Flea help!

Tinytootz

Tinytootz

Mini crazy cat lady
Right, both the cat and dog had fleas a few weeks ago, so the dog got a flea collar, both got treated with Johnsons 4 fleas spot on (which treats the fleas, and kills any new ones) and the whole house got sprayed with flea killer (which even killed the woodlice), and the carpets and sofa also got treated with flea powder. However, the dog STILL has fleas! Collar been purchased for the cat, but I have no idea what to do next, as surely they should have all snuffed it by now. Using another spot on seems pointless to me, and the plug in things sound like crock to me. The infestation seems to be low as, for once, I'm not being bitten too.

Is pills the next step? Involving a vet seems a bit daft to me, and I dread to think how he would react to a bath!
 
Fleas are really difficult to get rid off, I know it's costly but I'd go to the vets & get some strong stuff which is going to work & get rid of them.
 
Hey,

I;m a receptionist in a vets and I have clients with this problems come in all the time using shop bought products. Problem is they really don't work! Not even the frontline you buy from the shops works anymore!

Best think to do, as Michelle said, you need to go to your vets and get prescribed some of their flea treatment. Personally I would advise you treat both your pets with advantage which is a flea and live treatment and it will work within hours. Most vets do stock this now as it is one of the best ones out at the moment. Though it will depend on how along ago your treats your pets with spot on as to when you can next apply it, but speak to your vets about that, normally though it is about 2 weeks after (but don't hold me to that). Don't know what household spray you have used but I would advise using one called either R.I.P or Indorex - which a both brilliant we use them at the practice all the time and always have clients come back for as it has cleared up their flea infestations before!

The tablets which you said about are unlikely to work I'm afraid along with the flea collars.

For the advantage it is a prescription flea treatment so your pets do need to of be seen at the practice within the last year - if they haven't your vets should offer just a free health check with one of the nurses just so they can prescribe the treatment and they can apply for you too. Also as they have fleas it might also be a good idea to worm them with a wormed from the vets too.

I hope this has been helpful for you. :) and hope the problem get sorted. xx
 
I swear by frontline as it's keeping my cats well flea free. The only thing is I've heard that in some areas the fleas have become immune to frontline! If that's happened with you then advantage is definitely your best bet. Good luck!
 
Thanks. Indorex was recommended to me by a friend who works for Cats Protection. The spray we used was also Johnsons, as OH works in a pet shop, so came home with whatever it is they stock :(

I'll give the vets a bell this morning, see what they say.
 
When we moved into this house our dog got fleas, even though we'd changed the carpets etc, the lady before us had had cats and apparently the eggs can live in the skirting boards for YEARS.
Anyway, we spent a fortune on flea sprays, spot ons from pet shops with no effect so we took him to our vets and he gave him an injection, and some tablets and sprays for the house. It worked straight away!
 
Second what bexyboo said. My dog had terrible trouble with fleas and over the counter stuff was useless. We went to vet and got stronghold. Not cheap but worked perfectly as long as you reapply exactly when you should. She never had fleas again.

You should also treat carpets and soft furnishings as flea eggs can live for 2 years. It's a real struggle getting rid once they've taken good, but can be done.

Sent from my Desire HD using MiniMins
 
Thanks so much Bexyboo.

With 7 dogs in the house it is an ongoing battle for us and whilst we keep it under control, this year we have found it so much more difficult. I comb and bath mine regularly, every day with the combing.

We treat the every 3 weeks with a spot on product and also use a spray.

I am going to ring my vet and see if we can get Advantage here in Spain...........fingers crossed...........
 
I figured we had them nailed, as each pet was treated, collared and the whole house sprayed. The cat seems to have shifted them all, but the dog still had them.

I heard that dog fleas were extinct, and that it's cats fleas that we have now. However, I can't find anything to back this up!

Just spoke to the vet, they recommend Frontline from the chemist (??), or they sell Stronghold, £23 for the cat, £25 for the dog, but they need to see the pair of them - lordy! The other vet seems to be recommending Frontline, £7 for the dog, £5 for the cat. And a strong spray.
 
Last edited:
Oh, and for every 5 fleas on the cat, there are 95 in the carpet. I'm really glad he told me that! :D
 
Typical. Stronghold is gonna cost about £50 all in, Frontline and RIP spray is about £30 all in, but I rang the vet back, and the woman was talking about Frontline Combo, which seems to be more than the £5-£7 another receptionist quoted earlier. OH has spoken to a greyhound racer (as you do) and he recommends Stronghold, as Frontline can make them sluggish. Frontline v Stronghold forum type entries are pointing towards Frontline, but they are a few years old now. It confuses me why one vet strongly recommends Stronghold, whilst the other is pushing Frontline, and makes me think each are just trying to sell me the most expensive.

