Fleas!!

Hello, I'm new here.

I've been browsing through the forums for a while and found most of my answers already. Basically, I just moved into a new apartment, and left on a 2 week trip right away. When I came back, I found fleas everywhere (on the cats and around the apartment). Yes, I know, I shoulda been careful. I never had a flea problem before so it kinda slipped my mind.
Anyway, here's my plan: I just gave them each one of those 24-hour flea killing pills (picked them up from the vet); tomorrow I will treat them with Advantage, then get them out of the apt and treat the place with a Raid Fogger (bought in Target). I also bought Frontline so that next month I can switch it up.
So my first question is, of course, if you guys think this plan is agressive enough, or if I should consider something different (especially for the apt.)
My second question is, should I treat them for tapeworms? I've been reading here that fleas will lead to worms, but I haven't seen any. If yes, is there something as simple as a pill?
And finally, how long should I wait before I treat the apartment again? (for those un-hatched eggs).

Thanks so much, I really hate these things!

I feel your pain. In my previous apartment, I had fleas two summers in a row--and I didn't even have cats at that point! The neighbor had indoor/outdoor cats, and it seems that they must have brought the fleas to my doorstep, and I carried them in.

Your treatment plan sounds pretty good to me. As far as medicating your cats goes (whether for fleas or worms), the important thing is that you ALWAYS get the meds from the vet, not over the counter. Frontline/Revolution/etc. are good, monthly treatments. If you're worried that your cats have worms (and, it is true that fleas often lead to worms), bring a small fecal sample to your vet and ask them to test for worms. At my vet, if they have recent weigh-ins from my cats, they'll do the fecalyzer and prescribe the meds without my having to bring the cats in (avoiding the cost of the visit). The weight is important, though, as that's how they calculate the dosage. Normal dewormer (in my experience) is one pill per cat, followed by another pill one week later. Recently I discovered that the normal course didn't get rid of the worms, so I had to get a stronger dewormer (sorry, I don't remember the names). This med was just a one-time dose (2 pills for one big Ziv, 1.5 pills for medium Chesty, 1 pill for little Eva).

As you noted, bug bombs only kill the living adults, not the eggs. (I believe I used the Raid kind as well.) The first time, I was lucky enough to have to bomb only once. The second summer, I did it twice (I think two weeks apart). The various bombs mandate different amounts of time that you need to leave the apartment, but if possible, I'd get your cats out for a full 24 hours. Before you bomb, you need to cover your kitchen cabinets/dishes and make sure all food is away (including cat food and dishes). I duct-taped cut-open black garbage bags over the cabinets. I also covered precious electronics (TV, computer) with the bags to protect screens. Close all windows, turn off all AC and fans, leave all doors open. Set off the bomb and leave, returning after 2 or 4 or however many hours. Turn on fans, open windows, and generally air the place out.

After bombing, I washed my sheets and towels in very hot water for two cycles. I also vaccuumed everything--floors, mattress, couch--to gather up the dead fleas. Dispose of vaccuum bag immediately. I believe the directions call for airing out for 30 minutes. This is ok for you, but if it were me, I wouldn't bring the cats back for a couple of hours at least, overnight if possible. They're so much more sensitive than we are. You can also get a spray product (can't remember the name) that comes in a big green jug. It acts as a sort of "barrier" to fleas. Spray all around your front door, and, depending on what your situation is, all over the outside of the door, the doorstep, or hallway. Check, though, that this is safe for pets.

As far as I know, the chemicals in bug bombs dissipate pretty quickly, but of course keep a close eye on your cats for a few days following. That's all I can think of. Good luck!

If your cat aquired tapeworms, you won't see them on the cat's butt or in a fecal sample for a while, because they need to grow to maturity before shedding egg casings. As a matter of fact, as for the common tapeworm aquired through ingesting fleas, a fecal sample is problematic as a diagnostic tool because the eggs are not released into the feces, and if there's no detached segment in the feces, there's no trace of a tapeworm in the sample. Since deworming for tapeworm is relatively inexpensive and the danger to the cat is almost negligible, you might as well just go ahead and do it. Then you don't have to wonder.

By the way hehehe Welcome to TCS rio Keep us posted let us know how you and your kitty is doing

Thanks so much everyone! I'm finally starting to feel that everything's gonna be ok!

Well, Yesterday I fogged the whole apartment. I set three foggers, which I thought would be overkill (one in the living room, one in bedroom, and one in kitchen). I came back today, and fleas are jumping on me like crazy!! Why didn't this work?
Could it be that fleas can hide in the carpet and protect against this stuff? What can I do now?

I understand you live in an apartment? Ceilings and walls aren't air-tight, so even if you sealed windows and doorways, the fog might have dissapated too rapidly to kill all the fleas. I suggest a professional exterminator. They will know how to handle that.

