Jim said:
>"My two fuzzies plus my greyhound dog have fleas and we have tried
>everything to get rid of them---bombs--dips--all bedding washed (in
>linco first) and have put powder on ground outside--nothing has worked."
 
Jim,
 
I just went through a similar problem.  I have had animals all my life and
never once had a problem with fleas until recently.  I was temporarily
staying at my mom's house (she has a doberman and a cat, and the doberman
got them from running in high grass in the field that my mom takes him out
to run in) with my three ferrets and one day I noticed the ferrets
scratching more than usual.  They were out playing and they kept stopping
every couple minutes to scratch, so I picked one of them up and lo and
behold he had fleas all over him!  I was so upset!  I was absolutely
positive that they didn't have fleas the day before because I pick them up,
brush them, cuddle them, etc. every day and I hadn't seen the fleas before
(so, the eggs that were laid in the carpet must have just hatched).  Anyway,
I rushed out to the store and bought every fleas shampoo and deterrent that
you could possibly find (I spent over a $100...which was basically wasted
money).  I washed all the ferrets with the flea soap, sprayed them with
flea spray (the spray has to say it's safe for kittens before you should
use it on the ferrets, and even then only use a tiny amount), and then put
them into a sterilized cage.  I sterilized their big cage, put flea powder
and carpet spray all over the carpet and the couches, etc., vacuumed twice,
washed the doberman outside in the backyard, put Advantage on him, washed
the cat, sprayed the cat.  The whole process took several hours.  I was
finally finished and I thought I was in the clear.  I waited several days
before I let the ferrets back onto the carpet, because I was scared that
the fleas would still be there.  And, when I did, within five minutes they
were all infested with fleas again.  I repeated the entire procedure.
Waited several days.  Same thing.  I was SO upset!  Finally, I called
Terminix.  They told me that no amount of over-the-counter spray, powder,
bombs, etc. would get rid of the fleas, flea eggs and flea larvae in the
carpet and the furniture.  And, that even if you had the house
"professionally bombed" it wouldn't work for fleas.  It works for ants,
etc., but not fleas.  They use a special liquid spray for the carpets in
conjunction with spray that they spray out into the air.  They said it was
the only thing that would work.  They were right.  It cost about $135 for
the process, but believe me, it was worth it!!  You need to stay out of
the house while it's being done and then for four hours afterwards (and
obviously you need to bring all your babies with you!) Then,  THE MOST
important part is you need to vacuum EXTREMELY THOROUGHLY when you get back
to the house.  I'm not kidding...I mean THOROUGHLY.  Because the first time
Terminix came, I didn't vacuum as thoroughly as I should have and there
were still some fleas left.  They came back free of charge (there's a
30-day guarantee) and did it again.  And, then I vacuumed completely (and
you also need to vacuum every day afterwards for at least two weeks) and
the fleas are completely gone.  After EACH time you vacuum, you must throw
away the bag and put a new one in.  Get the bag out of your house
immediately.  I can almost guarantee that if you have Terminix come in and
you vacuum very, very thoroughly, and you treat all your animals to make
sure that there are no fleas on them, your flea problem will disappear.
Also, the doberman doesn't run in the field anymore.  If your animals are
outside all the time in high grass, you are going to continue to see the
fleas.  But, if you treat them with Advantage, they will die when they bite
your pet.  Also, the stuff in the carpet lasts for months even after you
vacuum.  Believe me, it's a nightmare, but if you get a professional in
there, your flea problem will most likely be solved.  Good luck!!
 
Jenni
Oso, Ozzy and Zeppelin "Yeah!!! No more fleas!!!"
 
Jenni Glenn, PR Coordinator
CDnow Inc./Jenkintown, PA
Email:  [log in to unmask]
Voice:  215-517-7325 ext.546
http://www.CDnow.com
[Posted in FML issue 2475]