Fleas, OMG I've got fleas

[N80]

Just got back from a week at the beach and my house is completely infested with fleas. We have a dog, and we use FrontLine. He had a few fleas. He got a flea bath, flea spray, and then gave him Comfortis. Before we left for the beach he was flea free. He went with us to the beach and we saw no fleas in the beach house or on him. We set off bug bombs that claimed to kill fleas before we left.

But my home is now totally infested. I just set off 12 bug bombs in the house and sprayed all interior perimeters with typical commercial bug spray.

We are currently sitting on the back porch waiting for the bug bomb fog to settle.

We have never had this problem before and the dog is almost 10 years old.

Any suggestions about what to do now? I have no faith that these bug bombs are going to work.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Are you sure it's just your house? I recall flea infestations under and around the house that were just horrendous. Not an expert, but it may not be directly related to your dog. Lots of stuff on the internet; good luck.

How to Eliminate a Flea Infestation in Your Home: 16 steps

 

[phiferpharm]

The problem may be because the dog was not at the house. I had a flea problem in Miami home after the dogs were moved to my North Florida property. I bombed the house and had to do it a second time a few days later. I guess the bomb killed the live fleas, but didn't work on the unhatched ones. I also have had to do the perimeters of the house and barn up here in North Florida at least a couple times a year regardless of the treatments given to the critters.

 

[Alien]

Frontline is useless. Use advantix or Advocate. The latter works real fast.

 

[Western]

We went throught the same thing 2 years ago, but no inside pets, fleas where in the yard and under the house.

Tried the "bomb" thing, but ended up dusting the interior and under the house with Diatomaceous Earth (food grade from the feed store) and used nematodes in combination with DE in the yard and dog pen. The DE in the house almost got me "booted" because the dust in the house was atrocious, but after about 3-4 days, we haven't seen a Flea since.

Diatomaceous Earth: The a miracle cure for flea control? | Flea Control Videos | Flea Control: How to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally

Beneficial Nematodes eliminate Japanese beetles and grubs

 

[Brant]

Frontline completely stopped working for me 2 years ago. After getting lots of fleas inside the house for the first time ever, I switched to Advantage and sprayed the house and the problem completely went away within a week or so.

 

[N80]

Well after 5 hours, 12 bug bombs, Adams carpet spray, and the basic house spray plus vacuuming the whole house and washing sheets and linens we are not seeing any right now. Bombed and sprayed the basement too. When we first came home the fleas were everywhere, there would be 3 or 4 of them on US whenever we went inside. We reapplied FrontLine to the dog since it has been over 2 weeks since his last application and it is all that we have right now. We'll check with the vet and see if we can give him another Comfortis pill. Will switch to Advantix in a couple of weeks. Probably bomb the house again in a few days for any survivors or new hatches.

We might be okay if all this poison doesn't kill us first!

 

[Alien]

The Advocate and Advantix both work really well but one has advantages over the other. The Advantix also protects against ticks if you have them there. We use one then next time the other. I prefer the Advocate as the fleas start dropping off in a few minutes. Works real fast.

 

[dmccarty]

Years ago, ok, a couple of decades ago, when I was still living in South FLA, family visited me with their dog. They did not stay more than a couple of days. After they left, I left on vacation for a week or so and when I returned the place was full of fleas!

One thing I noticed is that I had left out a container to water plants. The container had a bit of water left and the fleas were in that container. I assume going for water.

Killing the fleas is sort easy it is the eggs that are tough.

At the time I went to the store and started reading flea spray labels. SOME of the brands killed the fleas and the EGGS. Spraying/bombing the place with those chemicals was not fun but it was better than being eaten by fleas. Killing the eggs is the key to stopping the invasion.

Another time I had a flea invasion I put down Borax which is supposed to dry out the eggs. I don't remember if I sprayed chemicals to kill the fleas but it is likely. The Borax has worked several times for us. You can get Borax at hardware stores but I just used 20 Mule Team. I spread the stuff out on the carpet and then raked it in. I let it sit for awhile, maybe 24 hours, and then vacuumed to pick up the Borax on the surface of the carpet.

