hardwood floors. I am also hesitant to call an exterminator because of the harsh chemicals they use and I am particularly concerned about this while pregnant. Everything I have read says the best way is to use chemicals in your home, outside and on your furniture but I am afraid of breathing this stuff in and being exposed. I don't really know what do to best handle the situation and prevent them from multiplying in our house. I would appreciate any suggestions anyone can offer to help deal with the problem without exposing myself and our house to harsh insecticides that will linger. Is there a pregnancy safe, non-toxic flea treatment that works? Thanks in advance.

NoelMarieFrey · October 2013

I wouldn't worry about a flea... I use the same medication on both of my dogs and I still stumble across one or two here and there.

However, if you are worried about it they do sell stuff at petsmart for the carpet and hardwood for the vacuum.

Don't freak out, its ok!

cbear47 · October 2013

I would use the advantix, and try not to worry. Flea infestations can get bad, but usually you know you have a problem. Good luck!

OutOfStep81 · October 2013

I wouldn't worry about an infestation- just make sure the dogs get their treatment this month. If you're worried, you can go to Home Depot and get boric acid (if I remember right it's safe), sprinkle on carpets and leave it for 30 mins (I put the dogs out side and wouldn't walk on it) then vacuum up. Change your vacuum cleaner bag outside (or empty outside if you have a bag less).

RondackHiker · October 2013

Give the dogs the treatment now. Vacuum thoroughly every day and wash all bedding a few times over the next week.

I doubt you've got an infestation at this point.

ntroud01 · October 2013

Beachbumm2214 said:

Do the white eggs look like sesame seeds?

They look like like really tiny round dots, not as big as a sesame seed.

OutOfStep81 · October 2013

https://www.all-pets-info.com/fleacontrol/Flea-Control-With-Boric-Acid.html

hammysmommy · October 2013

And throw out/empty the vacuum every time! We had an infestation 2 years ago- thankfully not pregnant. We used the foggers (we were TTC, so I left the house for the day and it had aired out for >3hrs before I went back in) which helped a bit, the carpet spray helped a bit. We had one room with hw floors that was a bit more resistant. H used diatomaceous earth - vacuumed, sprinkled it all over the floor, left it for a LONG time, then vacuumed daily. He left the vacuum in the room once without emptying it, and there were fleas galore in the vacuum (it was a shop vac kind), so he started emptying the vacuum daily.

I don't know what treatments are safe during pg - I'm going to file the cinnamon and oranges water away for future ues - plus it sounds like my house would smell a-maz-ing!

1linedrawing · October 2013

We had a really bad infestation when we moved into our place because there was four cats and a dog here before us. My poor dog had never had them and she was miserable. We had to:
Bomb the house (I left all day, my husband did it)
Wipe down EVERYTHING afterward
Spray rugs and couches with bio spot flea killer.
Bathe my dog every single day for awhile with flea shampoo.
Obviously put some medication on her (I advise buying that shit at Costco.. So much cheaper)

... And we still have to med her and sometime spray stuff down and vacuum furniture ( we also have all hardwood floors).. But they are gone now, thank goodness.

Hopefully with just one flea you can give her some mess and they will go away. If not there are a lot of companies that are "green" exterminators or have "green" options. Good luck!!

Meghan14 · October 2013

I talked to the receptionist at our vet this spring... apparently some of the fleas meds are no longer working as well as they used to. I can't remember which ones she mentioned, but we had to switch. I would switch meds and try not to worry too much about an infestation. A few fleas on the dog is not likely to mean fleas in the house.

kella0708 · October 2013

My fur baby had a bad infestation when we lived in Texas. I wouldn't recommend using any chemicals in the house, just vaccuum everyday!

As PP mentioned Comfortis really worked for us when Achilles has fleas. We also brought him to the vet for a flea bath.

ETA: How long is your dogs hair/fur? If it is long you may want to buy a flea comb - those little suckers are fast and will hide anywhere! The flea comb helped me get all the eggs and flea dirt off of my dog, it also gave a good idea of how bad the infestation was.

kella0708 · October 2013

Meghan14 said:

I talked to the receptionist at our vet this spring... apparently some of the fleas meds are no longer working as well as they used to. I can't remember which ones she mentioned, but we had to switch. I would switch meds and try not to worry too much about an infestation. A few fleas on the dog is not likely to mean fleas in the house.

My vet said something similar when we had a flea problem. It wasn't one particular brand, but he said that the fleas can become immune to any brand if you use it religiously every month. He recommended switching brands every now and then. I try to swtich it up every three months or so between Advantix, Frontline and Comfortis.

Waterschild · October 2013

I don't know if its across the border in the States, but when my pup had a bad case of fleas (same thing happened to us - forgot one treatment and it was doomsday!) we went to the vet and they recommended 'Revolution'. It is a treatment, but it also stays with the dogs fur/dead skin or something so when it falls on your floor it kills the other fleas hiding in your carpets etcs. It also kills live fleas, and eggs on your pooch.

