FAQ About Fleas
Do fleas jump or fly? 
Do fleas carry disease?
How do fleas end up all over my house?
How long does it take for fleas to lay their eggs?
How many eggs does one flea produce?
What is flea dirt?
Can fleas kill my pet(s)?
How long do fleas live?
What is the flea life cycle?
Can my pet get fleas when it’s cold?
How can I prevent a flea infestation?
How can I tell if my pet(s) have fleas?
Why is the water turning red when giving my pet a bath?
I don’t have any animals, why are there fleas in my house?
How often should I put flea medication on my pet(s)?
How long will it take for fleas to die after applying topical flea medications?
Is there a difference between a cat flea and a dog flea?
Are fleas harmful to humans?
Can you drown fleas?
Can fleas bite humans?
FAQ: Fleas don’t have wings that would allow them to fly. They jump using their hind legs, to get from place to place. Fleas can jump 100x’s their own height, this means that they can jump 7-8 inches high! To learn more about how fleas jump visit can fleas fly?
FAQ 2: Yes, fleas do carry diseases. Fleas are carriers of tapeworm. When a flea bites their host, usually a dog or cat, they will cause an itching reaction, ( usually in dogs, to have this reaction in cats, they would have to be allergic to the flea saliva). When the dog or cat chew their skin, they may ultimately end up ingesting the flea. If the flea is infected with worms usually because it’s bitten another animal that has them, then this would be transmitted to your pet. The worms that a flea can transfer are, tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms or whip-worms.
FAQ3: Fleas end up all over your house because we help them along. When a flea lays eggs, they don’t stay on the host, they are not sticky like the larvae stage so they fall off of their host wherever the host goes. The flea egg is so small, the size of a grain of salt, it’s virtually impossible to see it with the human eye. We are carriers of the eggs as well, when we walk around the house, eggs can be on our socks or shoes and we wouldn’t even know it. The same is true with the larvae and pupae stages of the fleas life cycle. If you can’t see them it definitely doesn’t mean their not there! This is why it’s very important to treat your pets and your home for fleas. Only treating one without the other is really just counter-productive. To learn more about fleas, visit this page, all about the flea life cycle.
FAQ 4: The female flea will need to eat hours after hatching from the pupa stage. She will look for a host immediately, in fact, the hatching from the pupa stage is triggered by a near by host. After the female flea eats her first meal, she will lay approximately 50 eggs. The female flea lays her eggs approximately 24-48 hours after her first meal. To learn more about the flea life stages please visit the page, the flea life cycle.
FAQ5: A female flea lays 20- 50 eggs every day. The female will lay approximately 5000 eggs in her lifetime. Although many of these eggs may not survive, due to vacuuming and flea control procedures you can take, it’s good to realize that a flea pupae, which is a fully developed flea waiting to hatch, can live in your carpet or crevices of your home for up to a year. To learn more about the fleas life cycle visit, the flea life cycle.
FAQ6: Flea dirt is the flea droppings or poop. When a flea feeds, it is biting its host for blood. The flea needs the blood to reproduce and survive. When a flea excretes, or poops, it is blood that they have digested, so it is blood that they excrete. You can do a test to see if your pet has fleas. Put your pet on a white towel, rub their fur vigorously, if there are black droppings on the towel, put some in a dish. Put a drop of water on the dish, if it turns red, then your pet has flea excretions on his/her body, so they do have fleas.
FAQ 7: Yes, fleas can kill your pet(s). When a flea bites your pet they are depleting their blood supply. When you consider how quickly a flea reproduces, your pet becoming infested with fleas is highly likely. When your pet is infested they have 100’s of fleas on them and in their surrounding environment. Your pet can become severely lethargic and dehydrated in a very short time. If you have a puppy or a kitten, or a smaller breed of dog, it is very important for you to take the steps necessary to make their environment flea free. There are step by step instructions available to for your cat, kitten, dog or puppy, to get the fleas off of them and make their environment safe and healthy for them.
FAQ 8: Fleas can live generally 100 days with a host, without a host they’ll die within 2-14 days. This is just the hatched adult flea. When you consider the flea population in your home, you need to also consider the other stages of the flea that can live much longer without a host. The flea pupae can live up to a year, ready to hatch as soon as a host, you, or your pet, are near enough to trigger their senses. To learn more about this you can visit the flea life cycle.
