[Mog]

Hi all,

Okay, I need some help here before I end up with a flea infestation in the house. When I brought Max home, I sprayed the yard with Cedarcide and have been giving Max Garlic Off daily. I haven't seen any ticks or fleas since...

Until... we went camping this weekend. Max is getting over a case of pyoderma, so he typically scratches, so I thought nothing of it... but Monday after we returned, I noticed a flea on the ground while I was playing with Max. I gave him a bath, washed all of the clothing we took camping as well as his bedding. Tuesday morning, I went out and picked up Hartz flea powder and a flea collar. I keep checking Max and haven't seen a flea on him, but I woke up this morning with what I'm assuming are 6 or so flea bites on my arms and legs... With my 4 year old daughter and a prospective roommate moving in, I really need to get on top of this and do what I can to get rid of any fleas that may be in the house. I'd rather not bomb the house since I have 75 gallon fish tanks, etc...

Since it's only been a few days and I'm hoping it's not that bad yet... what can I do?!?

Years ago, I went to a friends and can see how bad fleas can get... something I really need to avoid!

:help:

Thanks!

 

[Lauri & The Gang]

If you do decide to bomb the house you can take the hood off the fish tank and cover it with saran wrap or a large garbage bag. Tape the edges so nothing can get in. Fish should be ok for the amount of time it takes for the bomb to disperse.

You can also make you own flea traps: 5 Ways to Make a Flea Trap - wikiHow

 

[Mog]

Thanks for the links on the flea traps, pretty cool. I'll give those a try as I'm hoping there aren't many in the house and really want to avoid bombing the house... grrr....

 

[NancyJ]

It is probably more likely they would be trying to bite the dog than you unless you had a real infestation. Consider chiggers if they are anywhere near where clothing constricts?

Get a bag of feed grade diatomaceous earth and get into cracks and crevices around the house. I think it is even safe for fish. Get the OMRI labeled at any garden center. You can put that on the dog too. It is safe enough for the dog to eat (I actually give some monthly to prevent worms) A lot safer than that Hartz stuff. Is that safe to use WITH a flea collar as well?

 

[BowWowMeow]

Please take the flea collar off (it doesn't work anyway) and be SUPER careful of Hartz products. There are all kinds of horror stories about them.

The best way to get rid of fleas in the house is to use diatamaceous earth, spray bedding with the Cedar spray, get a flea comb and comb your dog multiple times a day, bathe the dog with NEEM shampoo and also use the NEEM protect spray. Also, vacuum often and put the DE in the bag or canister.

You have to really stay on top of this.

ETA: The Bug Off does not really help with fleas, just ticks.

 

[Mog]

Where can I get the DE locally? I checked Lowes and Home Depot and they list a product containing DE, but no specifics, at least online as to what else is in it.

 

[Courtney]

Where can I get the DE locally? I checked Lowes and Home Depot and they list a product containing DE, but no specifics, at least online as to what else is in it.

I got my DE from a ma & pa feed store. Do you have any of those? Make sure it's food grade...very important.

 

[arycrest]

Please take the flea collar off (it doesn't work anyway) and be SUPER careful of Hartz products. There are all kinds of horror stories about them.

I second this suggestion ... over the years Hartz products have been responsible for the deaths of many pets ... don't know specifically about their flea collars but I sure as heck wouldn't use them. If you want to use a flea collar buy one from your vet.

Comfortis (30 day) works well for many people ... so does Capstar (24 hours). I got a room spray from my vet but haven't tried it yet so can't comment on it. Also, some people say Frontline Plus also works (I use it on Slider because he had a seizure when he took Comfortis).

 

[Mog]

I took the collar off. The only place open at 4am was Walmart, so my choices were limited...

I brushed Max with a flea comb and couldn't find one flea... I sprayed his bedding with the Cedar oil and rubbed some into his fur. I'll pick up some DE tomorrow and spread that. I tried the homemade flea traps as well last night, neither of them picked up a flea.

Since he picked these up camping, is there a possibility that he just had one or two on him and they are gone?

 

[lyssa62]

check with your pet store too for something that you put in your vacuum cleaner bag or plastic container..it's a flea death trap that is dispersed when you vacuum...safe for pets of all kinds.

 

[lyssa62]

I too am betting YOU got chiggers...those things are HORRIBLE this year! If I spend any amount of time out in the yard ( which I do..I come in and my feet and ankles look like I have chicken pox.

 

[Mog]

I checked pics of both and it could be either... The reason I figured it was fleas, is due to seeing them when playing with Max. Not on him, but around him... one in the water, one on the ground next to him at home.

 

[NancyJ]

Where did you get bit? Learned my lessons last year about chiggers. You get into a nest and you can get hundreds of bites...but if they were chiggers they would be itching like mad! For me a mosquite bite or a wasp sting goes down within an hour but chiggers are for about two weeks.

I spray my pants and socks with permethrin and let them dry before i put them on.

 

[Mog]

Forearms, lower legs and one on the back of my neck... lol

And yes, they itch like crazy right now. It's only 8 or so bites... never had an issue with fleas or chiggers before, so don't know the difference.

But with Max having the supposed pyoderma, wondering if this could be part of his problem as well. He did take the meds for 10 days and it's definitely clearing up, but there are still small red spots on him that he scratches...

 

[NancyJ]

Dogs can get chiggers. If you were camping in piney woods that seems where the like it the most (though I have gotten into them in deciduous woods too) ... The itching can be insane. I once got them bad enough to get a prednisone script for myself. Chiggers are about two weeks of sheer torture. Thing that worked best for me for the itching was to flood the area with water as hot as I could stand until it got bright red.

I don't know how you can tell the difference, though. Chiggers tend to bite on places where clothing restricts their movement. (so around sock lines, waist bands, collars, etc.) Though I have had them all over.

 

[BowWowMeow]

Chiggers are HORRIBLE and they definitely bite dogs too. If you can find the homeopathic salve called Sting Stop that takes the sting out and kills the chigger. They live under your skin. Do NOT scratch them!