Is this a flea?! *update: still itchy*

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that this has happened. All of my cats are indoor only so I used to think that I wouldn't ever need to use flea treatments on them. Well I was very wrong. California has very mild winters so fleas can live all year long. I also live in a condo complex so if my neighbors pet has fleas, then they can just jump onto the hallway carpet and get into my condo. I now use advantage year round on all of my cats. I've been buying the largest dog size and then I measure it out according to how much my cats weigh. One of my former vets recommended this to me to help save me money. I buy it online from entirelypets.com. They have many sales on it throughout the year. Ever since I've been using it, I've never had any more fleas. I hope that you'll be able to get rid of them quickly. Good luck.

I also wanted to mention to you that many fleas carry tapeworm so you also need to be on the lookout for this. If you ever see something on your pet or in their bedding that looks like rice, then it's probably tapeworm. Your pet would then need be treated for it. My cat Sky got them before I adopted him because he had been treated for fleas but not tapeworm. I later had to treat him with drontal pills and then retreat him a few weeks later. Hopefully the fleas you have don't carry tapeworm.

[Sowa]

I haven't found anymore fleas on Clover so I think most/all the adults are gone. She is still really itchy though. Will this last much longer for her? Also does it take a month for the pupae or whatever to hatch? If they hatched before the month is over then I'm assuming the advantage won't still be working so why is it a monthly thing?

[Jessika]

There can still be fleas that you just don't see, but yes the flea allergy from bites can last a few days... if the itching is still really bad (ie scratching/chewing themselves raw) then maybe consider a vet visit for an injection to help with immediate relief. Remember: all current fleas on your pet may be gone, but they may be being exposed to, reinfested and/or bit by new fleas from the environment trying to hitch a ride so even if they aren't physically on your pet anymore, they may be hopping on, biting, and dying... which causes itching to start all over again.

The pupae can lie dormant for MONTHS before hatching. It's a survivability tactic if conditions aren't favorable for hatching. That's why its important to keep your pets on a preventative for a few months consecutively as well as adamantly cleaning your household for a few months. The advantage works throughout the month; it isn't like a dewormer that gets rid of all current pests and then you get reinfested as the month goes on. If a new flea jumps on them at the end of the month, the product should still work to kill them. Granted, the percentage of effectiveness starts to decline the closer you get to the end of the month and I dont know what it is specifically with Advantage but it should still, theoretically, work.

[Karen]

Is there any way you could give your niece flea collars for her cats or something so her kittens don't continually reinfect your dogs? If they don;t treat their cats fleas, the cats will be uncomfortable, and their own home can become infested, of course. I'd avoid visiting there if I knew the cats had untreated fleas. I agree, it is just irresponsible of them.

[Sowa]

I wouldn't even be surprised if I got them a flea collar that they wouldn't use it. They don't seem to think it's a problem she (my niece) was laughing at my mom when she was telling them to treat their cats. I don't have any extra cash right now anyway. I just started a new job, maybe after I a few checks I can try that.

Zeke has an appt tom at the vet. (because he seemed extra itchy but I guess I know why now lol) Still taking him though because he has raw patches and seems really uncomfortable I hope they can give him something other then the steroid type stuff that just makes him pee all over the place. It never seems to work well for itching...

[Sowa]

bump

[Karen]

One one's histamine level is up, one can stay itchy for days after the initial whatever it was that caused it is over, as the immune system is in hyperdrive.

I say that as an allergic human. I have been told most people's mosquito bites don't
a) swell up to 1/4" or more across and turn hot pink or
b) still itch a couple days later, but that's my body for ya!

Hopefully it will subside.


Do you want me to ask the vets about this on Friday's radio show?