FAQ 9: The flea life cycle consists of the egg, larvae, pupae and adult. The adult female flea will lay approximately 50 eggs within 24-36 hours of her first feeding. The flea egg hatches anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks, this depends on the conditions of their environment. When the egg hatches it is in the larvae stage. The larvae stage lasts between 5 days to 2 weeks. After the larvae stage is complete the flea will make a cocoon and begin it’s pupae stage. A flea in the pupae stage lasts from 2 days to 2 weeks as well. However if the environment is not ideal for the pupae to emerge it can stay dormant for up to a year, until a host is available for them to attach to. When the pupae stage is complete, the adult flea will emerge and attach to a host, starting the life cycle again. To learn more about the life cycle of the flea visit The Flea Life Cycle.
FAQ 10: Yes, your animals can get fleas even when it’s cold. It is very possible for your pet to have fleas in the cold winter months. The flea can continue it’s life cycle within our heated environments. When we heat our homes, we are giving the flea the perfect environment to continue it’s life cycle. It would be a very good idea to continue treating your pet with a topical flea medication, even during the colder times of the year.
FAQ 11: You can prevent a flea infestation by following some very easy steps. You will need to treat your pet for fleas first. You can find information to get rid of fleas on your dog,puppy, cat or kitten, by following those links. Then you’ll need to treat the inside of your home and the outside of your home to prevent a flea infestation.
FAQ 12: To find out if your pet has fleas, place them on a white towel. Rub their fur very roughly, if the white towel has black dirt on it after your done rubbing your pets fur, take some on the tip of your finger, or a dish and add a little bit of water. If the black dirt turns red, then your pet has flea dirt on them. You’ll need to treat your pet for fleas.
FAQ 13: If your pets coat turns red while giving them a flea bath it’s the flea dirt causing it. Flea dirt is essentially blood. When water is added to the flea dirt it turns the color of blood. If your pet is completely infested with fleas, the flea dirt will be abundantly obvious as soon as you pour water over them. You may want to drain the water from the bath a few times, being sure that you’re getting all of the flea dirt off their body and rinsing them with clean water.
FAQ 14: Whether you have animals or not, anyone could have fleas. Fleas could come in from outside on your clothing. If your neighbours have pets, it’s possible that their animals have fleas. Fleas can be transferred from outside areas very easily. Fleas can jump on you and you wouldn’t even realize it, when you go back inside, you’re bringing the flea in with you. To make your home environment flea free, you will need to treat both the inside and outside of your home for fleas.
FAQ 15: Most topical flea medications need to be applied monthly for flea control. Check the box that your pets flea medication came in for complete instructions. You may want to mark the date that you apply the flea medication to your pet, on your calendar. This will make sure that you are keeping them treated monthly. This will ensure your pets protection against fleas.
FAQ 16: Fleas should start dying within 24 hours of a topical flea medication being applied. If your pets environment hasn’t been treated for fleas, it’s very likely the topical flea medication alone will not be enough to protect your pet. Follow the steps for your, dog, puppy, cat or kittens, flea control. You should also treat the inside of your home and the outside of your home for fleas.
FAQ 17: Your dogs and cats usually have the same type of flea. It’s called Ctenocephalides felis, the cat flea. This is the most common flea found on our pets and in our homes. To learn more about the cat fleas life cycle, please visit the flea life cycle.
FAQ 18: Fleas aren’t dangerous to humans, they are just annoying. They will bite humans if their prime choice, a cat or dog, isn’t around for them to feed off of. IF you’re allergic to the fleas saliva, then you may get a rash from the fleas bite. You can get a steroid cream from your doctor to help with the itching if your having a reaction to the flea bites. You should treat your pets, house and outside of your home, if you have fleas in your home.
FAQ 19: Yes, you can drown fleas. When you’re giving your a pet a flea bath, keeping them in the water for an extra 10-15 minutes in the water. after the shampoo is rinsed, will help with drowning the fleas. Keep covering your pet with water, starting at the nose, working all the way down to the tail. You will probably see fleas coming out around your pets face, they are trying to keep from drowning. Just take your wet hand, starting at the nose, make a clean stroke across their face. You are pushing the fleas back into the water, continue doing this until you don’t see any more fleas on your pets face.
FAQ 20: Yes, fleas can bite humans. Although the human is not the first choice as a host for a flea, they will bite you to get their meal and survive. If you have fleas biting you, then you might want to consider treating the inside of your home for fleas. Make sure that you vacuum everyday, this is effective in sucking up the flea eggs, larvae and pupae stages of the flea. Be sure to vacuum furniture as well as any areas of your home that your pet spends their time. Learn how to get rid of fleas in your home here.
