flea info please

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Lauralai - 01 Oct 2003 04:55 GMT

Hi

Well I think I am having my first experience with fleas. I thought I found a
bug one of my kittens the other day but did not really think anything of it
since we have little bugs that are in our house. Well one of the other cats
has been scratching more than usual but I figured it was dry skin. Well
tonight, i was in the basement loving the cat that stay down there since she
does not like the other cats and has always been a basement cat, well i
noticed a bug on her. I looked for more and did not see anymore but if it is
a flea, there probably are more. I have a flea comb, I used it on one of my
kitties so far, and I did not find anything so they may just be starting to
get them. I was wondering what the best treatment for fleas are other than
prescription and if any of them really work. two of the kitties already have
a vet appointment for the 19th of October and i can get the flea treatment
then since it's only 15 dollars per kitty, but I'm not sure what i can do
till then. if there's nothing really better than the vet stuff than i can
take my one cat in on Friday and get the treatment for her since her next
vet appointment is due in a month i could go early and then maybe the vet
will give me the treatment for the other 2 kitties since she saw them 10
days ago and offered me the treatment before but i didn't think i would need
it since they are indoor only and i have never had fleas before. I am not
even really sure how they got the fleas if that is what they have since they
are all indoor kitties and only the dogs go outside but they do not have
fleas. In addition, i was wondering what fleas look like, the ones i saw
were like lice size i did not really get that good of a look at them though
and i tried looking for a picture but all of the ones i could find were of
like a microscopic fleas.

So basically i was wondering if there are any OTC flea treatments that you
can get a petsmart that work well or is it pretty much the vet stuff only.

Thanks

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Karen - 01 Oct 2003 05:34 GMT

> Hi
>
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> Thanks

It's really the stuff from at the vet that is best. OTC stuff is way to
dangerous.

Karen

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Lauralai - 01 Oct 2003 05:50 GMT

well we deffinately have fleas, i combed the cats using a comb and only one
had one flea that i could find, the one that stays in the basement so i'm
not sure how she got them. since she doesn't have much contact with 2 of the
other cats, just one of my cats, we have 4, 2 are kittens who stay upstairs
only and than one cat who goes up and down and then the one in the basement.
they other one who goes up and down had black stuff on her that i presumed
was flea dirt. the two kitties were clean. also since in a reply post
someome said that OTC stuff are dangerous i was wondering if that included
shampoo's and the stuff you put on the carpet, since we have 4 cats and 2
dogs it would get a little pricy to treat all of them since 2 dogs and 2
cats would more than likely have to go to the vet to get the stuff. I mean
i will take them but it many only be 1 or 2 every week and that could take a
total of 6 weeks to treat them so anything in the mean time would be good.
since i would have to pay for it all myself since my parents can't afford it
and if i tell my mom we have fleas she'll want to go out and get an OTC flea
control rather than wait for me to take them to the vet. I will phone
around tomorrow and see if my vet will give me the stuff for the 2 kittens
since she saw them not that long ago and offered to put it on them then,
maybe she would allow me to pick it up and put it on them myself.

> Hi
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>
> Thanks

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MaryL - 01 Oct 2003 11:27 GMT

> Hi
>
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>
> Thanks

Please don't use any over-the-counter flea treatments -- they are
ineffective and often dangerous. Most vets recommend either Advantage or
Frontline, and I think most will sell them without an appointment. Apply
the treatment to all of your cats on the same day. DO NOT use flea collars
or any other treatments at the same time. In fact, I would not use flea
collars at all on the cats. However, it is a good idea to cut a flea collar
in small pieces and vacuum some and leave it in the vacuum bag or cannister.
That should get any eggs that you may have picked up that way.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly (pictorial history of my blind cat Duffy's
integration into our household):
Duffy, Part I: The Introduction -- http://tinyurl.com/8y54
Duffy, Part II: Life at Home -- http://tinyurl.com/8y56

