fleas - YorkieTalk.com Forums

d-bo · 05-31-2012, 04:50 PM

Here is my week so far... I live in an apartment and a couple times a day I take her out back to play in the grass, then walk around the complex. Anyways after we came in this weekend, I noticed her scratching and bites on her, the next thing I know I see fleas jumping on her and at me, they are aggressive so the past few days I've had to spray all of the carpets and furniture and wash everything in site, not to mention I had to buy a couple flea pills and her poor little skin is all bitten up. So now I am afraid to take her outside, this has been a horrible few days, what to do?

BellarousasMom · 05-31-2012, 05:27 PM

Poor baby. It might not hurt to get a application to put on her also. Ask the vet.

d-bo · 05-31-2012, 05:45 PM

thank you, and yes this is sad for her she is miserable

my2boyz · 05-31-2012, 06:30 PM

You can bathe her with the original Dawn dishsoap and lukewarm water...that will kill the fleas just about on contact.

Just make sure you use the original Dawn and don't get it in her eyes.

Good luck

d-bo · 05-31-2012, 07:36 PM

thank you, they are biting her excessively so I'm starting to think they are not normal fleas because they also jump, I'm from San Diego now living in Tenn. so I'm not familiar with the insects here, they are biting her like fleas but after everything I've done to get rid of them along with the flea pill she is on, tonight she has new bites and my son saw one on his bed?

LunasMomma · 06-01-2012, 04:26 AM

We JUST went through this a few weeks ago. The fleas are really bad here this year (and last year) because we've been in a drought and they seem to thrive in this

First thing is to get the fleas on your baby. Get something from the vet to put on her to repel and kill the fleas. Get her out of the house for the day, get someone to watch her, even if you have to pay the vet to board her for the day.

Then the fun begins. I finally found a flea spray that works, it's called Enforcer Flea Spray for Homes. I got it at Home Depot. Remove anything washable from the apartment and start washing it all in hot water and dry it on high heat. Do not bring anything back to the apartment until you have killed all the fleas. I don't know your laundry situation, so this may be difficult for you, but if worse comes to worse you can seal all the clean things in big garbage bags if necessary. Wash EVERYTHING, including her beds and soft toys. Fleas lay eggs everywhere! Spray everything that it not washable, like the furniture, mattresses, etc. Make sure to get under cushions, under the furniture, baseboards, and the floors. Get out of there for a few hours. When you return, open all the windows and run some fans/AC for a few hours. Mop the hard floors with hot water and vinegar to remove excess pesticide residue. Don't bring your baby back in until you are sure that it's all dry. It's a lot of work, but it's the ONLY way to get rid of the fleas.

Now the yard. Since you live in an apartment, contact the landlord and ask them if they will have the yard treated. In the meantime, carry your baby down the street to a different yard, if necessary. I'm lucky that my girls are pee-pad trained, so I didn't have to do that. I just didn't let them outside for a couple of weeks, until I could be sure that the treatment I used on our yard actually worked this time

It took me going through this process THREE TIMES to finally get rid of the little buggers, GAHH!! My littlest one even got a skin infection from scratching so much

They are both allergic to fleas, and your baby might be too. A lot of them seem to be. In that case, the itching might continue long after the fleas are gone. If you're sure that the fleas are gone and the itching persists, ask your vet to give her an anti-inflammatory shot (which will stop the itch cycle) and check her skin for any infection.

Oh my good luck, I hope you beat the little buggers, they are SO hard to get rid of and will test your sanity

Also be careful when you come into the house, as they can come in on your shoes and start it all up again. If the landlord won't treat the yard, you may have to do it just for your own sanity and convenience. Maybe other pet owners in the complex will share the cost/labor with you?

Thinking of you and NOT envying the work you've got ahead of you. Hang in there!!!

LunasMomma · 06-01-2012, 04:30 AM

Oh I see you have carpet. Putting Borax down (you can get it in grocery stores, WalMart, etc. in the laundry section NOT BORIC ACID, BORAX!!) for a few hours and then vacuum it up. Dispose of vacuum bag in outside garbage. I would even spray it down, seal it in a bag, and then dump it. I don't know if the spray would be okay for carpeting, as I don't have any THANK GOD

You may even have to resort to hiring a professional pest control company to help you with this, as carpet tends to complicate things. They can burrow deep down in there.