If you don’t see your question here or have any helpful suggestions about these answers, please leave your comment below! We’d love to help you find the answers you’re looking for 🙂
Here are some articles about fleas that you may like to read through:
58 thoughts on “FAQ About Fleas”
I have a question…I had a cat and the cat had fleas well I treated the cat and my house and have since gotten rid of the cat. My problem is that the fleas still remain. Everyone says I’m crazy because I can’t see the, and they aren’t biting my daughter. But every time I sit on my couch or lay in my bed I can feel them biting me and sure enough a while later I am itching all over. So is it possible to have fleas and not see them? They are also in my laundry after I have w a shed everything is this possible or am I just crazy like everyone says?
Thanks
Deena
Hello Deena, I doubt your crazy!! Fleas can hide very well anyplace at all. Your bed could be a very safe hiding place for them and if your seeing them in your laundry then you obviously still have them. Fleas don’t need pets to survive, all they need is a host to feed on, that appears to be you. You can learn more about the flea stages Flea Life Cycle. I would highly recommend Wondercide for your problem. This is an all natural product that will not harm you or your daughter if it gets on the skin, accidentally ingested or if it’s breathed in. You can use it and stay right in your home.
I’d recommend spraying absolutely your entire home with this, including your mattresses, floors, carpets, furniture everything that you have felt the fleas bite you while your in that particular area. You will also need to wash all of your bedding in hot water and let it soak in the hot water if possible for half hour or so before spinning. After dry on the highest setting of your dryer.
You will see an immediate difference in the fleas because this product works on contact. Be sure to vacuum all carpets and furniture thoroughly a day after spraying, along with your mattress. This will just get rid of any dead fleas that are hiding. After you’ve done this I’d recommend repeating weekly for a month. The fleas have 4 life cycles so you want to be sure all of them have been killed.
I am almost positive that you won’t notice any fleas in the areas you treat with the Wondercide within a days time. I use this product myself as a treatment to my pets weekly and they are pest and flea free along with my home.
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you with anything else!!! And please rest assured you’re not crazy 🙂
Kimberly
I was told once I cleaned the area where my cat stays and have treated her it is a good idea to reintroduce her to that area as it will help kill the remaining fleas and hatching fleas? I have used capstar and frontline, is this true? Thanks
Hello Liz, If your cat is treated then yes, when any new fleas hatch they will go back onto your cat and when they go to feed the chemicals in the flea medication should kill the flea when they bite him/her. Just keep a close eye on your cat to make sure that the medication is working and that the fleas are dying. There are 4 life stages to the flea so it could take a month or so before all the fleas are completely gone. I’m not sure what you treated the areas with that your cat usually is but I would recommend Wondercide for both your cat and your home. You can spray this directly on your cat and brush or comb right down to the skin. It will kill all of the fleas stages immediately and is safe even with the topical flea medication you’ve already used on your cat. Spray the Wondercide on everything your cat uses including furniture, bedding and flooring. It doesn’t stain and works unbelievably well.
Best of luck to you and your cat and please let me know if I can help you any further!
Have a great day 🙂
Kimberly
We used Zodiac carpet and upholstery spray and carpet powder. I may give her a capstar as well before I reintroduce her to the basement just to be certain and continue that as well as frontline monthly we have had pets for over 30 years and never had this problem before so it is all new to me thank you for your advice much appreciated.
Someone also suggested I give her a bath is this something I have to do she hates water
Hello Liz, Giving her a bath is an excellent idea! If you’re still seeing fleas on her, the bath will drown and kill the fleas along with getting any dead ones and the eggs out of her coat and off her skin. The fleas leave droppings behind, which is actually dry blood, so when you do bathe her the water will most likely look like blood. I would do it just to make sure that her skin is clean of all the dirt from the fleas!
Pleas let me know how she does!!
Thank You, Kimberly 🙂
Sprinkle Borax over all your rugs. Let it sit for two hours, then vacuum it all up. Fleas will be dead and gone.
Thank you for sharing Aquafdonoboles 🙂
Kimberly
Thanks Kimberly for making me feel better! I actually tried wondercide before but it didn’t get rid of them unfortunately. So I have had an exterminator come out and treat my house and it has helped but like I said I can still feel them in my couch and in my laundry but I am not seeing them at all. I have washed things over and over and they still seem to be there so I just don’t know what to do about that. I have been vacuuming like a mad woman lol things are getting better slowly but just not fast enough for me! My biggest concern is getting them out of my laundry mostly my towels and blankets and pillows. Thanks!
You’re very welcome Deena, I honestly don’t know of any other solutions except for cleaning just like you’re already doing! If you’ve had an exterminator that’s about as good as it could get as far as a chemical solution and the Wondercide has worked for me very well. I do hope that you find relief soon, I know how overwhelming it can be to get rid of the fleas!
