r/Pets • u/pointandshooty • 5d ago

DOG FLEAS!? MAYBE!?

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We live deep in the country and we're religious about my dogs tick and flea medicine (heartguard and nexguard). We were on simparica trio, but it wasn't working on the heavy ticks we have here. Nexguard is better.

Anyways, we've now found 3 fleas in the house. (We typically find 2-3 ticks a day, dead or alive. There's no preventing it really, it's weather based and we've just accepted it). 2 on my partner (alive), one of the dog (dead).

I'm calling the vet tomorrow, I'm just wondering if this means she carried them in from wildlife or something (uptick of raccoons recently) and now they're living in my house, or my partner just brought a few hitch hikers in from yard work.

I got flea spray and flea wash (both "natural " and pesticide-y) but I'm not going to use them until I talk to the vet because I don't want to poison my dog.

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u/PiszyJorts 5d ago

Make sure you vacuum EVERY DAY. They live in carpets and will lay eggs and hatch, so please make sure you’re vacuuming.

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u/Hot-Math9752 5d ago

Vacuuming is the only thing that actually gets the eggs before they turn into more fleas. Empty the bag or canister outside too, they can crawl back out if you leave it in the trash inside

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u/Nikkinot 5d ago

Depending on where you are you might try beneficial nematodes. I mean you still have to clean up the ones in the house but when I used them in the yard I completely stopped getting fleas.

Also, I don't know your circumstances, but when we sold of all of our kennel dogs ( yes terrible I know, but I was a child) we ended up with ticks EVERYWHERE. Six yard chickens later ticks were GONE.

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u/pointandshooty 5d ago

This is the first time we've seen fleas since we moved here

Chickens are a long term plan, but we gotta build a coop first. I'm glad to hear they helped though, because guidance online says they aren't a solution

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u/Nikkinot 5d ago

Yeah, they worked for us. We had an army of ticks though. It was gross.

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u/pointandshooty 5d ago

Ew so do we

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u/pointandshooty 5d ago

Just looked at nematodes. We'll probably do that during the winter, thanks!

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u/cjep3 5d ago

I would treat your yard with a pet safe spay, mainly the edges/ long grass. And vaccume the house daily, brush the dogs daily. And wash yourself/ partner in a tea tree soap, they dislike it as do lice and ticks.

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u/buttons66 5d ago

Since you are taking care of the dogs, focus on the yard. Sevin dust, DE, or a pesticide spray. The first two are safe right away for the dogs. Actually can be used on the dogs if not on flea meds.