Frisky has fleas!!

[Lacy]

As I was talking on the phone I realized black specks on Frisky's lower back. I found 1, 2, 3, and then a whole bunch all @ once! I knew it was flea eggs. I found only 1 actually moving so as soon as I found them I went straight to the Wal-Mart here in town and purchased flea bath and flea collars. I just gave him a bath and whoa! I can't stand that poor meow sound in the bath tub! I am taking him to the vet VERY soon to get his hair cut. It all makes since now, because he's all matted on one side of his body and that's where all the fleas were. So I'm thinking that the fleas irritated him so bad he kept itching @ them and made his fur ball up and feal so nappy. I'll be updating you later in the week on his vet visit!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that Frisky has fleas. Even though my cats are indoor only, I use advantage every month because I had a flea problem several years ago. Since then all of my cats have been fine. Since some fleas can carry tapeworms, you may also want to have the vet give him some drontal pills so that he won't get tapeworms. My newest furkid Sky had fleas before I adopted him and ended up with tapeworms. Good luck and please keep us updated.

[jenluckenbach]

Be VERY careful how many flea products you use on your cat. TELL the vet what you have used so far in case he wants to prescribe something else. You can KILL a cat with multiple doses of flea product!!!
By the way, just for info's sake, you do not see flea eggs on your pet (fleas lay their eggs in the environment, not on the animal) what you see is flea "droppings" (flea poop...so to speak).
Best of luck with kitty.

[Lacy]

Well that's what it was. Flea poop!!! Yuck!

[sqwelch]

There's also a great house spray that you can get from the vets, you simply spray each room, leave to breathe for a couple of hours and no more beasties of ANY kind and it last for up to a month!!! Not much fun for the cat though cos Bonnie loves playing with spiders !!!

[catmandu]

Ova Collars and Revolution have always come to the rescue at the Lost Cats Hotel.Good Products , although Micheal always loses the collar , or ruins it!

[sirrahbed]

When we first brought our new kittens home, both had fleas. The vet gave them each one dose of Drontal (for worms) and one dose of Advantage (drops on their neck) and nary a flea in 6 months. I did wash all bedding and vacuum really well in case there were eggs about. (throw away the vac bag, too)

[jazzcat]

When I adopted Scout back in July the first thing I did was take her to the vet before I brought her home. They found she had fleas and earmites. They gave her a dose of Revolution to get rid of both but she had an allergic reaction to it and her hair fell out and her skin was burned where they applied the liquid.

I use Advantage on my dog with no problems but I'll be staying away from Revolution for cats or dogs.

[mruffruff]

Some vet use a new flea killer called 'Capstar'. It costs about $5 a dose and rids the animal of all fleas within a very short time.

I've used Revolution on more than 20 cats and 6 dogs and fortunately never had a problem. I've never had good results with any flea collars.

Mary

[sirrahbed]

My vet also uses Capstar on any animal who comes in for surgery. This protects the flealess from getting fleas and the fleabitten from spreading them! I am not sure why they do not use it routinely though - for that they use Advantage once or more. I think Capstar is a systemic (goes through the bloodstream) rather than a topical like Advantage, so it is likely more potent.

[wolfsoul]

Sorry to hear about the fleas.

Please be careful with the collars. Cats can very easily poison themselves by licking around the area and ingesting the chemicals.

[carole]

I am not a fan of flea collars either, they may work when the fleas are not so rampant, but I have found advantage to be excellent, no bad side effects and it kills any in the bedding as well.

I am interested in hearing about revolution, its just arrived here, and it doses them for fleas and worms, I was thinking of trying it, but I see there are some bad reactions, maybe I had best stick with what I know.

[Lorraine]

Poor Frisky! Both of my cats had fleas when I first got them. Sammy was completley infested, but they went away quickly when the vet gave him Advantage. Romeo also was treated with Advantage, and it works great.It got rid of the fleas in the carpets also. I agree about the flea collars, they can be very toxic, and don't work well anyway. Good Luck!

[Lacy]

The vet said that he couldn't trim Frisky until Nov. 13th!!!! We made an appt. and said to call if their were any cancelations too!