Good luck!!!!

abbie's mom · 06-01-2012, 04:55 AM

I can SO feel your pain! My state is having a horrid year with fleas, as we did not really have winter. Plus, we have ferrel cats, who seem to love my yard!

Here is a thread with some good advice on flea control. Also, you probably need to take your baby to the vet, and see if they will give her something to control the itching. I am not an avid fan of medication; but, sometimes a shot of cortisone is called for in dogs/cats with flea allergies, so they can at least rest. DO treat your environment, as has been suggested. How I HATE these little buggers!

gracielove · 06-01-2012, 07:40 AM

Until you find a yard solution try to walk her on sidewalks only and in areas where other animals do not go.
Most flea treatments sold in stores do not work. Go to your vet and get what they prescribe or go online to a place like 1800petmeds.com to purchase Advantage II or whatever brand your vet uses. They sell for a little less online that at most vet's offices. Just make sure you buy from a reputable seller.
The vacuum is your best defense inside. Vacuum under the cushion and along the edges of your rooms as well as the rest of the place. Empty it out and take it outside to the garbage right away. Place moth balls in the vacuum bag to kill any eggs left inside.
Many vets office's sell a spray called Siphotrol that is one of the best sprays for fleas inside. It is also available on Amazon and some other online sites

d-bo · 06-01-2012, 06:40 PM

this is great thank you for all of the good advise, from the sound of it I may have to get more aggressive. I do believe she is allergic to them, I used a carpet spray called zodiac and sprayed most of the carpets and washed everything after giving her the flea pill a few days earlier than she should have had it, (which made me nervous). Her skin broke out last night, she has been biting at her legs and still scratching, she might be allergic to the carpet spray or maybe still has baby ones on her? I don't know, this is stressful and she is a nervous wreck, she really hates the house disturbed. should I do this again or wait to see the big fleas? I guess it's obvious...I'm new to all of this, she is my first.

abbie's mom · 06-02-2012, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d-bo

this is great thank you for all of the good advise, from the sound of it I may have to get more aggressive. I do believe she is allergic to them, I used a carpet spray called zodiac and sprayed most of the carpets and washed everything after giving her the flea pill a few days earlier than she should have had it, (which made me nervous). Her skin broke out last night, she has been biting at her legs and still scratching, she might be allergic to the carpet spray or maybe still has baby ones on her? I don't know, this is stressful and she is a nervous wreck, she really hates the house disturbed. should I do this again or wait to see the big fleas? I guess it's obvious...I'm new to all of this, she is my first.

Though it IS frustrating, and you both are suffering; I would still be very careful about OVER treating. She is a small animal, and can get toxic on the chemicals. Believe me...I DO understand. We've had so much rain lately, it's wasted effort to treat the yard. Did you look into the natural treatments in the link above?

chachi · 06-02-2012, 09:33 AM

She may have flea allergies that may be why shes still scratching even though youve treated her for fleas. Its pretty common to get it

gracielove · 06-02-2012, 09:46 AM

If she has a rash or the skin is changing in any way or is she is continuing to itch she may very well have an allergy to the fleas. Animals with flea allergies can suffer terribly from just one flea just walking on their skin. Sometimes a temporary steroid shot from the vet will stop the also allergic reaction and get her back to normal as you get the fleas whipped.

LunasMomma · 06-02-2012, 10:25 AM

Yes, please do be careful not to overtreat. Which pill is it? Comfortis is the monthly one, and Capstar is the one that can be given more frequently, though it does not continue to protect like the Comfortis. Flea Allergy is horrible, my girls continue to scratch for days and even weeks after exposure to even one flea

They both had to get an anti-inflammatory shot from the vet, and Luna had even developed a secondary skin infection from scratching so much

Yes, you will have to be aggressive with the fleas. Lots of vacuuming and proper disposal of the bag or contents of the cannister. Please Google "Flea Life Cycle", this will give you some of the timelines of what stages could be present in the home, and the best ways to eliminate them. Some treatments only kill the adult fleas, and if so, the eggs and larvae will survive and before you know it, you have adult fleas again. It is VERY frustrating, but you CAN and WILL win with persistence and vigilance.

