VET found a FLEA!!!!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I am just going crazy with this. It was the LAST thing I needed or expected. Took puppy to vet for routine shots and leave with list of instructions on what to get to fumigate the house, wash all bedding, vaccum everything, frontline for the puppy and itching just with the thought of fleas in my house. I have to admit, this is my worst nightmare. Murphy has been on frontline routinely so he is fine, but Bella has them for sure. I just looked for myself under a bright light, after DH sprayed the yard and I tore the house apart and have 5 loads of laundry waiting in line for the washer.  I can see some, they are quick and it seems futile to keep looking as I hope they will be dead in the next 24 hours.

Anyone have any suggestions? How do I stop this from becoming a worse nightmare than it already is? 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Well maybe it is just me, but I have not seen Borax since those 1960 Conestoga Wagons in the commercials. I can hear the music of the product but I'll be darn if I've seen any. Oh duh, I see someone mentioned that above. : ) The 20 mule stuff. Moth balls work for me. I can find those.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Ha, maybe we are dating ourselves, but I remember the music from those commercials too!!!

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

we had an infestation of fleas not too long ago. Any shampoo or leave in spray with neem in it will help repeal the fleas, and soothe the itchies from bites and a good bath will drown fleas. You can buy a spray for your home - carpets, couches, beds etc - Zodiac is the brand I use and recommend at work http://www.zodiacpet.com/ They also have sprays for dogs/cats that work well too. Go to your local holistic pet store and they will have something similar if they dont have this one. Im not sure if the big box stores like PetSmart have anything that actually works, I tend to avoid places like that like the plague.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The Zodiac sprays and powders did not work for me...only the "big bomb", after about 6 times.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They still sell 20-Mule Team Borax, and that's what you want.
I'm not familiar with the carpet powder that dries out the eggs, but flea larva can remain dormant for a year in an unoccupied house. So I'd make sure the powder is efficient before using it, because otherwise, the only way to kill them is to get them to hatch; otherwise, they stay dormant until there's movement and carbon dioxide (what we and the dogs breathe out) and then they hatch.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

The Zodiac website does say that Petco and Petsmart carry their products. Thank you.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Another thing to watch/ or do, is get a stool sample if you have had fleas. Tape worms are the next worry after a flea infestation.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I have no "words of wisdom" because we've never had a flea issue, but you certainly have my sympathy. This must be turning your life upside down. I'm not sure what I hate more fleas or ticks! Good luck!

[Linda and Murphy]

I use the Sentinnel. I have used the Capstar and it kills eveything for 24 hours, but not longer. I haven't had a problem in recent years.

Sue,just to make you feel better, when my second son was born we had a major flea infestation. I got professionals to come out and spray (which meant I couldn't stay with the newborn) so the three of us (of course, hubby was out of town) stayed with my aunt,...3 times because they couldn't kill the suckers. After that, they gave me my money back and told me to call another company (that eventually worked). In the meantime, the 5 year old comes down with chicken pox,,,,,,,then head lice. I was never so glad to get back to work. lol

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Okay, I feel better. I would not wish all that happening at once to anyone. I am just beat though, between getting up at night with a puppy,. cleaning up after her all the time, cleaning carpets and floors and trying to keep them from eating eachothers food, and training, and just when we had a few nights of sleeping through the night and no accidents for a few days, we get slammed with this. I am at a very stressful job and travel often for work as well so it's been a lot, but again, I have no room to complain after all you went through. She got Frontline yesterday, and is not scratching at all. I did give her a bath and left the frontline area alone and dry so as not to wash it off too soon. I just had to see if any hopped off. Maybe one or two, but nothing major was happening. Dh sprayed the yard, and bombed the house and I have vacuumed 4 times since yesterday afternoon, washed everything that can be washed and we are leaving in the morning for 2 days. So we will just watch and continue to clean and vacuum and if I see even one more I will get carpet powder and call the bug service and sit down with a big bottle of wine and cry!!!!

[Linda and Murphy]

Sue, that was 20 years ago! I'm sure I couldn't handle that today.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

That is so true. My mom always said God gives babies to the young because they can handle it. That could be why this is just such a PITA now. Too old to be dealing with it and the body and brain are just tired! Well, off to Petco for some flea shampoo and whatever is available. We have not seen any around the house, but I'm waiting for a population explosion anytime now.