# URGENT, when can I let my dog back inside?



## pancake (Oct 2, 2012)

So the last two days I saw my pup (10 months now) trying to scratch near her belly every now and then and I thought it was weird. I also noticed black small very tiny flakes that I thought was just black dirt from her playing at her friend's backyard. Last night I gave her a shower and once she was dry I was petting her belly when I saw black flakes. So i was picking them off (it wasn't moving or resembled a bug) but then there was a bigger one so I tried to pick it up and it started MOVING. 
anyway it's like crawling on her skin and the only reason I saw it is because it was on her underside where she has tan, lighter fur and less of it. She has a black coat so I wouldn't normally be able to see it. I freaked out (she lives indoors and sleeps in my room and lays right next to me sometimes) and rushed to Walmart at 230AM to get frontline. I applied frontline and put her in a crate overnight in the garage. This morning I took her out for a walk and she's been quarantined outside. So far I'd say it's been about 14-15 hours since the application of frontline. Front line says it kills fleas on contact and takes usually 4-12 hours but only 5% are adults. 95% are eggs! They could be in the furniture. So i just vaccuumed the couch and floors and everything and luckily we have hardwood and not carpet. 

When can I let her back inside? Shes actually never stayed outside and outside in the backyard is pretty dirty, no grass just dirt. LAST THING I WANT is a flea infestation. I had a mini one of those back in college and I had to bomb my entire room and it just made me sick from the gas and pesticides. 

Do fleas feed on humans? if the frontline is killing the fleas is it safe by now that she won't contaminate or spread the eggs and stuff around the house? 
It's getting darker so would appreciate a fast response! Thank you


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## KB007 (Aug 27, 2003)

If it were me, I would let her inside now. If the fleas are going to get indoors they are already there. Keep up to date on flea prevention for her, and google flea control for the home.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Yeah fleas will nibble on people.

If you have carpet you are going to need to do something as the hatching fleas will be very much alive and not dying off as Frontline only works with fleas on the dog. Get some powder flea killer and sprinkle it on the carpet and then vacuum it up. I'd say you have 1-2 weeks of minor fleas issues on the way. 

In all reality having the dog inside now might be a good thing. The hatching fleas will gravitate towards the dog and then the frontline can do it's thing.


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## pancake (Oct 2, 2012)

I feel bad putting her outside it's been a while since i crated her in the garage and she's so sweet she just looks at me and stays there without whining. but the last thing i need right now is a flea infestation i live with other people in the house and that cannot happen. So far we havent been bit or anything


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## KB007 (Aug 27, 2003)

It would have been great to bathe her then put on the flea stuff - but thats ok. Again, leaving her outside is having no effect on not getting an infestation. Where do fleas come from??? OUTSIDE!!!


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## pancake (Oct 2, 2012)

I did bathe her actually and it was last night. I was petting her belly after I bathed her when I saw the black stuff so I rushed out to get the flea medication. Ahh hope no fleas


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## GSD5150 (Apr 16, 2013)

If there was LOTS of flea dirt, chances are you have an infestation, not to creep you out or anything. When bathing a dpg with fleas START with the head. Completely wet the head and face and shampoo that first THEN go to the body. When you wet the body first you are giving the fleas an opportunity to run into the ears, eyes and nose. Let shampoo marinate for 5-10 minutes after rich lather is achieved and after some scrub time. 

Flea infestation: Flea cycle is 3 stages, 10 days apart. In order to kill all of the fleas (If you have an infestation or if you want to be on the cautious side) you have to spray your yard and bomb your house 3 times 10 days apart. Not 3 times 7 days apart, not once and not 3 times 12 days apart. I work at a grooming salon and for some reason 3 times, 10 days apart seem to go in one ear and out the other or they don't listen and think it's fine because they've bombed once a week for a month now. 

