Caught ya, you nasty flea! Help!

SukiGirl · 11-05-2012, 09:15 PM

So after months and months of welts, itching and scabbing and countless theories on what causes this - I actually saw with my very own eyes a lone flea crawling through Suki's fur. Our vet had theorized when this problem first started that her allergies were being caused by flea bites (she does not appear infested at all - I never saw a flea until today!).

We are currently nursing our poor girl back to health after a terrible attack of bites/welts. She got them all over her face and neck last week and she scratched so much that she caused scabbing and bleeding. We have tried Trifexis and last month we switched to Advantix II to try and stop bites all together. This is getting rediculous. How can we stop this madness?! How can she possibly have fleas living on her when we've treated her since day one?

Help! Our poor girl is suffering.

GsdLoverr729 · 11-05-2012, 09:20 PM

At my vet we sell/recommend:
Diatomaceous earth (rub into fur)
Frontline
Trifexis
Comfortis (I use this paired with Heartguard)

It may be that the fleas are living in your carpet (it appears in your avatar that you have carpet lol xD). You could use a flea bomb, diatomaceous earth, or flea powder. All of them require you leave the areas you treat for a while. You also have to vaccum up the two powders if you use those.
Other than that, I'm not sure :/ Maybe a flea dip?

I'm a novice when it comes to fleas.

TaraM1285 · 11-05-2012, 09:42 PM

Do you have other pets? Are they on flea preventive?

SukiGirl · 11-05-2012, 09:57 PM

We have a cat who also gets monthly flea treatment with Revolution - she is indoor except for our screened in porch.

GsdLoverr729 · 11-05-2012, 10:00 PM

They may be coming in from the porch on the kitty?
Just because they don't bite her doesn't mean they don't travel on her.

TaraM1285 · 11-05-2012, 10:25 PM

Ugh, that's tough. You're doing the right things and still having issues. And you're in FL so you're not going to get the benefit of cold weather to kill them.

If both animals are getting their prevention correctly, you may have to treat the house. First step is cleaning/vacuuming everywhere the animals go extremely carefully, this includes washing bedding (yours and theirs), vacuuming under couch cushions if they are allowed up. You can treat with chemicals, but that would really be a last resort.

How long has this been going on? It can take up to 3 months of consistent prevention to get rid of all the fleas in the environment.

SukiGirl · 11-06-2012, 09:28 AM

We've been dealing with this since June. The past 2 months have been really bad though. Our plan is to treat her, the house, and yard all at the same time. Hopefully we can get this under control. I feel so bad for her. She is just miserable.

huntergreen · 11-06-2012, 09:33 AM

don;t forget you also need to treat your yard. do groomers use flea dip any more?

SukiGirl · 11-06-2012, 09:36 AM

That's the plan, treat EVERYTHING. We've never taken Suki to a groomer so I don't know if they do flea dips?

GsdLoverr729 · 11-06-2012, 09:49 AM

We still have them at a local groomer. Our in-office groomer doesn't do them though.

11-05-2012, 09:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
SukiGirl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South FL Posts: 227	Caught ya, you nasty flea! Help! So after months and months of welts, itching and scabbing and countless theories on what causes this - I actually saw with my very own eyes a lone flea crawling through Suki's fur. Our vet had theorized when this problem first started that her allergies were being caused by flea bites (she does not appear infested at all - I never saw a flea until today!). We are currently nursing our poor girl back to health after a terrible attack of bites/welts. She got them all over her face and neck last week and she scratched so much that she caused scabbing and bleeding. We have tried Trifexis and last month we switched to Advantix II to try and stop bites all together. This is getting rediculous. How can we stop this madness?! How can she possibly have fleas living on her when we've treated her since day one? Help! Our poor girl is suffering. __________________ Suki 11.28.11

11-05-2012, 09:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
GsdLoverr729 Knighted Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Ga, USA Posts: 3,179	At my vet we sell/recommend: Diatomaceous earth (rub into fur) Frontline Trifexis Comfortis (I use this paired with Heartguard) It may be that the fleas are living in your carpet (it appears in your avatar that you have carpet lol xD). You could use a flea bomb, diatomaceous earth, or flea powder. All of them require you leave the areas you treat for a while. You also have to vaccum up the two powders if you use those. Other than that, I'm not sure :/ Maybe a flea dip? I'm a novice when it comes to fleas. __________________ Kymmey http://KaohzandKumatz.yolasite.com Mom To~ Dakoda (b/t GSD), Simi (b/w DSH), Nashoba (sable GSD)

11-05-2012, 09:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
TaraM1285 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 425	Do you have other pets? Are they on flea preventive? __________________ Kristin Tara CGC - GSD 2008 Suli - Blue Kitty 2006

11-05-2012, 09:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
SukiGirl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South FL Posts: 227	We have a cat who also gets monthly flea treatment with Revolution - she is indoor except for our screened in porch. __________________ Suki 11.28.11

11-05-2012, 10:00 PM	#5 (permalink)
GsdLoverr729 Knighted Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Ga, USA Posts: 3,179	They may be coming in from the porch on the kitty? Just because they don't bite her doesn't mean they don't travel on her. __________________ Kymmey http://KaohzandKumatz.yolasite.com Mom To~ Dakoda (b/t GSD), Simi (b/w DSH), Nashoba (sable GSD)

11-05-2012, 10:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
TaraM1285 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 425	Ugh, that's tough. You're doing the right things and still having issues. And you're in FL so you're not going to get the benefit of cold weather to kill them. If both animals are getting their prevention correctly, you may have to treat the house. First step is cleaning/vacuuming everywhere the animals go extremely carefully, this includes washing bedding (yours and theirs), vacuuming under couch cushions if they are allowed up. You can treat with chemicals, but that would really be a last resort. How long has this been going on? It can take up to 3 months of consistent prevention to get rid of all the fleas in the environment. __________________ Kristin Tara CGC - GSD 2008 Suli - Blue Kitty 2006

11-06-2012, 09:28 AM	#7 (permalink)
SukiGirl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South FL Posts: 227	We've been dealing with this since June. The past 2 months have been really bad though. Our plan is to treat her, the house, and yard all at the same time. Hopefully we can get this under control. I feel so bad for her. She is just miserable. __________________ Suki 11.28.11

11-06-2012, 09:33 AM	#8 (permalink)
huntergreen Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,199	don;t forget you also need to treat your yard. do groomers use flea dip any more?

11-06-2012, 09:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
SukiGirl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South FL Posts: 227	That's the plan, treat EVERYTHING. We've never taken Suki to a groomer so I don't know if they do flea dips? __________________ Suki 11.28.11

11-06-2012, 09:49 AM	#10 (permalink)
GsdLoverr729 Knighted Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Ga, USA Posts: 3,179	We still have them at a local groomer. Our in-office groomer doesn't do them though. __________________ Kymmey http://KaohzandKumatz.yolasite.com Mom To~ Dakoda (b/t GSD), Simi (b/w DSH), Nashoba (sable GSD)

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