Another flea question

[shellbell]

In an effort to use chemicals as sparingly as possible, I don’t apply Frontline every single month. I prefer to check everyone weekly with a flea comb, and if I do see fleas, then I apply it immediately. I’ve only seen fleas twice. Once last July, and more recently just a couple of weeks ago. I’ve read posts on here from other people who end up with fleas, and once they find them on the dog or cat it sounds like they are also all over the house, and it becomes necessary to very aggressively treat the house in order to be rid of them. Of the two times I’ve found them on my dogs, each time I only saw one flea total, crawling on Cabo. And then from there all I’ve done is apply Frontline Plus immediately to everyone, and then I vacuumed the house, and put bed sheets, couch covers, etc in the wash. And that was that, I never used DE or any type of flea sprays on my house or furniture. I’m assuming that if there were fleas lurking around my house, I would know? Since I most recently found a flea just a couple of weeks ago, I have been wondering that since it seems like everyone on here who finds fleas has to spend a good deal of time decontaminating their home to get rid of them. I have no carpeting in my house, it is all hardwood floors so I wonder if that helps. But I still have plenty of furniture and things that they could hide in. So like I said, if they were actually still lurking in my furniture, wouldn’t I be seeing them or something??

[Bridget]

I think if you have them in your house, you will find them on your animals.

[Berna]

I had to spray the house once back in 2009. It was bad. Cookie was itching all day and all night, I couldn't sleep from him scratching, even after flea shampoo baths. Then he developed FAD and had to take him to the vet. The vet told me I should spray the house too. I applied Frontline on Cookie, but it didn't really work. The poor boy couldn't stop scratching and I would keep finding fleas on him. At some point I felt hopeless, but thankfully Advantix saved us + 3 weeks of treating the house (thankfully the weather was warm).

I don't panic when I find a flea or two. Not a year passes without a couple of fleas. When I do find fleas I usually just apply a topical.

Ticks are a much bigger problem for me.

[HammerLover]

I have not had to deal with fleas ever. I know what you are thinking, "she is probably just blind or doesn't check enough." I even work in a dog kennel and NEVER had I had to deal with them. I mainly have to deal with ticks and I do daily tick checks now. Never see fleas. I guess maybe it is the local climate and conditions maybe? But, what I can tell you about my friends having to deal with fleas, they always say "see one treat em', see two clean too." Catchy right? Haha. They have 3 cats and two dogs. They are actually currently dealing with a flea problem. It's getting cold out so the fleas are finding winter homes lol. They hired a cleaning lady to come every wednesday and they are constantly vaccuming and bathing their dogs (long haired).

[POPTOP]

As bad as they can get quickly, I would be tempted to do some "preventative treating" of the house. They are buggers when they get a foothold. I would think a thorough vacuuming, corners, baseboards, and washing dog beds/blankets would be sufficient. Be sure to throw out the vacuum bag or empty a nonbag machine and get it outside ASAP.

[labsnewfy]

We just had a round with fleas. We took the girls to GA to visit with their Oma poor Sarah started scratching the day we got there, we just chalked it up to her allergies. When we got home I decided too run a flea comb over Sarah just to be sure. She was full of fleas Ginger had a dozen or so on her, I felt so bad for both of them. I combed them both that night and we applied frontline plus to all the kids cats included.

The next day I vacuumed the house and combed everyone out again, Sarah was the worst. We have carpet in most all the rooms of the house, I love my hardwood floors but with the kids and some having hip and knee issues I want carpet for them. Thankfully with the combing, flea meds and vacuuming we got it under control. I always go over my kids with a flea comb at least once a week just to be sure.