This will be a somewhat long review, but hopefully it will be of help to those with a flea problem. I have three cats, who are 8, 7 and 4 years old. 8 years and I’ve never seen one flea on any of my cats....not one!
This year, however, has been nothing short of a nightmare. Maybe due to the heat wave this summer 2018, but all my cats have fleas. I had no idea until I took my Abyssisian to the vets with a terrible rash on her lower back, tail and around her back legs. All my cats had frontline monthly, so I was in total shock when the vet told me she had fleas! What! Yes flea dirt gave it away and my cat had an allergic reaction called FAD. Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction to a flea bite that manifests in a pet's skin. Both dogs and cats can develop FAD. Affected pets can have an extreme allergic reaction to certain proteins in the flea's saliva, which the flea injects into the pet's skin during biting and feeding.
Initially, there was no indication of fleas on the cats, all three didn’t even scratch, no nibbling, nothing! All the signs you read about and my cats weren’t doing them! I also didn’t see anything in the house. So I was in shock! Only noticing my Abyssisan skin change, along with her personality change gave me a clue something was wrong. If I hadn’t of taken her to the vets, well I would have gone on thinking it was eczema or something. Lesson learned, frontline no longer works on my cats! (Now changed to advantage)
When I started to get my cats bedding, I couldn’t believe deep in the corners were horrible eggs, even saw them in the hoover, yuck! (Make sure you empty hoover contents into outside bin) Washed everything at 90 degrees and hoovered them. I vacuumed really well and discarded the hoover contents outside in a sealed bag and "bombed" the house at 3 different times.....I am sure that it helped, but didn't do the trick. I spent a fortune on different things, even purchasing flea traps for every room, but didn’t even catch one flea! Using a shallow bowl with some washing up liquid in and your own light over is more effective and cheaper.
After all failed, I then purchased this, Virbac flea spray and used it on and under the couch (turn your couch over so you can spray under the couch, not just the floor), and under the beds and all furniture just to make sure that those areas were treated. Before I continue, let me say that what i did may seem overkill, but in the end it worked. Did one thing work better than another?.......I'm not sure, but I know the combination of all things left us flea free. So, with each step we still had fleas even though it was getting better. I purchased Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth after watching YouTube, you want the food grade in case your pet licks their feet - you can even dust your pet with it and put it on the carpets, furniture, floors, everywhere. It is messy, but leave it for a few days. I vacuumed that up (it's best if your vacuum has a beater brush, best suction in my opinion). I then purchased Zero in flea killer (2 of them) and put them in various areas and rooms where the fleas were the worst and they didn’t work.
Also, during all of this i treated the yard and sprayed the bins where I was emptying my hoover after every use. I also bought lots of lemon cleaning products as apparently fleas hate lemon. After hoovering I’d also wash the hoover with lemon spray. So the filter, barrel, just all of it! Didn’t want them jumping back out!
Okay, so everything was getting better in the house, but not as well as I wanted or thought it should be after everything I had done. I went online to look for further solutions. I mopped the vinyl and ceramic floors with lemon floor wash. Cats didn’t appreciate that, but had to be done! At all times of using the spray make sure the cats and dogs are out the house for at least an hour.
I didn't wring all of the lemon water out of the mop because I wanted it to sit on the surface of the floor and especially around the baseboards. The other solution (and again you want a vacuum with a beater brush) was salt on the carpets and rugs. I put it on heavy. From what I read, it breaks down the exoskeleton of the flea and they dehydrate and DIE! I believe in the end, that that was of great benefit. If you have a beater brush, it isn't hard to vacuum out the carpet and rugs. I left it for about a week because as they try and move around in it, it removes that exoskeleton.
Make sure all pets are treated with a preventative. Once you think you have the fleas under control, continue to hoover! With this spray hoover for 7 days solid after application, then continue! Use Flea Traps, they work for some and available on here. Again you can make your own with a shallow bowl, hot water, washing up liquid and a desk lamp. YouTube was my best friend whilst this was going on. Wash bedding regularly, it’s where they were the most!
Good luck to anyone with the nightmare of fleas!
I had many questions when using this spray and this is what I did, whether it’s right or wrong.
1. Closed windows whilst applying. Opened windows once applied to air for about an hour.
2. I did apply to my mattress, duvet and pillows, as my cats sleep on my bed
3. Hoover for 7 days after and continue
4. Used too much, 2 bedroom house, I used two bottles. Lessoned learned, don’t spray as much as me.
5. Washed bedding and clothes at 90 degrees to kill! My 100% Linen bedding I couldn’t wash that high, but the rest I did.
6. Make sure you have bathed your cats and given them flea treatment that works. Forget frontline, I’ve seen too many reviews on it not working anymore, which caused my problem in the first place! Switched to advantage and whether they work or not all three of my cats now have flea collars on also. A few days later make sure you have also wormed them with droncit or another brand, as fleas can carry worms.
7. I only sprayed to about 50 cm off the floor, apart from around skirting boards and window sills as my cats sleep on them. Did spray the curtains also.
8. Make sure you get in all nooks and crannies. I have a Victorian house, so unfortunately have many of them.
9. The place I saw them most was in the cats baskets, wedged deep down. The couches where they sleep, I took the pillows off that I could, sprayed, then hoovered later. Dig deep down sides to hoover.
10. Hoover your washing machine! Lots of cat hair left after washing all their bedding.
11. It does smell when spraying, but soon goes after airing. The smell isn’t as bad as another I used, bought on amazon and didn’t work, acclaim household flea spray.
12. Again don’t take for granted that your flea prevention on your animals works! Keep checking!
13. This spray was £25 at my vets. Much better to buy on here, but does take a few days to arrive.
14. Directions on bottle (photo) as not supplied on here
| Brand | Virbac |
|---|---|
| Model Number | INDOREX |
| Colour | Flea Spray |
| Product Dimensions | 28 x 7 x 7 cm; 100 Grams |
| Volume Capacity | 500 Millilitres |
| Item Weight | 100 g |