A word caution, do NOT store the 20 Mule Team box next to a similar size and color box of dish washer powder! Why? Because if you grab the box, it is kinda dark under the sink and you are not paying much attention it is easy to get the wrong box....

Dish washer soap does NOT spread easily into the carpet nor do I think it kills fleas but you will have fresh smelling carpet. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

To beat back the flea invasions over the years we have used Borax in the carpet and various chemicals to kill the fleas on the cats or dogs. One reason our current home does NOT have carpet is because of fleas and ticks. We have a finished concrete floor which does not provide a place for fleas to flee and flourish. Ticks that fall of the dog(s) are usually easily seen and exterminated with extreme prejudice. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

 

[jinman]

I'm gonna recommend Revolution for Dogs, but it ain't cheap. It requires a vet's prescription. It sure seems to work like magic on our cats that spend days outside and nights in the garage.

In the house, my wife has a couple of small nightlights in wall sockets around the house. She puts a small bowl of soapy water below the lights. When we used to have goats and a barn, we would sometimes bring in fleas on our clothes, but they were drawn to the light and ended up drowning in the soapy water. Give it a try. It's cheap and will attract the few fleas that might have escaped your bombs.

 

[Domush]

First, be careful you aren't doubling up on what you give your pets. Flea stuff is poison and affects the central nervous system of dogs/cats. If I recall correctly, Comfortis is meant to be used alone, not in conjunction with anything else. It's your job to look out for the health of your pet, since it can't speak up for itself. "Mom/Dad, I'm being poisoned and feel like crap" isn't something they can say to you unless you are really in tune to them.

As for the flea infestation, use this: Martin's Insect Growth Regulator ($16, free shipping)

You mix it 1/2oz per gallon, spray it on the floors and under cushions, wait a week, then spray it again. It prevents fleas for 7 months and stops the fleas' ability to reproduce. NOTE: It does not kill the fleas, it prevents reproduction, so that 1 week after the first spray, you will see adults, but that will be the last generation you'll have to deal with (they die in roughly 7-10 days).

Easy, long term and it works wonderfully, and every time. Repeat twice per year to prevent future infestations.

A friend works at a vet clinic, so I get all of the inside info on what works/doesn't work.

Prior to that I tried the DE approach and it did little beyond creating a dust nightmare inside my house. I'm still, after 8 months, getting rid of the DE dust. Save yourself the headache and use the IG regulator.

I would say 'good luck', but with this stuff you don't need luck.

 

[foreman Etexas]

When we left on vacation it was actually a stray dog that got under the house that brought the fleas. I went threw every bomb I could find,lime,it took several days to get rid of them with the help of a pest company. I would walk in with white socks on and they would be covered by the time got back to the front door. We had bowls with water and dawn with flash lights pointing down into them and they would be full by next morning. It was a bad deal.almost as bad as my pitbull and skunk fight under the house,and I had the sub floor in the kitchen pulled out fixing termite damage,had to throw away alot of stuff and luckly the pest company has a blue spray to kill the skunk smell. Both are BAD deals,dont wish on anyone....

 

[Tollster]

We had them a couple summers at my ma's growing up,we bombed the place,but it only lasted a short time.It really is a war on all fronts, house,yards,pets,and so on. I recall they drove me nuts asI always thought I felt one on my leg when sleeping,I would jump up and go on the attack in the middle of the night, many times it was nothing,other times I could not find it,so it went on and one all night long. I recall buying flea powder though for my dog one time, and thought this is expensive, I looked at the powdered Seven, and could not believ the chemical breakup was identical. I got a 5 lb bag instead and used it on my dog as wella s the yard, combined with 2 weeks of bombing,until I saw signs the war was changing to my favor. Oh...and that dog lived ot be 16 years old before we put him down due to his hips. Anyway, good luck and read the labels,they may have changed,but you really need to do it on all fronts before you see any changes,and stay at it... It will get the best of ya,but don't give up at the fight,as you will have all the expense again and again,not to mention sleepless nights....lightbulbs over a pan of water was an old trick at night, and forget about the white socks around the house on weekends... Damp weather made it worse, ya need dry low humidity to dampen the yard, but try the seven,it should help.