Sorry to bring this topic up again,

Afew years ago we moved into rented accomodation for a while.. It was 1st January I'll never forget.. so cold. So (as you do) we turned on the central heating, and settled in.. Within a few days I was itching all over the lower part of my legs, and said to my husband "it's strange, i've got gnat bites at this time of year"... one morning I was up early in my nighty i sat down to drink my tea by the fire and noticed this little black dot on my knee, when I went to brush it off it disappeared, not with my 'flick' but sort of 'jumped'...I'd never ever seen a flea in all my life but I knew that it was one..I phoned the local council who sent a man (who knew his fleas) he could see them jumping in the carpets..(his trained eye and yrs of experience) so yuk needless to say we had to have the whole house sprayed.. apparently the previous owners had had a menagerie of animals and the eggs of the fleas from them all had layed dormant untill we had turned on the heat !!! The only way that we knew they had been 'done away with' was to count the bites on my legs each day and see if they increased.. the final count was 65 bites.. unfortunately I was the only person in the house 'with any bites at all' and I was allergic to them too.. so as you can imagine a right ol mess...

So.. to continue my story Oscar has been biting and scratching his back end, his legs etc etc,
I've had a good check in those areas.. but can't see a thing.. I mentioned it to the vet when we went for his injections two weeks ago.. he combed oscars fur with a comb and said he couldn't see any.. he made an appointment for this Saturday to treat him for fleas.. Oscar seems to be scratching more by the day but I'll be damned if I can see a flea... Do you think it may be that when he comes out of the kitchen into the rest of the house which is warmer he just get's itchier (central heating and carpets curtains etc..)

Is it because Fleas are black (like the one I saw on my knee) and oscar is just about all black dense fur.. if that is the case then no-one would see a flea or 'fleas' on him... If he is treated on Saturday with a 'Flea' treatment will I have to 'treat my rooms that Oscar has been in too.. just in case...

I've got about three bites from 'something' on my arms just above my wrist..so I'm presuming that it's from my contact with Oscar and his 'Fleas'

I know it's a pain. but to save me reading through all the 'threads' on fleas again.. could you tell me which 'flea' treatment from the vet will be the best for a 13 wk old pup.. one that will include protection from anything like ticks etc he might catch from the fields nearby that I'm soooo looking forward to taking him into..

And thanks in anticipation

Sandy :D :D xx

poor you, and oscar---i prefer the sprays !!! although touch wood ive not had any for around 10 years,

Thanks Dizzy, since he's never been anywhere in the 5 weeks we've had Oscar (if he has got them) I wonder where from?? OOOh fleas ticks worms parvo mouthing biting etc etc etc. It's a good job we love our dogs or else we'd all be 'barking mad' Jeangenie once said to me 'CHILL' "It'll be alright". I'm trying .... I'm trying.. lol :D :D

Sandy x x :)

Some people like using sprays some prefer the drop-ons but whatever you decide I would use Frontline. Dont bother with stuff from shops/supermarkets, get flea treatment from the vet. I prefer the drop on as its so easy and neither you nor the dog have to inhale it. Make sure you re-dose at the proper time.

When Kassie was a pup- due to the growth rate of a GSD I used the Frontline spray- if I'd bought the spot-on's then by the time it came for me to use the last one it wouldn't be enough due to how much she'd grown (it goes on weight you see) so if you have a large breed of dog I would suggest using the spray:) I use the spot-on's now that's she's 10 month old:) You sound like my Daughter- she seems to get ate alive:o none of the rest of us have anything- only her- one thing though it's a way of making sure we don't have fleas:D

Stacey x x x

Sandy

If Oscar has got fleas like you said you can't see them as he's got black fur, however you would be able to see the eggs, these are white minute little things. If you comb the back of his neck ith flea comb and get little white things these are the eggs!
Hope this helps

Alison

I'm itching just typing about them:)

Thanks Alison,
Have just gone and combed him with the special comb, back of his neck
tail and back end, can't see any so far..fingers x'd we don't have any and look forward to seeing the vet on Sat morning to make sure we don't get any..

funny tho i've definately been bitten by something.. whats the cycle of fleas ..how long for female to lay eggs and eggs to hatch etc..

Darn things.. how can such a tiny thing cause so much trouble.

Sandy xxx

hi,

flea bites are not nice especially when your allergic to the bite.... I know from experience.... as I too get big massive blotches on the legs when they bite. Have to take mega antihistamines.

Luckily, freya doesent really get them, but we do treat her on a regular basis.

good luck, and i hope you DONT have them. lol ;)

jay

Thats what I used to be like Jay ...MASSIVE bites because of the allergy ..about an inch and a half across and itchy as an itchy thing. Seem to have grown out of it though ...one of our cats managed to bring a dreaded flea into the house last week and it munched me 6 times ..just have little itchy spots now :) See? Age can have SOME advantages :D Our cats get Advantaged every month so this was , luckily , a one off ...but I hate the durned things !

Melody :)

Thanks Jay, :D
we've had worse happen in our lives than a few flippin fleas...lol
but it's just the thought isn't it.. of them... makes ya want to itch from your head to your toes.. (itch ! scratch !)

:)
Sandy x x x

Mmmmmmmm fleas, horrible horrible horrible, i once had my dog on my lap, stroking him, and then i felt something between my teeth.
I spat it into my hand and it was......... A LIVE FLEA......... i musta rinsed out my mouth a million times that night. urghhhh.
Now, if ido see one, i have to catch it and squish it quick, or i get all itchy!
Apart from the vet provided flea treatments, i feed garlic, and brewers yeast, which so far, seems to have kept my lot flea free (but for the cat bringing in his little hoppy friends)

Em
(who does have the added advantage of instant pest control access, arent familys great, what would i do without my mother and her big flea sprayer!!!)

OOh Sandy I symathise!

We had a flea problem when we moved into this house in December 4 years ago, put on the heating and hatched some fleas. I woke up one night sure there was something in my hair. Hubby told me I was paranoid, but when I shook my head over the bath, there was a flea!

We got the dogs frontline from the vet and also a great spray for the carpets and pet beds. It's called Acclaim 2000 by Vet.Kem. It kills the fleas and larvae, stops eggs hatching and protects the home for 7 months. It was around £12 for a huge can that covered my whole house and worked very well.

For anyone that gets bitten themselves as I did, Anthisan antihistamine cream from the chemist is very good. Every kind of insect bites me and it's a great thing to keep in the 1st aid box.

Good Luck, hope you all stop scratching soon.

Sheilagh

Thanks sheilagh, Acclaim 2000, great i'll get some of that, it sounds really good value for money too.

Sandy x x :)

I would second both products. I have a bitch who is flea alergic, as wll as bbeing one of those people who get bitten, as is my son (if he stays at a cat owning school freinds he always comes back with bites).

My bitch had a spate of getting patches of wet Excema, and the vet suggested Frontline, even though there were no fleas to be found, as obviously just the odd flea at a show or when out was enough.

I always used the Aclaim too, and found that it kept fleas from getting ahold in the house. Have been using the Frontline Spray on mine every three months for about 6 years now, and found with regular use like this that I have been able to stop using the household spray.

I would use both though until you are flea free for at least 18 months, then you should be able to use the Frontline Spray every three months as a preventative.