HELP! I've got fleas.

Okay I don't (so far as I know) but all the fur babies do. 3 dog pack and two indoor cats.

We waited a bit too long to give them the flea meds, (Generally don't need to in the winter at our place) and now everybody's miserable.

Debating whether to bomb ourselves, have a professional come treat, or any other viable options.

We're super lucky where we live, for whatever reason we don't usually have problems with bugs.
No roaches, until very recently no ant problems, hardly any flies, and flea meds once it heats up in the summer has always been enough, so dealing with an active infestation is new ground for us.

Spent $300+ at the vet yesterday for anti-itch shots, vet recommended Seresto flea collars @ $60 per animal, pest control pros want to sign us up for a contract to come every 60 days @ $55/mo. or $230 for a 1 time treatment (I don't think we need it all year long, but one treatment may not be enough.
We've been doing the prescription Bravecta chews for the dogs and Cheristan topical on the cats, all that is expensive too.

I feel bad for all the animals I love, but I also don't wanna' spend ridiculous amounts of money on stuff that doesn't work.

What have you guys and gals used with success, what didn't work, self treat vs. professionals, etc.?

 

I treat the house and yard for bugs myself with stuff from Lowes.

The 2 dogs they get Simparica Trio for Pet Owners | Zoetis Petcare once a month year around.
It's expensive for 2 dogs, about $40 a pill, and can't imagine the cost for all the animals you have.
Needs a vet prescription, but cheaper online with the script.

No bugs on the dogs, minimal in the house.
Maverick scratches sometimes, but mostly because of anxiety.
He will go all day without scratching, then once the wife pulls into the driveway, he starts going at it.
He takes daily Apoquel for this and it helps, he is worse when he doesn't take it.

Good luck..

 

Thanks, yeah the Old MacDonald menagerie can get spendy, but they're worth it.

The Bravecta chews are like $70 a pill but supposed to last for 3 months. I'm wondering if the little buggers aren't developing a resistance to it, might have to switch it up to Simparica or something. The vet said they can develop a tolerance.

Do you know what the outside stuff is that you use?

 

My inside and outside stuff.
I've also used Spectracide outside.
One year, I used an Amdro lawn bug killer, and it was awesome.
I never found it again, I use the Amdro fire ant killer for any mounds.
But usually putting the lawn bug killer down, I have very few ant mounds after a heavy rain.

I use a Scotts Speedy Green 2000 spreader on the 4 1/2 setting for the yard.
I crank it up to 6 when I'm going around the foundation of the house.

 

Id occasionally get ticks in El Centro and while in yuma. I know they've picked them up at river and senators wash.
Id treat yard with home depot stuff, bomb house, and keep on top of them on the pups. Bathe and flea dip them too.
Now in VA, i hear ticks are a bad problem. I have several deer, fox, and raccoons on my ring cameras in yard nightly, i know they probably have ticks.
I spray my yard in the warmer months probably monthly with some stuff i found on Amazon. You can spray it and let the dogs out while its still wet, safe. Dogs have had 2 ticks in 5 yrs, my yard is pretty wooded. For all the other bugs i use stuff you cant get in CA.

 

Cool, thanks very much.

I was just looking at the Spectracide on HD's website.

I've used Amdro for ants before, good stuff. (Unless you're an ant)

 

I just saw that Wondercide on Amazon this morning, had pretty good reviews. I guess it's all plant based?

I saw a Wondercide spray for indoors too

 

I haven’t tried the inside stuff but am impressed with the outside stuff. Something about the oils covering them and suffocating them.

This stuff for other bugs. Highly potent nasty stuff.

 

Thanks all, this is helpful.

I always like real world feedback from my people.

 

Next time you’re in Yuma, see if the bug dr is still in business. He was on 4th ave. You can buy stuff not available in CA there.

called bug depot now.

 

An aerosol can of permethrin is what the “pros” used at our house to treat fleas once. Don’t get duped into paying $25 or $100 a can for it either. Tractor supply has the stuff for like $9 a can. Takes several cans to go around spraying all the soft surfaces in the house. The other two most effective treatment tools you probably already own. A clothes dryer and a vacuum. Both are very effective. I recommend using the vacuum hard core several times, then using the permethrin spray to follow. Our fleas went away.

 

Much better killin' supplies in Free America.

California, where bug lives matter.

That said, I do my best to avoid Yuma in the summer.

 

Local DIY pest control places have some good stuff.

 

I didn't know there was such a thing as local DIY pest control places.

 

Neither did i until yuma. Guy was great, explained how to apply everything too.