Thinking of you!

d-bo · 06-02-2012, 07:57 PM

after this I really doubt it will happen again, I'm going on flea watch from now on, well at least I know she is staying off of the grass this summer, that's a start...

05-31-2012, 04:50 PM	#1
d-bo Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2012 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 53 Blog Entries: 1	fleas Here is my week so far... I live in an apartment and a couple times a day I take her out back to play in the grass, then walk around the complex. Anyways after we came in this weekend, I noticed her scratching and bites on her, the next thing I know I see fleas jumping on her and at me, they are aggressive so the past few days I've had to spray all of the carpets and furniture and wash everything in site, not to mention I had to buy a couple flea pills and her poor little skin is all bitten up. So now I am afraid to take her outside, this has been a horrible few days, what to do?

06-01-2012, 04:26 AM	#6
LunasMomma Izzy's Momma Too! Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 8,799	We JUST went through this a few weeks ago. The fleas are really bad here this year (and last year) because we've been in a drought and they seem to thrive in this First thing is to get the fleas on your baby. Get something from the vet to put on her to repel and kill the fleas. Get her out of the house for the day, get someone to watch her, even if you have to pay the vet to board her for the day. Then the fun begins. I finally found a flea spray that works, it's called Enforcer Flea Spray for Homes. I got it at Home Depot. Remove anything washable from the apartment and start washing it all in hot water and dry it on high heat. Do not bring anything back to the apartment until you have killed all the fleas. I don't know your laundry situation, so this may be difficult for you, but if worse comes to worse you can seal all the clean things in big garbage bags if necessary. Wash EVERYTHING, including her beds and soft toys. Fleas lay eggs everywhere! Spray everything that it not washable, like the furniture, mattresses, etc. Make sure to get under cushions, under the furniture, baseboards, and the floors. Get out of there for a few hours. When you return, open all the windows and run some fans/AC for a few hours. Mop the hard floors with hot water and vinegar to remove excess pesticide residue. Don't bring your baby back in until you are sure that it's all dry. It's a lot of work, but it's the ONLY way to get rid of the fleas. Now the yard. Since you live in an apartment, contact the landlord and ask them if they will have the yard treated. In the meantime, carry your baby down the street to a different yard, if necessary. I'm lucky that my girls are pee-pad trained, so I didn't have to do that. I just didn't let them outside for a couple of weeks, until I could be sure that the treatment I used on our yard actually worked this time It took me going through this process THREE TIMES to finally get rid of the little buggers, GAHH!! My littlest one even got a skin infection from scratching so much They are both allergic to fleas, and your baby might be too. A lot of them seem to be. In that case, the itching might continue long after the fleas are gone. If you're sure that the fleas are gone and the itching persists, ask your vet to give her an anti-inflammatory shot (which will stop the itch cycle) and check her skin for any infection. Oh my good luck, I hope you beat the little buggers, they are SO hard to get rid of and will test your sanity Also be careful when you come into the house, as they can come in on your shoes and start it all up again. If the landlord won't treat the yard, you may have to do it just for your own sanity and convenience. Maybe other pet owners in the complex will share the cost/labor with you? Thinking of you and NOT envying the work you've got ahead of you. Hang in there!!! __________________ Tracy, Mom to Izzy and Luna

06-01-2012, 04:30 AM	#7
LunasMomma Izzy's Momma Too! Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 8,799	Oh I see you have carpet. Putting Borax down (you can get it in grocery stores, WalMart, etc. in the laundry section NOT BORIC ACID, BORAX!!) for a few hours and then vacuum it up. Dispose of vacuum bag in outside garbage. I would even spray it down, seal it in a bag, and then dump it. I don't know if the spray would be okay for carpeting, as I don't have any THANK GOD You may even have to resort to hiring a professional pest control company to help you with this, as carpet tends to complicate things. They can burrow deep down in there. Good luck!!!! __________________ Tracy, Mom to Izzy and Luna

06-01-2012, 04:55 AM	#8
abbie's mom Lovin' 2 Girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: VA Posts: 3,593 Blog Entries: 4	I can SO feel your pain! My state is having a horrid year with fleas, as we did not really have winter. Plus, we have ferrel cats, who seem to love my yard! Here is a thread with some good advice on flea control. Also, you probably need to take your baby to the vet, and see if they will give her something to control the itching. I am not an avid fan of medication; but, sometimes a shot of cortisone is called for in dogs/cats with flea allergies, so they can at least rest. DO treat your environment, as has been suggested. How I HATE these little buggers! __________________ Ask Abi

