FLEAS PLEASE HELP!!

[wolfie305]

Long story short, Kaylee had fleas when she came to us. I treated her (and Khaleesi the day I picked her up) with Advantage for kittens, vacuumed a good bit, and didn't have a problem after that. This was months ago.

Until now. I saw one on Khaleesi the other day and also on Kaylee. I still had two doses of the kitten Advantage, so I immediately put that on them and ran our to get some Borax. I washed all of our bedding/pet beds/sheets/pillows/etc, put down a coat of borax, vacuumed it the next day, then put down another coat on Friday and haven't touched it since.

Well, apparently nothing works because my roommate found a flea on him this morning after sleeping with Kaylee. I'm wondering if the Advantage kitten didn't work on them because they're over 5 pounds now? Can I use the adult kind? Can I also reapply the adult kind to them IMMEDIATELY (like, as soon as I get home from work) even though they were just treated with the kitten kind?

I have an INTENSE PHOBIA of fleas. I am crying while typing this right now. I cannot handle them. We're thinking of flea bombing the house, but the problem lies with the kittens and they need to be treated FIRST before anything else or else they're going to keep coming.

Please advise ASAP

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I think I'd call the Vet and ask them what is safe to use with kittens that are their approx. weight.  I have no idea if it's ever safe to use flea bombs.  Now I do know you can use Diatomaceous Earth (no, it's not dirt!) to dust over the kitties, but don't let them inhale it.  Here's an article on it:  http://www.vetinfo.com/using-diatomaceous-earth-to-worm-pets.html   The very last paragraph talks about using it for fleas, but if you use it, be sure to read the entire article to understand it's use. 

 

[farleyv]

I second calling the vet.  And please take it easy.  When people get so upset, they sometimes do things that they shoudn't.  Do your research and find out from the professionals what to do.

Knowledge is power.  We all  have fleas from time to time.  It is treatable.  Get the facts from the vet.

 

[paws4life]

I agree with calling the vets. If you use flea medication and over dose it can lead to death.

my friend flea bommed her house with out a problem but you need to take all animals and people out for a certain time frame...

the best thing you can do is vacuum. Fleas can get into your sheets, couches, beds any materials and hide out. Even vaccume tile and wood floors and empty it outside immidetly. Even with a flealess house and indoor cats there's always a chance of getting them agian aa you your self bring them in.


also. I would suggest asking your vet for revolution as it deworms or get a dewormer for kittens because fleas can cause worms.

 

[wolfie305]

Alright so this is what I ended up doing.

First, I tried doing the Borax in the carpets and floor and such, but it wasn't working, as the kittens still had fleas ON them because the Advantage Kitten was useless.

So I ordered this off of Amazon - after a friend suggested it and reviews looked amazing.

While it was being shipped, I bought a pack of Capstar (good enough for three doses each). I gave them one Capstar a day (because I was still seeing live fleas on them).  The day I ran out, the stuff had arrived for my house. I sprayed EVERYWHERE in my house, vacuumed before and after and have been vacuuming every day since like 8 times a day.

That same day, there were still live fleas on the kittens so I gave them both a bath with Dawn dish soap. So far, I hadn't seen any fleas on them until just now. Khaleesi had one

Really need to get them back on Advantage ASAP...
 

 

[ondine]

Wow, you must have had a terrible infestation for it to go on this long in spite of all you are doing.  And you are doing everything I can think of!

I use Revolution when I get fleas, which fortunately is not that often.  I vacuum and use D Earth, too.  You have to get Revolution from the vet but honestly, I've never had to use it more than once on my inside cats.  I dose my outside cat once a month for six months of the year.

Hang in there.  Fleas scare me, too. but you are being diligent.  Sooner or later you will defeat them!

 

[goholistic]

Yes, you will defeat them....eventually. In my experience with flea infestations, it requires diligence and patience. I'm not sure what time frame all this has happened, but all the fleas will not die and disappear overnight. You have to break through the cycle. You're doing a great job so far.

I put moth ball packets (NOT loose crystals, but they're little tablets inside a fibrous paper packet) in my vacuum cleaner canister to kill whatever live things I may vacuum up. I understand moth ball stuff can be harmful to cats, so I do not put them around the house or anywhere where the cats can get them.
 

 

[envy]

When my girls got fleas, it was horrible.  Like, went on for months.  It sucked.  We used some of the stuff from the vet. 

In the end, despite how much Doll and Yue hated it, it came to frequent flea baths, tons of vacuuming (and throwing out the vacuum bag after each time), lots of Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled about, and getting a flea comb and combing my girls (dipping the comb into a bucket of soapy water after every stroke).