I'm leaning towards Stronghold as I wouldn't have to spray the house apparently, but I wonder why the other vet doesn't do any form of Stronghold or Advantage. I just found a flea in my tea, so I'm rather creeped out, and wanting it sorted it now, but have to wait till I finish work at 1 :(

* bit fed up of calling vets now! The Stronghold place stands by Stronghold, not Frontline Combo, but says I need to do it every month. Seriously, I have to spend £50 every month? The other vet doesn't even offer Stronghold. But personally, £50 a month seems excessive to me for flea treatments. I re-rang the other vet, and the receptionist is sure the Frontline Combo is less than £7 per pet, they don't stock the one you can get in supermarkets (her words, not mine), but the prices I got online were far more, and that they don't need to see the animals. So I'm rather dubious.
 
Last edited:
Yup, just discovered that. Took a half hour break and went to the vets, and I got one pipette each. £30 all in, both have now been spotted on, and 3/4 of the house is sprayed. We're currently locked in the living room till 1, then I can kick everyone out and get the living room sprayed too. Best wash the cushions AGAIN too me thinks. Downstairs is all clip together wooden flooring, and the spray seems to leave a sticky residue on it, but reluctant to wash it, as that would defeat the object! But a bit worried about spraying the leather sofas. Hopefully it loses the stickness, and will just get 'worn' away.
 
I went to my chemist as we can buy lots of things without prescription here.

He looked for Advantage and could not find a Spanish equivalent but had one called Advantix I bought a pack of four as that is all he had and he is getting me more for tomorrow.

have looked it up online and it looks pretty good stuff..........fingers crossed
 
Advantix is brilliant stuff too Fillymum, its the same as the advantage but contains the stuff for ticks as well - both made by Bayer.

Frontline Combo does wok a lot better than the frontline you get in the chemist as it has stronger chemicals. But I personally would use stronghold over frontline.

What did you end up buying in the end??

The flea sprays say they are okay for spraying on furniture but defo go careful about spraying on your leather sofa.

Also, it is definitely best to keep on top of it, I know it is expensive but if it keeps the fleas away, its worth. We've always religiously treated our dog for fleas once a month, even though he has never had fleas before and we have never had a flea problems in the house. We also have to worm him monthly to as he is such a scavenger!

I hope it all gets sorted! xx
 
I can not thank you enough for your help bexyboo.

We have 2 dogs who have a flea allergy and Advantix is fine for them.

After tomorrow they should all be happy in their skins.
 
In the end up, I opted for Frontline Combo and RIP spray. I simply cannot afford to spend £50 a month on StrongHold, as he is already on calming medication and stuff to stop him chewing his feet. Hugo needs doing every month, and Dude every 2 (or the other way round). I've nearly used a can of spray on the house, and I'm leaving their rubber collar things on too.

Can I ask, as you seem very knowledgeable, the Frontline Combo, will that kill any new fleas that potentially jump on them? I'm paranoid the house isn't sprayed enough, so I was kinda hoping that the Frontline Combo they have now, and the following ones would keep it at bay, if that makes sense?
 
Tinytootz said:
Right, both the cat and dog had fleas a few weeks ago, so the dog got a flea collar, both got treated with Johnsons 4 fleas spot on (which treats the fleas, and kills any new ones) and the whole house got sprayed with flea killer (which even killed the woodlice), and the carpets and sofa also got treated with flea powder. However, the dog STILL has fleas! Collar been purchased for the cat, but I have no idea what to do next, as surely they should have all snuffed it by now. Using another spot on seems pointless to me, and the plug in things sound like crock to me. The infestation seems to be low as, for once, I'm not being bitten too.

Is pills the next step? Involving a vet seems a bit daft to me, and I dread to think how he would react to a bath!
Click to expand...
Thanks Tootz!

Just got out of the bath and now might have to climb back in lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Dog accused of biting a child
Replies
7
Views
2K
Llamasoks
Llamasoks
CupcakeQueen123
Step 1 Sole Source Bride on a Mission - 13 stone in 13 months!
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
9K
CupcakeQueen123
CupcakeQueen123
J
help please
Replies
2
Views
877
rani
R
Mooples
Fed up of being a biffer!
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
4K
x-Katie-x
x-Katie-x
dudette2001uk
Best thing to kill cat fleas in carpets?
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
claracluck1981
claracluck1981
Back
Top