Best of luck to you and I’m sorry I couldn’t have been more helpful!! 🙂
Kimberly
I’m really stuck on what the best action is. I’ve never had pets and recently started back to work after have time out having a family. I’m really enjoying my job but my workplace has fleas. I worked from my employers home and he has a cat. I’m getting eaten alive. I’ve told my boss and he claims he’s treated his cat and going to treat his house (not confident of this as a single man). How/what can I do to stop getting bitten and how long will a flea stay on an inactive host as i’m now concerned about bringing them back to my house and family. Any advice help will be so appreciated.
Hello Sally, hopefully your boss will or is treating his cat because the fleas can kill a cat very quickly if it’s not treated. For you I would recommend spraying Wondercide right on your clothes. This is all natural and won’t stain your clothing. You can definitely bring fleas and all of it’s life stages back to your home. The fleas can set right on your clothing and the eggs and larvae stages can attach to your clothing as well and be transferred to your home very easily.
If your boss will let you help him with the flea problem it would be a great idea to spray the Wondercide throughout his home, including, furniture, carpets and all flooring. This product works on contact to kill the fleas and all of the life stages of the flea immediately! Even if his cat has already been treated with another flea medication he can spray the Wondercide directly on his cats coat and just brush down to the skin. The fleas will die instantly!
I hope he will let you help with the flea removal especially since you have to deal with them yourself, you shouldn’t have to be in an environment like that while your working.
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
Do the dead fleas just fall off after treatment? Or what happens to them?
Hello Trish, Yes, some of the fleas will just fall off but I’d recommend giving your pets a bath so that you remove all of the flea dirt, dead fleas and the flea eggs off of your pet. You want your pets and skin to be healthy and the flea dirt is droppings from the fleas. When you bathe your pet most likely the water will turn red because the flea dirt is blood that they’ve eaten.
Best of luck with your flea removal and let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
If I use Fast Caps on my 8 week old puppies and then bathe them, will that remove the eggs that are on them at the time? I realize that the area has to be treated as well. I was just wondering if that should get the fleas at all stages off. Thank you!
Hello Samantha, I personally wouldn’t use any oral medication on your puppies being so young. Even if it says it’s safe for your puppies if they have a bad reaction to the medication there is nothing you can do to get it out of their system. I would highly recommend Wondercidefor your puppies.
This is an all natural product that you spray directly on their coats and just comb or brush to the skin. It will kill all of the fleas and its stages immediately with out harsh chemicals that can harm puppies so young. You won’t have to use anything else! This should also be sprayed on the puppies bedding and anywhere else you have seen fleas in your home. It doesn’t stain furniture or carpets and smells very good. You can purchase lemongrass or cedar scents.
Best of luck with your puppies and let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
I work at a veterinary hospital an deal with fleas constantly. At times I tend to bring my work home with me. I caught one of the buggers on my ankle while in bed but it jped before I could flatten it. My question that I can’t seem to find an answer for is if a flea is threatened by a human but not killed, where would it most likely jump? Where is the most likely hiding place in that interim?
Hello Stewart, working in a veterinary hospital would inevitably make you susceptible to becoming a host for the fleas, what a rewarding job non the less I’m sure!! Honestly there is no particular spot that a flea would go to. It could be in your bed, carpets, furniture, anywhere. If you saw the one it’s highly possible that you have more. You can read more about the flea life cycle here. After the adult flea feeds, which is what it was doing on you, it will lay about 50 eggs, they will hatch between 2 days to a couple of weeks. This could cause a larger problem for you so keep an eye out for more. As a precautionary measure I would wash all of your bedding in hot water and vacuum your home very well, including furniture. Then just watch for anymore in the next few weeks.
Best of luck and I hope that you only had that one!! Let me know if I could help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
I was wondering what the side effects of the flea applicator to tell if it’s working or not.
Hello Brittany, I’m not sure what you mean about the “effects of the flea applicator”, if you are taking about the topical flea meds, there shouldn’t be any side effects from the applicator. You should start seeing improvement, meaning seeing less fleas on your pet within 24 hours. Give the topical medication a week to see an extensive improvement. Check your pets coats and skin for live fleas and you can give them a bath to remove the dead fleas and flea dirt making it easier to see if there are any live fleas on your pets.
Make sure to treat your home environment as well for the fleas otherwise your pets can become re infested very easily.