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Laura - 01 Oct 2003 13:53 GMT

it's me Lauralai just on a different computer
well i phoned the vet and it is cheaper than i thought that it would be,
it's 45.95 for the visit and vacination's and then an extra 10 dollars for
the flea control for the cats. it is 49.95 for the dogs and a maximum of 12
dollars for the flea control. i was wondering if it would be ok to get the
2 cats i know that have it now the flea control and then in 2 weeks get the
kittens who i didn't see any on then when they go for there last set of vacs
before being spayed and nutered (unless the vet can give me the flea stuff
when i take the other 2 cats in because she saw them 2 weeks ago and will
see them again in 2 weeks) and then the 2 dogs 2 weeks after that. i read
online that it should be put on all the pets at the same time, but i simply
cannot afford that right now and my parents can not help me, even though the
2 dogs and 1 of the cats are there's and then the other 3 kitties are mine.

i'm still trying to figure out how they got them, the only thing my mom can
think of they got them from out guinea pigs who were in the garage over
summer and who have now come inside, since in the garage we have apparently
have mice that i just saw after we brought the guinea pigs in so maybe the
mice gave it to the guinea pigs and then the guinea pigs gave it to the
cats. if that is possible anyone know any flea treatment ok for guinea
pigs?
thanks

> Hi
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> Thanks

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Sherry - 01 Oct 2003 15:17 GMT

>it's me Lauralai just on a different computer
>well i phoned the vet and it is cheaper than i thought that it would be,
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>when i take the other 2 cats in because she saw them 2 weeks ago and will
>see them again in 2 weeks) and then the 2 dogs 2 weeks after that.

Hi Lauralai. Tell the vet about your financial quandary. It won't hurt to try,
and he very well may send you home with enough flea control for your other
animals at a reduced rate. Could even sell you a full dose of Advantage, with a
needle-less syringe to measure out the dose yourself for the kittens-that would
save you money. Especially if he knows you're bringing them in in two weeks
anyway. If you *don't* see any fleas on the kittens anyway, what infestation
they do may may be so slight you can rid them of the fleas with a bath & flea
comb. The fleas could have originated with the guinea pigs, but I never can
figure out where the ones around here come from anyway. I think sometimes
they're just in the grass and we carry them in on our pants legs or socks or
something.
Please don't use over-the-counter flea products. They're just not safe,
especially for kittens. I learned this the hard way by two shelter cats
convulsing and dying after I had treated them with products donated by a
well-known manufacturer.

Sherry

Sherry

Sherry

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MaryL - 01 Oct 2003 15:22 GMT

> it's me Lauralai just on a different computer
> well i phoned the vet and it is cheaper than i thought that it would be,
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> >
> > Thanks

Treatment will probably be much more effective if you treat all the cats
(and also the dogs, if they are indoor pets) at the same time. Otherwise,
some of the cats can still remain as active "hosts," and fleas easily
navigate from one cat to another. Why don't you ask the vet if you could
get Advantage for all of your pets when you have the first one examined? It
is even possible that your vet would let you put some of the medication on
your account until you bring the other cats in for their appointments (but
that will vary, depending on the vet). Here is a number for an online
pharmacy: http://www.1800petmeds.com/
You would need to get a prescription from your vet and wait a few days for
delivery, but it might save money.

You said that two are kittens. Be sure to mention that to the vet when
asking about flea control. You probably should also treat the house while
you are taking care of this. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about
guinea pigs and can't answer that part of your question.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

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Lauralai - 01 Oct 2003 23:43 GMT

hi
i bought some zodiac flea control shampoo ok to use or have there been cases
of it harming animals, i didn't get the oil stuff that goes on the back of
there neck because i have heard about the hartz stuff so i'm not sure if i
would want to trust the oil stuff. i might have to wait til next thursday
to take them into the vet. i combed them all today and the kittens had no
fleas that i could find or dirt. the one that goes up and down only had one
that i could find and some dirt, she got mad at me though and bit me so i
let her go and then the one that stays downstairs had 3 that i got off her
and then she threw a fit also. but there isn't that many so maybe some
shampoo and vacuuming will get rid of them or hold off til i have more money
to take them to the vet and time since i'm off school all next week i can
harass my parents to let me take them then.

> Hi
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[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> Thanks

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