Passing fleas from dogs to cats via people

[vicky2498]

My mum has an old labrador x golden retriever he is riddled with fleas and as soon as she treats him more appear. I have just got an 9 week old kitten and after a couple of days of having her i noticed fleas on her as well. Me and my mum live seperatly but is it possible that I could have carried home eggs or live fleas from my mums dog and passed them on to my kitten?

[cruella]

I am not an expert, more experienced people here will be able to offer you advice, but has your Mum treated the whole house for fleas?
This must be done as well as the dog. If not, the eggs will hatch. The whole house, furniture carpets etc have to be treated.

[Noweia]

Yes, you can carry fleas into your house and pass them to pets who never go outside.

Cruella is right in that only 5% of fleas live on the dog, the rest of the lifecycle exists in the carpets/upholstery as eggs and larvae. Treating the dog only removes part of the population, which is just replaced a smore adult fleas develop.

[Jugglering]

Unfortunately, yes, you could have brought them home (cat and dog fleas, whilst different critters, can both live on cats and dogs).

You all (meaning you, your mum, your mum's dog and your respective houses) need to be treated but your kitten will need to be sorted out by the vet - she is too young for the commercially available sprays etc.

When all this is sorted out, you all really need to get flea protection sorted out before you even see the fleas - something like *front line*. If you search on-line you can buy these drops for a fraction of the price at the vet clinic or pharmacy. Once you can see the fleas on an animal, you have a serious infestation, sorry ! Prevention is better than the cure.

[jules77]

Your mother needs to use one of the specialist household flea treatments, and de flea the dog at the same time. The treatments available from the pet shops are very rarely successful and a waste of money. You need to use either Frontline spray (only available from the vets), or the drop on available on line, and one of the spray treatments for the house eg: Indorex, also available online, see link below. Make sure you do your kitten and your mothers dog and both houses.

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=ind ex&cPath=3&zenid=4a3f4cfb8647b2e6b23a7048ac7cc 745

[frankofile]

Just a word of warning. I'm glad to see most people recomend Frontline. I've used it for some years on my 4 cats with no problems. recently my vets surgery have started to prescribe Promeris instead as it supposedly lasts longer. All 4 of my cats ended up with bald patches on their necks like burns, and when I made enquiries via AB. I was appalled at the amount of legal proceedings going on in America against Promeris. I havn't confronted my Vet yet, but I will next month when next boosters due

[garner]

Just to carry on from frankofile, I have three cats..Two are fine with frontline but one has an allergy to it.Just thought I would give you a warning.g.

[rcl1]

Just to repeat some of the above, but i would also recommend the frontline spot on (alot chaper online than in the vets). I had an unfortunate infestation that cost a fortune to get rid of (including ripping up my hall carpet and binning it as that seemed to be the worst for them) cause i kept using the stuff you buy in the shops. Had no problem since using frontline. Also got a house hold spray from the vets called Skootch (i probably spelt that wrong - sorry). his is safe to use around animals. I believe that i got the fleas from visiting a fiends house who had a dog.

I would recommend treating the house asap before you have a problem like i did.

[vicky2498]

yeah my mum has been treating the dog with frontline and spraying the carpets and furniture but hes a really large old dog and hes just prone to them, ive treated the cat with frontline and wormed her with drontal at the same time but i need a spray that is safe to use rount toddlers?

[Illyria54]

Tell your mum to contact her local council, they will charge her about �30 but they will deflea her home, embarrassing I can appreciate but worth getting done as the 'little blighter's' will just keep coming back. Don't treat your kitten before talking to the vet as the kitten is so young, if the vet prescribes Frontline tell him you will buy it online, I buy my dogs flea and worm treatment online it is much cheaper, you will also need to worm kitty at the same time.

[rcl1]

Hi, I did spell the flea spray wrong but here is a link:

http://www.nutrecare.co.uk/special_detail.asp? prod_id=1990

Safe to use round humans

[woofgang]

be careful with the frontline spot on if you have more than one animal, the small print warns against allowing animals to groom each other until the product is thoroughtly dry