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you with anything else 🙂
Kimberly
Just found out the house I visited this past Monday has fleas. I hugged one of their dogs then came home and hugged my dogs. Thing is, their dogs had no signs of fleas until today ( 3 days after my visit) My dogs wear flea collars and show no signs of itching.
If fleas are dormant for a while could I still have picked them up on my jacket and brought them to my house??? Should I take my dogs in for flea bath even though they have no signs of fleas??? Should I wash all of my jackets and treat my carpets and furniture???
Hello Jill, you could give your dogs a flea bath to be on the safe side. It is possible that you brought fleas home with you but I wouldn’t panic. Wash the coat you were wearing and the clothes that should kill any fleas you may have carried home with you. Yes, the fleas will lye dormant until they feel the vibrations of a host, which with you and your dogs it would signal a host to them. Just keep an eye on your dogs and yourself, check their skin for any fleas or flea eggs everyday. If you don’t see any within a couple weeks time I’m sure your in the clear.
If you want to treat your pets to be on the safe side along with your home, I’d recommend Wondercide For Home & Pets. It’s all natural and works wonderfully. Just spray directly on your dogs and comb down to the skin and spray on furniture, pet bedding, carpets, etc.. It will kill any fleas if you did happen to bring some home with you.
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you with anything else 🙂
Kimberly
We have just moved from suburbs to semi rural property and we replaced all carpets in bedrooms and there’s timber everywhere else. I took my cat to get clipped today and she has fleas for the first time. she’s an indoor cat but has been outside a handful of times in the last 2 months. I use advocate on my puppy who is outside mostly and for the first time I’m using it on the cat as well. My question is do I have to treat our carpets now too? I’ve not seen any fleas inside to date so I wouldn’t have known if not for the vets today. My dog hasn’t got any sign of fleas either.
Hello Faith, if you don’t see any signs of fleas on your puppy and have all new carpeting, I wouldn’t worry to much about treating your carpets. See how the advocate works on your cat, you should see an improvement, meaning no fleas on your cat, within a week. Just keep checking your puppy daily and your cat for any signs of fleas and flea eggs. Fleas like to hide near the head and butt areas of pets so check those areas on your pets carefully. If your seeing a lot of black dots, this is flea droppings or white granules, that would be flea eggs, then you’ll need to treat your home to get rid of the fleas along with your pets.
To be on the safe side make sure to vacuum thoroughly daily until you don’t see anymore signs of fleas on your cat. If you think that the fleas are only outside you may want to treat your yard to kill the fleas that are out there. You could use Wondercide Yard Spraythis is an all natural product that will kill the fleas and its life stages outside without killing your plants, trees or flowers.
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
First off, I would like to thank you for providing much needed information about these little bloodsuckers. I have a shihtzu (7yrs old) and. She’s never had fleas, we live in the country, she’s indoors except for walks and outdoor activities etc. Today I picked up an 8wk old kitten, brought him home around 6:40pm. We played with him in the livingroom, kitchen, mudroom, daughters bedroom, and 2 bathrooms (one bathroom is also a laundryroom) and well, as I was picking him up to pass to my daughter, I saw a flea! I squished em.(@ 8:30pm). Immediately placed the kitten in the sink of the 2nd bathroom, put the medication between his shoulder blades. And saw a few more, (5 in total i saw) and I believe there were droppings. I saw my shihtzu scratching prior to my discovery. So once I saw the 1st flea we immediately treated both pets with the topical oil. I immediately grabbed the blankets (dryer high heat), vacuumed, changed the bedsheets. I sprinkled baking soda onto the rugs and carpets (as I read that it helps kill them… Is this true??)
I believe that I am now being targeted as I got bit.
After putting the drops on the kittens back (about 20mins) I washed my hands with the kitten in the sink and he got wet – I did not bathe him yet. Did I make the medication stop from working? Or are we OK to wash him now? How long after applying treatment can one bathe their pet (I know its preferred to wash then medicate but I was scatter brained since I fear fleas and lice).
I’m going to vacuum again tomorrow morning and wash etc. What are the chances now of these buggers spreading throughout the home.
What can I do.?
The kitten spent most of the time in the bedroom, under the bed while we played with him (catch the yarn ball).
What are the chances of under the bed being infested (I vacuumed the area and changed The sheets, but the box sping is material – so im freaking out.
Should I bathe them both and then re-medicate?
Thank you for your time and suggestions in advance.