06-01-2012, 06:40 PM	#10
d-bo Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2012 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 53 Blog Entries: 1	thank you for your help this is great thank you for all of the good advise, from the sound of it I may have to get more aggressive. I do believe she is allergic to them, I used a carpet spray called zodiac and sprayed most of the carpets and washed everything after giving her the flea pill a few days earlier than she should have had it, (which made me nervous). Her skin broke out last night, she has been biting at her legs and still scratching, she might be allergic to the carpet spray or maybe still has baby ones on her? I don't know, this is stressful and she is a nervous wreck, she really hates the house disturbed. should I do this again or wait to see the big fleas? I guess it's obvious...I'm new to all of this, she is my first.

05-31-2012, 05:27 PM	#2
BellarousasMom YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 793	Poor baby. It might not hurt to get a application to put on her also. Ask the vet.

05-31-2012, 05:45 PM	#3
d-bo Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2012 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 53 Blog Entries: 1	thank you, and yes this is sad for her she is miserable

05-31-2012, 06:30 PM	#4
my2boyz Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In my house :) Posts: 5,219	You can bathe her with the original Dawn dishsoap and lukewarm water...that will kill the fleas just about on contact. Just make sure you use the original Dawn and don't get it in her eyes. Good luck

05-31-2012, 07:36 PM	#5
d-bo Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2012 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 53 Blog Entries: 1	thank you, they are biting her excessively so I'm starting to think they are not normal fleas because they also jump, I'm from San Diego now living in Tenn. so I'm not familiar with the insects here, they are biting her like fleas but after everything I've done to get rid of them along with the flea pill she is on, tonight she has new bites and my son saw one on his bed?

06-01-2012, 07:40 AM	#9
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	Until you find a yard solution try to walk her on sidewalks only and in areas where other animals do not go. Most flea treatments sold in stores do not work. Go to your vet and get what they prescribe or go online to a place like 1800petmeds.com to purchase Advantage II or whatever brand your vet uses. They sell for a little less online that at most vet's offices. Just make sure you buy from a reputable seller. The vacuum is your best defense inside. Vacuum under the cushion and along the edges of your rooms as well as the rest of the place. Empty it out and take it outside to the garbage right away. Place moth balls in the vacuum bag to kill any eggs left inside. Many vets office's sell a spray called Siphotrol that is one of the best sprays for fleas inside. It is also available on Amazon and some other online sites

06-02-2012, 09:33 AM	#12
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	She may have flea allergies that may be why shes still scratching even though youve treated her for fleas. Its pretty common to get it __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

06-02-2012, 09:46 AM	#13
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	If she has a rash or the skin is changing in any way or is she is continuing to itch she may very well have an allergy to the fleas. Animals with flea allergies can suffer terribly from just one flea just walking on their skin. Sometimes a temporary steroid shot from the vet will stop the also allergic reaction and get her back to normal as you get the fleas whipped.

06-02-2012, 10:25 AM	#14
LunasMomma Izzy's Momma Too! Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 8,799	Yes, please do be careful not to overtreat. Which pill is it? Comfortis is the monthly one, and Capstar is the one that can be given more frequently, though it does not continue to protect like the Comfortis. Flea Allergy is horrible, my girls continue to scratch for days and even weeks after exposure to even one flea They both had to get an anti-inflammatory shot from the vet, and Luna had even developed a secondary skin infection from scratching so much Yes, you will have to be aggressive with the fleas. Lots of vacuuming and proper disposal of the bag or contents of the cannister. Please Google "Flea Life Cycle", this will give you some of the timelines of what stages could be present in the home, and the best ways to eliminate them. Some treatments only kill the adult fleas, and if so, the eggs and larvae will survive and before you know it, you have adult fleas again. It is VERY frustrating, but you CAN and WILL win with persistence and vigilance. Thinking of you! __________________ Tracy, Mom to Izzy and Luna

06-02-2012, 07:57 PM	#15
d-bo Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2012 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 53 Blog Entries: 1	after this I really doubt it will happen again, I'm going on flea watch from now on, well at least I know she is staying off of the grass this summer, that's a start...