Gross. Anyone deal with fleas?

[motzie]

Friday my building posted a notice they'd found fleas and would be spraying the halls. Saturday I found a flea on my dog. I treated them both with Parastar and vacuumed the whole apartment thoroughly.

Yesterday I found two more fleas so I went out (to three stores) and bought Capstar. I bathed and combed them as well. I should have done this first on Saturday, I realize this now.

So I'm wondering how crazy I need to go with the apartment. About ten fleas washed off one dog, and less than that on the other. They are 22lb Boston Terriers so I'm certain I washed them completely. I'm washing everything I can, dog bed, our bedding, throw blankets, DD's stuffed animals that were on the floor. Vacuuming over and over, mopping the vinyl floors. What else should I do? I'd rather not fog because of the girls.

Tl:dr Ick fleas, how crazy do I need to go here?

[Deleted]

This must depend on the part of the country you are in.

In CO fleas are pretty rare, but my dog still managed to pick them up. I got a prescription from the bet to put on her (it was like once a month for three months or something). That was all I had to do since fleas don't like to live here. Did you get the prescription stuff from the vet?

[pooh8402]

they're pretty common in my area. the last time my dog had fleas, I treated him with capstar, bathed him, and bombed my apartment. the dog and I went elsewhere for a couple hours for the bomb to work. when I got back home, I stuck him in a crate in the yard (wasn't fenced) and vacuumed the apartment and furniture before letting him back in. granted, I didn't have kids, but he is my first child in my mind, so I was still nervous about exposing him to chemicals.

I had to treat aggressively since I was also in a complex at the time, and knew they were coming from others' untreated animals. my dog was also on prescription flea medication at the time for prevention.

the thing about fleas, even if you only found a few on him, they lay their eggs in the carpet, furniture, etc. so they can recur.

I used this stuff on the carpets before vacuuming: www.petsmart.com/dog/home-yard-treatment/natural-defense-natural-flea-tick-carpet-powder-zid36-5108995/cat-36-catid-100047?_t=pfm%3Dcategory

I can't remember which bomb I used.

[ringstrue]

If the meds are the type that last a month and you apply to the back of the neck, you probably don't to need to mess with the apartment. You've taken away their food and home so they will die pretty fast. Mark your calendar for when to apply the next treatment and keep treatments up year round.

[motzie]

mrsg We're in South Florida. The Parastar is the monthly topical from my vet. I'm pretty sure I missed at least one month between us moving here and having a baby.

[motzie]

Jan 15, 2015 11:52:51 GMT -5 ringstrue said:

If the meds are the type that last a month and you apply to the back of the neck, you probably don't to need to mess with the apartment. You've taken away their food and home so they will die pretty fast. Mark your calendar for when to apply the next treatment and keep treatments up year round.

Thank you. I'm hoping that we caught it quickly and they won't come back.