Fleas

[jane_vernon]

As long as they are away from the room you are fogging.

And after the two hours of fogging you have to air out the room for 30 minutes or so and then vacuum. After you have done this, then the cats can go back in the room.

 

[zoggy]

Ok.
So what product should I get? My mom told me she will order it off the internet.
Whats the most recommended fogger, bomber, or whatever.
I really just want to get rid of the fleas. Give me a link to your best arsenal.

Another thing, since you say fleas have a 6 week cycle, when should I fog (or bomb?) the house AGAIN so they are gone for good?

 

[jane_vernon]

I would go for the Adams stuff as it is made by a Veterinary company.

Yes, it would probably be a good idea to do it again. Have a look at what they recommend in the pack and then do it when it recommends!

Yay for your Mom!!!

 

[zoggy]

Anyone have any other recommendations?

 

[jane_vernon]

I don't think everyone else is on, but wait for a few hours and I'm sure someone will come along. I'll PM Hissy and see what she thinks.

 

[zoggy]

Ok, thanks.

 

[hissy]

I bought mine at my vet's office it is called EctoKyl IGR says it contains Nylar. It cost me $12.95 and well worth the price because it worked well.

 

[jane_vernon]

Zoggy, I have just PM'd a few more people so hopefully they will come on with their recommendations.

In the meantime, just keep at it with the flea comb

 

[zoggy]

By the way, my kittens are 11-12 weeks old. How long should I keep them out of that room that is being fogged? 3-4 hours?

 

[jane_vernon]

Whatever it recommends on the pack - Like I said, Don't let them in the room until the treatment is done, you have aired the room and have vacuumed it up. Then your kitties should be ok to go back in. But you must make sure you do a REALLY good job of vacuuming, right in the corners and along the walls.

 

[dazeemazeegraze]

Originally Posted by Zoggy

By the way, my kittens are 11-12 weeks old. How long should I keep them out of that room that is being fogged? 3-4 hours?

Zoggy, the one at petsmart is by Zodiac. Another poster has commented that is not a good one. I would recommend you keep trying to call to get one from a vet. Now you have a brand name "EctoKyl IGR " thanks to hissy. That might help when you speak to a receptionist.

The box/package will have instructions on how to use the product.

 

[semiferal]

The only way to get the fleas out of the house is to first get them off the cats. As long as the cats are not treated with appropriate flea preventative, even a single surviving flea in the entire house will leave you right back to a situation like the one you have.

If the cats are appropriately treated so they are no longer hospitable to the fleas, then the fleas will have nothing to eat. If fleas don't have anything to eat, they die. When the next cycle of eggs hatches in a month or so, the new fleas will have nothing to eat again, provided of course that you have continued the treatment. At that point your problem is basically solved.

Revolution can be safely given every two weeks (the vets where I work recommend this to people if they are dealing with heavy parasite loads) and from my experience it is the most effective treatment on the market.

I have gotten rid of extremely severe flea infestations (meaning so severe that I had literally dozens of fleas attached to my legs just from walking in the room) without ever having to bomb or spray the environment. I did three simple things:

1. Treated every cat with Revolution

(I should mention that the problem actually seemed to get worse after I did this. This was an illusion. I saw more fleas and was bitten more because the cats were no longer hospitable to the fleas, so their only possible food source was yours truly. This kind of sucked - no pun intended - but it only lasted a few days because fleas can't actually live on a human the way they can live on a cat.)

2. VACUUMED, VACUUMED, VACUUMED. Think Martha Stewart on amphetamines. Every single day, at least once a day, for a week. All carpets, all upholstery. I didn't hit every carpet or every piece of furniture every day but I spent at least 30 minutes a day vacuuming, concentrating in the places where the cats spent most of their time.

3. Washed all bedding and pillows (mine and theirs) in hot water twice a week.

4. Gave the next treatment of Revolution exactly 4 weeks after the first dose, per package instructions.

That was it. It took effort and some diligence and it was not a "quick fix", but the problem was completely solved without using harmful chemicals and without throwing time and money on random grocery store insecticides that may or may not do what the label says they will. Nothing takes the place of physically removing the fleas and eggs from the environment and making sure that any remaining fleas have nowhere to live and reproduce. This takes work and you don't see real results in the environment for up to a week or even a little more, but it is highly effective, 100% safe for you and the cats, and ultimately much less expensive and time consuming than systematically buying every insecticide on the supermarket shelf and hoping for the best.

 

[zoggy]

Ok. Fleas dont jump on me when I enter the room. (atleast I dont think they do?)
I think I should get the fogger just incase.

 

[jane_vernon]

Treating the cats may not unfortunately get rid of the fleas, although it will get rid of most, as Semiferal is right, they no longer have a cat host - But they can survive in the carpet for a long time.

And they can jump onto humans instead!

So as you have already treated the cats, I would use a fogger and then vacuum like you've never vacuumed before...Then your problem should be solved!

 

[semiferal]

Originally Posted by Zoggy

I think I should get the fogger just incase.

A flea fogger essentially sprays poison throughout your entire home. The warning label on the package even says to get out of the house while you are using it.

It is a much better idea to treat the cats and vacuum the carpets, and only use the fogger if you have diligently tried these for at least 6 weeks and there is still no improvement - which is a very unlikely situation.

P.S. - you would definitely know if the fleas were jumping on you! They make their presence felt, to say the least!

 

[dr. doolittle]

I would just like to clear up the worm question. Fleas carry tapeworms. Cats get tapeworms by ingesting fleas while grooming. Cats get roundworms from their mothers and by contacting infected feces. The person at your vet clinic was wrong.

Please re-read my post and all posts by semi-feral and Hissy. In them you will find sound advice on de-fleaing your house. It takes a lot of vaccuuming and patience! If you are going to use the hartz product please follow all the instructions and don't spray it while your cats are in the room. It could cause a reaction. Give the product lots of time to work, then clean the room thoroughly before letting your cats back in.

Also please remind your parents that it will cost more money in the long run to use the cheap over-the-counter products than it will to spend money on the good stuff right from the start!

 

[jane_vernon]

Thats why I recommended the Adams stuff as it is made with pets in mind by a Veterinary company.

And the poison is only dangerous to pets and humans in those first two hours and when it is airborne. It then loses it potency towards vertebrates and only becomes dangerous to the fleas.

 

[hissy]

And do not, and I repeat DO NOT apply a flea treatment every two weeks unless it is directed by YOUR veterinarian. There is no way that anyone on this board can know anything about these kittens, and their health unless they are in your home and observing them. Please make sure that whatever you use Revolution, Frontline or Advantage you only use it under the direct supervision of a qualified vet in your area.

 

[hissy]

Originally Posted by Zoggy

Ok. Fleas dont jump on me when I enter the room. (atleast I dont think they do?)
I think I should get the fogger just incase.

They would only stay on you if you were as hairy as your kittens. They need a place where they can effectively live and hide, and if they jump on you, you notice right away and you squish them

 

[zoggy]

Currently my carpets are rolled up and next to a wall. Should I unroll them on the floor?