Hello Aneta, I totally understand you freaking out, they do the same thing to me!! OK, so from what I’m gathering you just brought the kitten in last night and saw the fleas immediately and then treated both your kitten and dog. After putting the medicine on the kitten he/she got wet from you washing your hands. The topical flea medication would have absorbed somewhat in your kittens skin from the time of the application so I would not put anymore on, that will be way to much flea medication for your kitten and could cause a lot more harm that good. I’m not sure what kind of topical medication you used on your kitten and dog but read the box and see how often it should be applied, most topical flea medications are monthly applications.
You should be fine to bathe your pets 24 hours after application of most topical flea medications but again, I’m not sure what brand you used so you should read the box and follow the instructions.
It sounds like you’ve done everything that you can to contain an infestation between using the baking soda, vacuuming and washing/drying everything on high heat. I’ve never used the baking soda myself but while researching natural flea remedies found that others have used it and had good results. However people had said that when the baking soda was mixed with table salt the results were much better. I personally use Wondercide on my pets and my home now. It’s an all natural product that works amazingly well. So, if you see anymore fleas on your pets or yourself I would highly recommend giving it a try. It can be sprayed directly on your carpets, furniture and pets and is perfectly safe for your pets and your family to be around.
I hope you enjoy your new kitten and please let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
I got a new kitten noticed fleas so I bought advantage, how long for an infestation. We got about twelve fleas off the cat after using the advantage . We have wood floors washed the cats blanket and am looking or a vacume to borrow. We got the cat on a Sunday night and it’s now Wednesday night … I’m feeaking out about an infestation
Hello Kyle, don’t panic it sounds like you caught it quickly enough and treating your kitten was the smartest first step. When you get a vacuum just thoroughly vacuum your furniture and floors. You should also mop your wood floors with whatever you usually use, this will get any flea eggs and larvae stages that may have fallen off your kitten. Keep checking your kitten for any new fleas, the flea medication should be working so you shouldn’t be seeing any new ones. You should give your kitten a bath as well, you will see fleas coming up through the water if there any on him/her. The bathe will also get any flea dirt off your kitten, keeping the skin and coat healthy.
If you do see anymore fleas on your kitten or in your house you can use Wondercide. This is all natural and can be sprayed directly on furniture, bedding, wood floors and your kitten even though you have already used the advantage. It kills fleas on contact and all of its life stages.
Best of luck with your new kitten and please let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
Where do you purchase wonder side. My Toy poodle 17 has recently got fleas. I have treated her with defense care and treated the house. I am still taking little fleas off of her. I put the defense care on her three weeks ago. But if I’m still seeing fleas does that mean it’s not working. I have washed everything in my house that can be washed. Had an exterminator. Yesterday.
Hello Laura, you can purchase Wondercide Here: Evolve by Wondercide it’s not available in stores yet. If you’re still seeing the fleas on her is it possible that they are getting to her from going outside? Fleas can survive winter and cold. You can read more about that on the page Can Fleas Survive Winter. When you get the Wondercide just spray directly on your Toy Poodles coat and comb or brush right to the skin. You can also spray it directly on furniture, carpets, curtains, floors and bedding. If you see fleas on her just respray the areas on her and it will kill them instantly. You should start to see a huge improvement within a couple of days. You can use the Wondercide along with your topical treatment but when you aren’t seeing fleas anymore you can use the Wondercide as her monthly flea treatment. This product shouldn’t irritate her skin or cause her any stress being that she is a senior pup 🙂
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
Hi Kimberley I treated my dog for fleas two weeks ago with advantage I’ve treated my house and my bedding etc and all other animals . She has now come up with fleas again. Is it safe to treat her again with advantage even though it’s supposed to last 4 weeks ?
Thanks Kimberley
Hello Kimberley, you shouldn’t use the advantage again until the 4 weeks have passed. Advantage is a chemical based product and is in a strong concentrated form that is absorbed into your dogs skin and bloodstream if you dose him/her again it could really make your dog sick. You can use a product called Wondercide along with the chemical based monthly treatments. It is an all natural product that is sprayed directly on your dogs coat and brushed/combed right down to the skin. You can also spray this on anything your dog uses, pet beds, furniture, carpets and flooring it doesn’t stain and is safe for our pets and family members to be around.
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you with anything else 🙂
Kimberly
I let my friend borrow my cat carrier and when she gave it back she told me how her cat has fleas. Great right:/
Well I haven’t took the carrier home for fear that my kitten will get them. Is there a way to clean it or should I just trash it to be safe???
Please help im new to this
Hello Diamante, You can just clean it out with bleach and water and it will be fine. All if any flea eggs and larvae will be killed from the bleach. If you are a bit nervous about it I would just keep it in a garage or on a porch until you may need it again.
