ADVICE PLEASE

[littlefish 586]

I noticed my bitch biting at the top of her tail and trying to scratch herself along the wall. On closer inspection under her coat (she has a thick rough coat) it looked like she had been sprinkled with black pepper across her 'rump' and the top of her tail down in her coat, close to her skin. Her skin does not look broken or red. The black bits felt gritty.What I would like to know is would this be a sign of fleas? My other dog, who has a smooth coat does not seem affected, he had fleas when he was a pup and had quite a severe reaction, his skin was raw and he went bald where he was bitten, but as I say he does not seem bothered at the moment. I can't think that she has been anywhere in the past few days where she would have picked up grass seeds - the black bits don't look like grass seeds anyway, more like sand.

 

Anyway, I have shampooed her with Johnson's dog flea shampoo as I had it in the house. I will get some Frontline drops tomorrow. Has anyone any ideas if this would be fleas or just something she has brushed against or rolled in?

 

Thanks.

[MikeTheDog 153]

Fleas!...As you say Frontline the dog. Might be a good idea to get some spray for the house, from the vet or chemist..

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

LittleFish; IF that's fleas ~ my questioning arises only out of lack of more recent personal experience of the things - read on ~ then I might be able to offer a couple of tips?

 

First thing would be (Kooky as it sounds!) to look at ye Dogs diet I shit ye not! Would ye believe, it's becoming a recognised thing now that we who feed our Dogs raw flesh and bone are finding our Dogs hardly ever suffer from fleas? True! I'm reading this all over and finding it myself.

 

I am NOT saying 'Flesh and bone diet = Zero fleas'. But it honestly does seem like '90% Less'. I used to spend good money on flea collars for my lot. They worked. But with several Dogs, it's all money. Now I live in the wilds where there must be more fleas out there than ye can shake a stick at and my Dogs wander about where wildlife gets ..... No more Flea Collars. Seldom see a Dog scratching. I can't explain it. It's just the way it is.

 

That aside. Frontline? I've never used it and really have no strong views on it. People seem to like it. But as for getting 'something to treat the home'? If Mike'll forgive me; The only Viable thing to treat a flea infestation in a home is a Professional Pest Controller.

 

Before I ever bothered to qualifie for the more exotic chemicals (and before I went Raw) I had one, last F*ck of a flea problem. I bought cans of this. Sprays of that. Spent a Lot of good money. Burned the f*cking carpets and moved!

 

Call the council, or ask around for a decent 'one man band' operating in ye area. He'll come along and shoo ye away to do a bit of shopping. He'll spray the entire place with some clever stuff and give ye a little pep talk. And, before ye know it? No more fleas. And it will actually cost ye probably Less than the accumulated total of all that stuff ye'll first try buying from Boots, B&Q and the thieving b*stard in the white coat. Only, after the latter course? Ye'll just as likely end up out of pocket and Still have fleas.

 

Don't forget, mate; If that's fleas on that Dog? Then their eggs are in the very fabric of ye Home. This could just be the beginning. Let a Professional nip it in the bud

[skycat 6,173]

The black grit is flea shit, and if there's that much of it you really do have a serious infestation! By all means treat the dog with Frontline, but that will only kill any fleas that jump on board for a meal. You must treat the house/kennel and vehicle if she goes in it to sort the problem.

 

I've never bothered with calling a pest controller: just go and buy a can of Indorex or Acclaim 2000 from your local chemist or vets: costs about £15 per can: spray everywhere in the house if it is a house dog: the underneath of sofas and armchairs: in all the cracks where the arms and back join, the cushions, along the skirting boards and under cupboards where you wouldn't normally vaccuum, even between floor boards if you have them. along the edges of carpets on stairs etc etc. Hold the can no more than a foot away from what your'e spraying.

 

If it's a kennel dog then empty the kennel, spray all along the inside corners and seams of the kennel and bed, in every corner including under roof: go mad with the stuff. Even spray the run if it is under cover and doesn't get wet.

 

I've not had to Frontline my dogs for nearly 10 years now and all it costs me is a couple of cans per year and I've not had more than the odd flea that the dogs have come home with after being out.

 

What I've done kill all the eggs and developing larva that live in house dirt, dusty corners and soft furnishings, and the effect of the sprays last at least 6 months.

[littlefish 586]

Thanks for all your replies - it looks like fleas are the problem. I've shampooed the other dog now, washed the floors with bleach and dusted the floor and settees etc with flea powder that I found at the back of the dog cupboard and binned their bedding. Thank god I have no carpets! My dog has very sensitive skin and I am amazed that he does not seem to be affected at all - he's 8 now but when he was bitten by fleas as a pup his skin had raw patches and he was as cross as hell! It also cost me £35 back then for a 30 second consultation with a vet. Iv'e had no problems until now but it just goes to show you can't get too complacent. I'll get to the pet supplies/chemist tomorrow and see if I can get the treatment - thanks for your suggestions, and get set on a de-fleaing campaign.

 

Ditch thanks for the advice - at the minute I feed my dogs on CSJ lamb & rice gluten free dry food, which suits them well and I have more confidence in this than a lot of the other proprietary and (over-priced?) brands. And by the way I hope some of those fleas did not hitch a ride over here with you!

ha ha ha!

[juckler123 707]

Best way to clear the house is use a fumigator smoke bomb what gardeners use in their greenhouses after youve tret the dogs washing up liquid works as a shampoo but i used to make my own using vosene,qualada and tcp. get some of them vapona insect stickers put one in every room the dogs use there not expensive make sure you worm your dogs well [fleas and worms go together] it might sound over the top but if your house is over run then they will be a pain to shift better an all out attack.

Ive had dogs in the house for years and them vapona stickers are the buisness not seen a live flea on the dogs in time:victory: .

Edited November 5, 2007 by juckler123