h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Anyone who has been invaded by fleas in their home will appreciate the value of this article. I have cruised the web after a very harsh weekend for both my bitten ankles (as far up on my legs actually as I wouldnt like to mention) and my poor kitten Charlie.

I have learnt so much I cant tell you. As I woke this morning after hardly any sleep amongst my scratching and paranoia as I know I can feel these blasted fleas... I felt like breaking into tears. I know I'm tired cos of it and it sounds like I'm exagerating but you feel like you are defenceless after purcasing so many products and still seeing them hop about on you and your cat.

So, with determination, I cruised the web for a solution and I think now I have some answers!! Light at end of tunnel.

Also try this web site if you have flea problems - it is also great and from a lady who has been through it too: http://www.cat-box.net/cats/fleas.html

Charlie and I are now on the path to flea recovery.

oH POOR YOU AND cHARLIE. i HAVE HAD THE FLEA NIGHTMARE, AND IT REALLY IS A NIGHTMARE.

i THINK THE MISTAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE IS BUYING CHEAPER PRODUCTS FROM PET SHOPS OR SUPERMARKETS, ONLY TO FIND THEY ARE NOT POTENT ENOUGH AND THEN HAVE TO SPEND EVEN MORE MONEY ON PRESCRIPTION STUFF

Sorry about the capitals - only just noticed

Buying a prescription treatment from a vet and treating all year round is the best way to get them out and keep them out.

But I agree that there is so much to choose from it is hard to know where to start. Even now one of the main companies are launching a new product...

We ended up getting the council to fumigate our flat after my little darlings picked them up.

Anyway good luck and I hope you get the problem under control.

There is some comfort in that you are not alone and others have suffered the flea nightmare!!

Cheap products that your not entirely sure are working are a problem but you're also worried about the chemicals and how much damage you might be doing to your cat/yourself.

Out of interest, how much did it cost to get the council in to de-pest your home of fleas?

I don't know - I was living in a flat provided by my employer at the time - a university vet school as I am a veterinary nurse!!!

So I think they picked up the bill.

I think some local authorities may do it for free if you have tried everything else.

I was mortified as you can imagine! But as neither me or my cats are very allergic to flea saliva then we didn't scratch much. If you are very allergic to the saliva then you feel every bite. We spent the whole day spraying the flat - the cats were sent to the isolation ward at work while we did it. My finger was numb with all the spraying and we had to virtually tip our flat upside down to get into every nook and cranny.

Most of the products no longer contain organophosphates - mainly due to public concern over the safety of them. The best treatments are the spot on treatments IMO as they have no toxic effect on vertebrates and kill the little beggars within 24 hours.

Use a good worming treatment too as fleas spread tapeworms!

I make sure my s have no little hitchhikers of their own all the time now!!

They are easily caught and not something to be ashamed of, but even so we always keep a bit quiet about it if we think have them!!

back when I worked in veterinary public health, we found out that one of our coworkers had recently had her pets taken away from her by the county because they were so flea infested they were becoming anemic. it was really awful.

That's terrible.

I have seen it in very young kittens a few times. They are simply sucked dry by the fleas and can need blood transfusions. (I remember one never made it - although I think the one that died may have had some immune deficiency or virus such as felv/fiv and the fleas were too much for the poor thing.)

An animals circulating blood volume in ml is 7% of it's bodyweight, so if you have a teeny kitten that weighs 300gm, then a heavy infestation can do some serious damage over a few days.

Thanks for your advice, it much appreciated. I am indeed very allergic to the flea spit and my partner too!! Charlie though seems better this morning which is a relief. After blitzing the house, carpets, beds, clothes etc I went through his coat thoroughly last night and did hand to flea combat and killed many using the 'throw them on the work surface and quickly splat them with a wooden spoon' method. Very effective!

I will definately get him wormed and keep a close diary of when he needs his 'on the spot' dose topping up every month. I have learnt so much in the last 72 hours - I just wish I had done my research BEFORE Charlie came to live with us.

Like most things - we learn the hard way!

I found your article QUITE informative!
I hope you don't mind my adding my little finding...

I have read and have found that it doesn't hurt to feed your cat or dog brewers yeast/garlic tablets. I buy the combined tablets at the pet store and my dogs and cats love them, it's very good for thier coat and the fleas don't like the taste of the animal's skin when they are on it.

-cj