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FLEAS!
Evie(my cat) got fleas in April, from staying with my mom (who has dogs- and apparently her dogs had fleas!). We bathed her and quarantened her in the bathroom and I swept/vacuumed/mopped the house. I bought a breand new box of litter and scrubbed her litter box. I also put flea drops on her.
Two weeks later, they were back! I again bathed her and put more drops on her. I swept/vacuumed/mopped the house. She was locked in the bathroom (again) for about a week. I brushed her daily and would pick off any fleas I could find. When flea "dust" stopped showing up in her hair, she was allowed out of the bathroom.
Repeat this process one more time. Each time I vacuumed, I emptied the canister outside and put a fresh flea collar in the vacuum, to kill any fleas living in there and to prevent any flea eggs from hatching. I borax-ed the only rug we had in the house.
DH and I bought and moved into a house on June 2. Evie had been flee free for over a week. Then this morning, DH saw a flea on her- he picked it right off her face. I am really at a loss at to what to do. DH does not want me to bomb our brand new house (we are doing all sorts of updating to it and it's a huge mess). She is locked in the bathroom now... I am planning on bathing her later today and giving her more drops. Most of the floors in the house are stone, so I am going to sweep and mop them. There is one room with carpet Evie has been allowed to go into, so I am going to borax it. I am just upset that I've done this three times already and the fleas keep coming back!!! What can I do to get rid of them for good?!
This is a post and run- I'll be back on 6/10. Please help! Thanks in advance!
Re: FLEAS!
What flea prevention are you using?
How close to the bath are you applying it?
I presume its topical by your description. Are you parting the hair to ensure appropriate contact with the skin?
It sounds like it has only been about 6 weeks of this treatment, it takes a while to break the flea life cycle. You have to let the eggs hatch and become adults before they can be killed by the topical meds. Fleas are very very frustrating to eliminate and can take 3 months or more to completely eliminate. It sounds like you are taking care of the environment appropriately. It sounds like (maybe) we can make adjustments with the topical meds other than that I recommend time.
So sorry to hear you're going through this - I feel your pain!! I was there last year - my dog passed it along to my kitties..we bathed all of them...spot treated (which didn't seem to work as well) and constantly combed with a flea comb...
Keep combing your kitty daily and every time you find one flush it - it took us a good week + to get rid of them, they loved my poor long haired kitty but we were persistent and kept combing with the flea comb. Adams brand flea spray was great...we would put it on the comb and once we saw the flea - grab it and flushed away!!
Best of luck!!
You need to use a topical flea preventive that is only applied monthly. Whatever drops you're using, it sounds like they're not worth the money. Get a good reliable flea med (Frontline, Advantage) and apply it at LEAST 48 hours before or after bathing your cat. If you apply to soon before or after the cat is bathed, the meds just get washed off.
You can go to your vet and ask for a Capstar tablet as well. It's a 24-hour immediate flea killing oral med. The vet will tell you how much of the tablet to give your cat (my cats got 1/4 tablet, because it's only dosed for dogs, but IS safe for cats).
Keep vacuuming/mopping all yours floors every couple of days, and vacuum the carpet every day (seriously). You want to catch every flea as it's hatching, and that can be a daily chore.
Also be sure to be washing any towels/blankets/bathroom rugs your cat is hanging around on.
It can take QUITE a while to fully rid yourself of fleas once they pop up. I still struggle every now and then (we don't see them, but I know when one shows up, because one cat is allergic and her belly just looks awful!).
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
Thank you all so much! I gave her a bath and brushed her last night with a flea comb.. I'll give her some drops tomorrow night (or is that too soon?).
I don't remember the name of the drops I've been using. At first I used a very cheap brand, and when it didn't work I went back to the store to get something better. It was the second most-expensive brand (said it was comparable to Frontline).
If is "comparable to Frontline" that still means it is an off brand which I don't recommend. Generics just don't work effectively unfortunately. Purchase a good quality product like Frontline or Advantage.
When is the last time she had any medication applied? I would not recommend reapplication sooner than 2 weeks apart. Also it is very important that you separate the hair coat so the medication is applied directly to the skin, not on the hair.
Aggie, you know I've got a love/hate relationship with you, but when it comes to flea issues, I'm going to agree with what you've said.
OP: definitely don't reapply too often or your kitty could start having reactions to the meds. And get a name brand!! The generics really are worth diddly. I prefer using Advantage, just because it is a tad less expensive than Frontline. They both work effectively for a month, so it's really up to you. Just ditch the generic crap, and be super thorough about getting all the way down to the skin.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
The last time I gave her meds was mid-May. She got a bath, and two days later I put the drops on her. How long should I wait before giving her more?
Also, I do my best to get it down to her skin- but her fur is just.. EVERYWHERE! And she is very fidgety when I apply it.