For the flea baths, I used a product called DERMagic.  It's a bar of soap/shampoo.  Peppermint and Tea tree oil.  It's made for dogs, but I double checked to make sure it could be used for cats (Note:  Not all flea stuff for dogs is healthy for cats).  It's organic, handmade, etc.  Basically everything the hippy in me loves. =P 

Now that I'm actually reading the box, it doesn't say much about getting rid of fleas (but it does relieve itching), but nevertheless, there were always dead fleas after we used it.  

Even after you think you've got them all, keep vaccuming and cleaning like crazy for a few weeks. 

Also, from how I understand it, fleas lay eggs on cats/dogs, and then the eggs fall off to hatch, so anywhere where your cats frequently rest/nap/what have you needs to be cleaned extra much. 

 

[wolfie305]

Honestly, the infestation was never bad. Throughout this whole thing, neither my BF or I have been bit. I have ONLY seen them (just a few, and no flea dirt)  on the cats and then found one in the litterbox and one on the bed a while ago. It's very minimal, but even just one freaks me out tenfold. I know there are more lurking...

I'm hoping that now that the house is treated, the ones on the cats will just die slowly until I can get them on Advantage II FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES SO THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

I have DE that I used at the very beginning (when we brought Kaylee home and I noticed them), but it's not the food grade kind, otherwise I would rub it all over the cats right now. I sprinkled the Borax in their litter and in the vacuum, and I empty the canister/filter every time.

I just want to not see them anymore. Ever. Just another three weeks before I can apply the Advantage II and I am counting down the hours.

 

[Willowy]

Get some Comfortis from the vet (or if your vet doesn't sell it, ask for a prescription and order it from a pet pharmacy online).

 

[wolfie305]

I honestly can't afford having to spend $40 every three days to keep them on Capstar (is Comfortis the same thing?) I ordered "Little City Dogs Chicken Flavored" pills. You get a large amount for only $20 and it works the same way as Capstar. I will be using those until I can apply the Advantage again..

 

[Willowy]

Comfortis is like Capstar but one pill lasts a whole month. I haven't bought it in cat size myself but I believe it runs about $10-$15 a month per pill. The spot-on products have been losing their efficacy as the fleas develop a resistance, but the oral products are still effective so far.

 

[wolfie305]

Oh wow! I worked at an animal hospital for 5 years and went to Vet Tech schooling for 2 and I was also told the spot-ons were more effective. This is great news, thank you!! So I am only able to get it from a vet? And it kills ALL life stages and protects them for the month?

 

[Willowy]

I don't think it kills all life stages. . .it just kills whatever fleas bite the cat. Just like Capstar. It's a new product, only recently approved for cats---I think earlier this year or late last year.

 

[wolfie305]

Oh then nevermind. I want no eggs on my cats that might restart the whole process again..
 

 

[Willowy]

Presumably, if the fleas die after biting the cat, they can't lay eggs :tongue2:. But if the spot-ons are still working for you, that's fine too. Just remember never to use non-vet-quality spot-ons. And be really careful about products used in the house.

 

[wolfie305]

True true! I guess I will try the Advantage II first and see how it works for them, then decide from there. I have to reapply the Prector in 14 days (for whatever decides to hatch that didn't get killed), but after that I am hoping to see no fleas. Ever. Again.

 

[sugarsandz]

A spray that  I've used on different occasions is Virbac Knockout, it lasts for months and is sprayed in the house. It's important to get your kitties out of the house while it gets sprayed.

We used this plus a spot on treatment on the dogs and cat and vacuumed on a daily basis and we had no issues and that was a bad year for fleas, even neighbors with no pets were getting them.

Here is a link to the product information, you can't order it there though. You can get it on amazon and a lot of vets sell it, there is a fogger as well but I never used that and the reviews aren't as good for it.

http://www.virbacvet.com/products/d...reatment/anti-parasitic/environmental-control

 

[cheylink]

  When I first brought Maia home when she was a tiny tot, she had some fleas, not infestation but obvious after a few weeks. I freaked out! She was very young, to young for me to apply any chemical treatment. I gave her every other day baths with Dawn original dish detergent,  the soapy water kills them by drowning. So only apply what is safe directly to your cats especially according to their age. As far as any other areas, bedding and any other machine washable items with a good dose of tide atleast once a week . Carpets should be vacuumed daily, and any hardwood floors should be thoroughly cleaned with Murphy oil soap.

    Flea collars are very effective, wherever they are all fleas and eggs will be killed if you purchase the right one. If you don't want to place directly on your pet, you can put in areas where they commonly rest........................and believe me they work!

DSCF0771.JPG

• cheylink
• Apr 5, 2012

this is a picture right after one of her Dawn baths years ago!

 

[mewlittle]

I don't think it kills all life stages. . .it just kills whatever fleas bite the cat. Just like Capstar. It's a new product, only recently approved for cats---I think earlier this year or late last year.

so comfirtis just got approved for cats? THEN WHY  DID MY VET GIVE MY CAT THAT IN 2011 gosh some vets sorry