Best of luck with your new kitten 🙂 Please let me know if I can help you with anything else.
Kimberly
We had a cat in our house for about 30 mins before I noticed that it had fleas on it. I used a flea comb on it and got about 8 fleas and just a tiny amount of flea dirt. I immediately treated the cat with capstar and front line plus that said it killed all stages of flea development. I combed him thoroughly again and found just one dead flea the next day after treatment. I have vacuumed over and over, sprinkled salt in the carpets and vacuumed again. I have washed all of our bedding and clothes. I vacuumed the car he rode in really well. He is no longer living here and I have vacuumed over again every day for the last two days since he left. So my question is, with him being treated and now gone, and my house being cleaned, I haven’t seen anything or had any bites, do you think we should be OK now?
Hello Helen,
Yes, I’d say that if you haven’t seen any fleas you are probably fine. I would keep vacuuming the way you have been and if you have any pets keep checking them for any signs of fleas. Fleas can lay dormant for a long time so just stay aware that they could come back. If they do just do what you have been and you should be just fine!
Let me know if I can help any further 🙂
Kimberly
Hello. Please help!
I moved into my mother’s house with my infant son about a year back. A little over six months ago I started seeing signs of fleas. I recognized it and my step-father just used a topical on the dog. I’m not even sure he kept up with applying it monthly. The dog moved around the house freely – 4 br 3 baths, lots of space to cover (except for in my room) – and also in our large backyard but spent most of his time in 2 rooms. About a week ago, my step-father and the dog left the house for good but left behind a massive colony of fleas.
My mother, my son and myself became a buffet for the fleas! I’m horrified! Last week we had an exterminator come the the house to spray the inside. He confirmed the infestation was severe in at least 2 rooms. We have since removed and disposed of most of the furniture in the house, except for mine and my son’s because the dog hadn’t been in the room for months. We vacuum at least once a day sometimes more. As we have temporarily moved out, we can’t vacuum all day. But like I said we threw away all of the furniture in the common areas and in the 2 most infested rooms. Also, we are in the process of laundering all of our clothes and fabrics. We have no carpet. The exterminator is returning on Saturday to spray the inside again and the outside this time.
Also, my room hasn’t been lived in since the end of February because my son and I were away for the month of March. When I returned at the beginning of April is when I finally convinced my mother that we have a flea problem.
So my questions are as follows:
– Should I be concerned about the infestation in mine and my son’s room?
– Should we have the exterminator return even after this week for another round of treatments?
– Will the two treatments be enough to break the life cycle of fleas?
– Should we go through the trouble of washing all clothes and fabrics?
– Will a regular wash cycle in cold water and dry on high heat kill the fleas?
– We found fleas on the kitchen cabinets near the floor (where the dog would lay around) …Are they likely to be in all of the cabinets and drawers throughout the kitchen?
– The most severly infested room (once the office) will soon be my son’s room… How can I safely prevent further infestation? What other things should I possibly worry about in that room especially?
– I’m doing most of the cleaning… Can they live on my skin or in my hair even after I shower? I would hate to infest the house I’m staying in.
– Someone told me to spray rubbing alcohol and to clean with dawn dish soap and water… Does any of that help?
– I clean the hard wood floors with a steamer… Does that make for a perfect breeding ground because fleas need the humidity to multiply? Should I use another cleaning method?
– Should I worry about fleas in the walls or in the cracks in the grout?
– The exterminator keeps telling me that, since the dog is gone, after they spray the fleas will die or “go away”… How likely is that?
I’M DESPERATE! With all the cleaning, it has gotten better but they were everywhere. Last week my son woke up with bites all over! Please help! Sorry if I overloaded you with questions.
THANK YOU in advance.
Hello Desperate Mom, first of all, I’m really sorry your going through this!! Fleas reproduce so quickly when the problem isn’t caught right off the bat, but you can get rid of them.
Honestly I wouldn’t even bother with any more harsh chemicals because they don’t seem to be working if they’re still there after the exterminator treated the house. You should have seen a huge difference in the flea infestation when he sprayed initially. It can take a few days for you to see a significant difference in the flea population but it should have been noticeable immediately.
You are doing everything right as far as washing everything and as you said all the furniture has already been disposed of so any fleas that would have been hiding in there are gone.
If you haven’t already, you should treat the outside yard along with the inside of the home. I use Wondercide Outdoor Flea Sprayand for the inside of your home use the Indoor Flea Spray.
Wondercide kills fleas and all of it’s life cycles quickly and without the harsh chemicals that other products leave behind. Knowing that you have children in the home it is very safe since there are no harsh chemicals and it works incredibly well!
