Pets
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Fleas! Ick! Are they really gone?
Long story short, we have (or maybe had? fingers crossed!) fleas. Back in early June, we noticed our 1 year old cat scratching himself. I took him to the vet, and she confirmed my worst nightmare - fleas! It's been almost two months since we first found the fleas, and I think they might be gone, but I don't know how to tell?
We had a really hard time dealing with these little suckers. At first, the vet said to treat the cat with Revolution, vacuum the house, wash our bedding (where the cat liked to sleep) and get a commercial spray to spray down the house. So, we did, and we naively thought they'd be gone. Nope! We went on our honeymoon in late June (did I mention this all started right after our wedding? Great timing!), and when we returned, they were worse than ever! The Revolution wasn't working - the cat still had 40 to 50 live fleas on him every time I brushed him! Finally, in early July, one hitched a ride on me and I found him crawling on me in my car - that was the last straw!
So, we packed up everything we needed, washed literally every piece of clothing we own at the laundromat, and moved into my mother's guest room. Then, we called an exterminator (we didn't go through a company, my husband has a friend that is an exterminator who did the work for us). He came and sprayed the house twice. After the first treatment, I still saw fleas. After the second treatment, we bug bombed the house, and actually bombed two times in a row. Then, a few days later, I came to check on the house, and we had FLEAS in the bathroom of all places! So, we bug bombed again, this time focusing on the bathroom and kitchen. Then, I got flea powder for the carpet and couches, and sprinkled that everywhere. After that, I got Raid spray and sprayed it on every soft surface in the house, twice. After the Raid, we didn't see any fleas. Then, yesterday, I came to my house and saw a FLEA! I'm hoping it was just one that hatched and didn't get killed by the residual chemicals.
I'm thinking it's probably time to move back into my house. It's been over a month since we left (we left on July 3 and today is August 10). The cat is on a new medicine called Comfortis - it's an oral pill that seems to have really good reviews. I'm just so nervous that there might be fleas hiding in the house. How am I supposed to know that they're really gone? Am I nuts for being so paranoid?! I'm sitting in my house now (and haven't found any fleas), but I'm walking arond with a lint roller to catch those suckers if I see any!
Re: Fleas! Ick! Are they really gone?
The main thing is to control the flea problem on your cat first. Hopefully the Comfortis will work. I haven't used it, but have also heard good things. Unfortunately, all the flea bombs in the world won't work if the cat keeps bringing in fleas.
Hopefully they are gone for good! I've never had a bad flea problem. My cat and dog have sometimes had fleas, but we have been successful treating them as soon as we see it and it has never spread to the house.
Just kidding.
That cat probably needs a good bath with flea and tick shampoo. If you can't or won't do it, get the vet to do so.
Did you wash all of your sheets, pillowcases, etc, in hot water? Wash them with vinegar, too --- and maybe you might have to call in a fumigator/exterminator.
I know a guy whose dog picked up fleas and he says he has no idea how it happened -- he doesn't take the dog to dog parks, the dog doesn't mix with other dogs: somehow it just happened.
Watch out for fleas -- they can suck the blood out of your pet and also transmit tapeworms. Your cat would also do for a good deworming, as a just in case. GL.