Also, when our pup had them we would rub ice cubes over the red areas for some relief. She loved it

ntroud01 · October 2013

skoczera said:

And throw out/empty the vacuum every time! We had an infestation 2 years ago- thankfully not pregnant. We used the foggers (we were TTC, so I left the house for the day and it had aired out for >3hrs before I went back in) which helped a bit, the carpet spray helped a bit. We had one room with hw floors that was a bit more resistant. H used diatomaceous earth - vacuumed, sprinkled it all over the floor, left it for a LONG time, then vacuumed daily. He left the vacuum in the room once without emptying it, and there were fleas galore in the vacuum (it was a shop vac kind), so he started emptying the vacuum daily.

I don't know what treatments are safe during pg - I'm going to file the cinnamon and oranges water away for future ues - plus it sounds like my house would smell a-maz-ing!

@skoczera Is diatomaceous earth something you use on just the floors or do you put it on furniture as well?

@Avswolf Is there a certain ratio of water, cinnamon and orange that works best? Also, do you boil the peel and the inside of the orange?

Winnieella · October 2013

I agree with the PPs. We also used cinnamon and citrus when we first got Winston to help get rid of them.

ntroud01 · October 2013

kella0708 said:

My fur baby had a bad infestation when we lived in Texas. I wouldn't recommend using any chemicals in the house, just vaccuum everyday!

As PP mentioned Comfortis really worked for us when Achilles has fleas. We also brought him to the vet for a flea bath.

ETA: How long is your dogs hair/fur? If it is long you may want to buy a flea comb - those little suckers are fast and will hide anywhere! The flea comb helped me get all the eggs and flea dirt off of my dog, it also gave a good idea of how bad the infestation was.

@kella0708 Do I vacuum the hardwood floors? Our dog's fur is not long but he has a really thick coat and he is a dark brindle color so it is really hard to inspect him thoroughly. That and he doesn't like to sit still. I will try getting a flea comb though just to be safe and use that to give him a bath.

kella0708 · October 2013

ntroud01 said:

kella0708 said:

My fur baby had a bad infestation when we lived in Texas. I wouldn't recommend using any chemicals in the house, just vaccuum everyday!

As PP mentioned Comfortis really worked for us when Achilles has fleas. We also brought him to the vet for a flea bath.

ETA: How long is your dogs hair/fur? If it is long you may want to buy a flea comb - those little suckers are fast and will hide anywhere! The flea comb helped me get all the eggs and flea dirt off of my dog, it also gave a good idea of how bad the infestation was.

@kella0708 Do I vacuum the hardwood floors? Our dog's fur is not long but he has a really thick coat and he is a dark brindle color so it is really hard to inspect him thoroughly. That and he doesn't like to sit still. I will try getting a flea comb though just to be safe and use that to give him a bath.

Can't hurt to vacuum the harwood floors - not sure how new yours are but the floors in my house are quite old so there are some spaces for little critters like fleas to hide. I would vacuum the couches and dog beds as well. If the dogs go in your bedroom I would run the sheets and blankets through a hot wash. It's a lot of work but better than having fleas!

Edit: spelling

hammysmommy · October 2013

ntroud01 said:

skoczera said:

And throw out/empty the vacuum every time! We had an infestation 2 years ago- thankfully not pregnant. We used the foggers (we were TTC, so I left the house for the day and it had aired out for >3hrs before I went back in) which helped a bit, the carpet spray helped a bit. We had one room with hw floors that was a bit more resistant. H used diatomaceous earth - vacuumed, sprinkled it all over the floor, left it for a LONG time, then vacuumed daily. He left the vacuum in the room once without emptying it, and there were fleas galore in the vacuum (it was a shop vac kind), so he started emptying the vacuum daily.

I don't know what treatments are safe during pg - I'm going to file the cinnamon and oranges water away for future ues - plus it sounds like my house would smell a-maz-ing!

@skoczera Is diatomaceous earth something you use on just the floors or do you put it on furniture as well?

It's a powder, so I'm not sure how it would work on upholstered furniture... It's a silica (imagine tiny tiny pieces of glass) - and H said that it irritated his skin - the link says to wear a mask. It does say you can put it in the pet bedding... We only put it on hard surfaces that could be swept and/or vacuumed.

Flyingtoast · October 2013

I rotate the doggie drugs from topical, or oral constantly as recommended by our vet. She also suggested when you think their might be the start of an infestation, wash EVERYONE in standard blue dawn. It dries out their fur/skin some, but the invaders can't survive.

If you have a heap filter vacuumed, remember to take those filters out before vacuuming up any floor powders. They eat those suckers alive, and are expensive to replace.

My DH sprays around the house with a pet pest chemical periodically to. We can't to the ranch, but we can do directly where the dogs chill when not out working.

Our pug is VERY sensitive to medications, dawn is the only thing that works on her when the monthly drugs are forgotten. Sometimes it takes a wash a day, but if you catch it early, 1 wash does the trick.

Rbfdac1 · October 2013

I agree with all of the above advice for flea maintenance, but honestly, I wouldn't even worry at all about one or even a few fleas becoming an infestation. I would treat your dog for the problem, and possibly vacuum a little more and wash some bedding if it makes you feel better. I have two outside/inside dogs who generally have no fleas, due to collars, but will get a few every now and then. They have never spread to our houses- I just continue to clean as usual and make sure and bathe and treat my dogs. Additionally, I am allergic to fleas (not In just the regular way everybody is) and have never had a problem with just a few turning into an infestation or problem of any sort.

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