Whoa...that's so strange! Are you sure you set the foggers off correctly? I know this sounds stupid, but when I first did it, I didn't realize that I had to actually get the SPRAY going for it to work. In other words, you have to press down really hard until the fog starts shooting out (ugh, it's gross, I know!). If you're sure that you did it right (all of the cans should feel empty and really light now), then you may have to do it again, or it may be time to call in a pro.

Good luck! And report back. You have all my sympathy for having to go through this.

Thanks for the quick responses. So you think a professional would do the job right? Yes I made sure I used the foggers properly. The place was even misty when I came back to air it out.
Should I worry about the fleas getting back on my cats in the meantime? I just put advantage on them yesterday, they seem flea-free now.

bump!

I'm getting NO work done at the office, just doing heavy research on the subject. I read a bit about Adams Flea Spray, plus the vet recommended it and said that they use that in their premises. Has anyone used this stuff? I'm afraid to spend $70 for a proffesional exterminator and still not win the battle.

When I had fleas, I called around to a bunch of exterminators (on a side note, $70 is CHEAP for around here!). Almost all of them said they did one visit, and they guaranteed it for 30 or 60 days. One place said they came out once, you had to agree to do all sorts of vacuuming and blah blah, and then they came out again four weeks later.

So, yes, I think they will do a good job, and most of them have (short) guarantees, so if the fleas are still around in a few days you can probably get them to come back.

I've never used Adams, but I'm sure your vet has plenty of experience with people who have fleas, so it might work.

Well, I've done everything I set out to do (except call a professional exterminator). After fogging with Raid, I came back the next day to air the place out, and as soon as I stepped in, fleas started jumping on me (I think just for spite). Anyway, long story short, I've definitely been noticing a shortage in fleas, but regardless of what I do, they're still there. Both my cats are on Advantage (applied two weeks ago) and I can still find lots of fleas on them when I run a flea comb through their fur (I found like 30 the other day before I gave up). Why are there so many fleas on them?? Ok so, supposedly they will die if they bite them, but can they still lay eggs??

Finally, earlier this week I gave them a Capstar each (that stuff really works!) and after 24 hours gave them Frontline Plus (even thought it had only been 2 weeks since the Advantage). Then Sprayed everything and have been vaccuming daily.
My only strategy right now is to keep vaccuming daily to control them, and maybe spray a little more often. Has anybody had this extensive problem with fleas before? It's really stressing me out and affecting my summer.

Originally Posted by rio

Well, I've done everything I set out to do (except call a professional exterminator). After fogging with Raid, I came back the next day to air the place out, and as soon as I stepped in, fleas started jumping on me (I think just for spite). Anyway, long story short, I've definitely been noticing a shortage in fleas, but regardless of what I do, they're still there. Both my cats are on Advantage (applied two weeks ago) and I can still find lots of fleas on them when I run a flea comb through their fur (I found like 30 the other day before I gave up). Why are there so many fleas on them?? Ok so, supposedly they will die if they bite them, but can they still lay eggs??

Finally, earlier this week I gave them a Capstar each (that stuff really works!) and after 24 hours gave them Frontline Plus (even thought it had only been 2 weeks since the Advantage). Then Sprayed everything and have been vaccuming daily.
My only strategy right now is to keep vaccuming daily to control them, and maybe spray a little more often. Has anybody had this extensive problem with fleas before? It's really stressing me out and affecting my summer.

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VACCUMING is a dangerous thing because most people do not know that you should vaccum once, spray, and THEN vaccum again because the vaccum sets off heat in order for the eggs to hatch again. That's why you need to do it twice. the more you vaccum, the more they are hatching, unless you spray after vaccuming to kill the eggs, then vaccum again to vaccum the eggs and dead fleas up.
then change the bag - they could be living in there......

Whoa! That's interesting. How long after spraying should I vaccum again? My vaccum cleaner doesn't have bags, but rather a compartment that I have to empty out (which I do right after every time I vaccum).

Originally Posted by rio

Whoa! That's interesting. How long after spraying should I vaccum again? My vaccum cleaner doesn't have bags, but rather a compartment that I have to empty out (which I do right after every time I vaccum).

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I believe he said you are supposed to vaccum right away (the guy at the pet store), but i don't understand how eggs can hatch that fast? You could ask the pet store person.....

This may sound old fashion but I was told by my vet to stick a lamp over water on the floor and to turn off all the lights in the home and the fleas will jump to the light for heat and land in the water. (It worked!) He told me to do it at night and while i am gone in all the rooms I can. I did and also gave them frontline and vacuumed every day and the where gone. Just be sure the kitties don't knock over the lamp! This may be to small for the problem. But just wanted to let ya know. It may help deternmine also after all attempts if the problem is still there.