Spray/bomb 3 times 10 days apart lol also an oral or topical flea treatment monthly. Frontline Plus is waterproof after 48 hours so you can rebathe your dog before each bombing and it won't effect the flea treatment 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i had a bad flea promblem with my last GSD. i duct taped the kitchen
cabinets, refrigerater, bathroom cabinets, etc. i bought a sprayer
so i could spray the floors and base boards. i bombed every room
and the hallways. all of the animals were dipped. i forget how long
i had to wait but i had to do it all over again.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

GSD5150 said:


> If there was LOTS of flea dirt, chances are you have an infestation, not to creep you out or anything. When bathing a dpg with fleas START with the head. Completely wet the head and face and shampoo that first THEN go to the body. When you wet the body first you are giving the fleas an opportunity to run into the ears, eyes and nose. Let shampoo marinate for 5-10 minutes after rich lather is achieved and after some scrub time.
> 
> Flea infestation: Flea cycle is 3 stages, 10 days apart. In order to kill all of the fleas (If you have an infestation or if you want to be on the cautious side) you have to spray your yard and bomb your house 3 times 10 days apart. Not 3 times 7 days apart, not once and not 3 times 12 days apart. I work at a grooming salon and for some reason 3 times, 10 days apart seem to go in one ear and out the other or they don't listen and think it's fine because they've bombed once a week for a month now.
> 
> ...


 
This! You also want to make sure you use sprays or chemicals with Insect Growth Regulators otherwise you'll be spraying CONSTANTLY. IGR's basically make any new fleas being hatched unable to lay viable eggs. It helps break the flea cycle. Another reason you want to spray/bomb on a schedule is because any eggs that haven't hatched yet are very well protected by the chemicals and are safe in the eggs. 

Treat your yard as well. Keep your dog on a preventative and possibly look into using Bug Off Garlic for her so you may eventually be able to stop using chemicals on your dog. As long as you have an infestation, you might also want to consider bathing your dog every other day to help kill any fleas still surviving on her. When you lather her up, as said previously, start at her head and work you way back. Leave her lathered up for at least five minutes before rinsing her. Doing so helps suffocate the fleas.

You may also want to treat again in 3-6 months just to make sure as well because flea eggs can remain dormant. Movement/activity in their area like a vacuum running can actually tell the eggs its time to hatch. Have battled fleas a couple times previously. It's no fun. Had to bath 4 dogs and 2 cats.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

KZoppa said:


> Treat your yard as well.


THIS! Too many people forget to treat outside too, so the dog just goes out and brings more in. 

It's very easy to treat outside, even if you aren't used to garden spraying. You can buy a bottle of premixed outdoor solution that comes with an attachment that you screw on to your garden hose--it's super easy. Then just turn on the hose, open up the nozzle on the bottle, and spray away (grass, bedding plants etc.). I think Cutter and Off make them (good for mosquitoes AND fleas), as well as other brands (I believe Off products are even on sale right now at Walgreen this week--around $5 or so). You can also find these bottles at Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

You can also use cheap table salt to get rid of the fleas in carpets -- this explains how:
Get Rid of Fleas with Salt! How to Kill Fleas using Salt | Flea Control Videos | Flea Control: How to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally
I would also vacuum DAILY for a while (and make sure there's salt inside the vacuum bag or cannister so any that get sucked up get dehydrated).


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

This is the first time in many years that I've had a flea problem. It's kind of under control now (I found a flea on Slider the other day).

In addition to having the entire yard sprayed, I sprayed the house several times with flea killers that had IGR as one of the ingredients. 

*NOT AT THE SAME TIME: *I used Frontline, Comfortis for Faith and Bruiser (Slider can't take it), Capstar for Slider, along with Panoramis (the Australian version of Trifexis) as their HW med (Slider took Heartgard without the Comfortis type ingredient).

Good luck!!!


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## Malachi'sMama (Jun 10, 2013)

Fleas are a MAJOR pain in the PATOOTIE! I dealt with it last summer for the first time EVER and it was battle royale. They can be very difficult to get rid of and you have to be very diligent. Others have made some great suggestions, I'd like to also suggest using diatomaceous earth. It ended up working really well for me. Vacuuming daily is a must. Be sure to empty your vacuum every time after you clean, and take the bag to a dumpster somewhere nearby. Here's some info regarding the diatom.earth...I used it because it was a safe alternative to all those flea chemicals. While I did have to bomb several different times, I used this in conjunction with an all natural lemon flea spray and the d.earth. The battle went on for half a year, but I eventually won. Tough little suckers. Good luck.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) for Flea Control - House and Yard

*I should add that I didn't find out about the DE until late into my problem, but once I started using it, the fleas were gone relatively quickly. It really worked well for me.


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