Use the indoor spray to spray your bedroom and all of the furniture including the mattresses. It doesn’t matter if the dog was in there or any of the rooms in the house, fleas spread quickly and can jump on you without you even noticing not to mention flea eggs and larvae stages can be carried from your shoes or socks when you’ve been in other areas of the home.
As far as your kitchen cabinets, if you have fleas in the lower cabinets then you need to wash them all out. Again, use the Wondercide Indoor Spray to spray all of the cabinets inside and out, it will kill the fleas in all of its stages.
Mop all of your floors with the Wondercide Indoor Spray and don’t dilute it, just put it into a bucket or pour it onto the floors and spread it at full strength with a mop, since you don’t have carpets in the home this will work very well. Make sure to spray all floor boards as well because fleas hide in them very easily. If you have curtains still in the home, spray these as well there really is nowhere that a flea can’t hide so just be very thorough.
For the outside of your yard just attach the Wondercide Outdoor Spray directly to your hose and follow the directions on the bottle. Be sure to spray the entire yard especially any dirt patches and under any trees and bushes. I would also spray around the foundation of your home outside and under any decks or porches.
You should see an immediate difference in the fleas around your home and since there are no harsh chemicals you will not have to worry about having anything that can be harmful to you or your family. I would repeat the steps indoors every week for about a month and if you see any more fleas after that, they can lay dormant for up to a year in the pupae stage, just spray your home again although the initial treatment should kill them very effectively.
Also, the fleas do not need the dog to survive, they have you so the exterminator is very wrong with that statement. All they need is blood to survive not an animal! If you see any cracks in the grout, just spray it but I wouldn’t worry about them inside the walls just focus on the molding around the floors with the Indoor spray. I wouldn’t use the steamer anymore either until you have the problem under control, just use the Wondercide to mop the floors.
Washing your belonging in the hot water and drying them on the high heat will kill any fleas and it’s life stages, just keep doing this until all signs of the fleas in your home are gone.
Best luck of luck to you and please let me know if I can help you any further! You can get rid of the fleas and have your home back following the above steps 🙂
Kimberly
How do you keep fleas out of/ away from the pet water bowls? Will fleas stay away from pet fountains, i.e. agitated water? Will a fan work, agitating the air around the pet’s water bowl? And what about house plants, and wheatgrass plants for cats? Thank you very much, C
Hello C, fleas can be anywhere and if you are seeing fleas around your pets water bowls then I’d recommend treating them for the fleas along with treating your home for fleas to get rid of them. A fan isn’t going to keep the fleas away from water bowls although fleas can’t survive in water they can still live around the bowls.
You may want to try Wondercide to treat your pets for fleas and your home. This is an all natural product that kills fleas and ticks on contact and when used correctly can keep the fleas and ticks off your pets and out of your home. You can use the page Home Flea Removal to have an idea of what needs to be done to get the fleas out of your home and Cat Flea Removal or Dog Flea Removal to get rid of fleas on your pets.
Let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
Thanks Kimberly, I found a store with Wondercide. Fantastic! Everyone, please Google it, for good health! I’ll add, that I think the fleas were introduced by a houseplant, either the dying one, or the newly introduced one. They were both so heavily infested, but not my others, on the same plant table. Carefully tossed all, while covering two ‘favorites’, which will get treated, along with everything else. Hope it works.
That’s wonderful to hear C… I’m so happy you found the source!!! And thank you for sharing because I didn’t realize house plants could be carriers… that’s very good to know… don’t know if I’ll be taking any anymore to replant for myself.. LOL… I love plants 🙂
Take Care!!
Cheers 🙂 Kimberly
If I enter a room or building that formerly had a pet living there I get bitten immediately by fleas. The owner of the pet always swears the animal doesn’t have fleas and they have never been bitten. I have never been bitten if I visit someone who has a pet in residence.
First of all I must be a first class host for fleas. Secondly I believe that as as long as the pet is there, it will be bitten first. It is only after the animal leaves that the fleas or the pupae search out humans. We have asked people not to bring their pets to our house for this reason, but then everyone thinks we hate animals. Two weeks after my sister left with her delightful Corgi my feet and ankles are covered with bites.
Is this a probable explanation?
Hello Margi, I’m not sure what question you’re asking, it’s possible that fleas could be on the pets but if they are treated with a flea medication the fleas aren’t staying on them. I haven’t had fleas bite me personally if someone brings animals to my home and after I treated my pets I didn’t see any fleas around my home and I wasn’t bitten. It is possible that the fleas are attracted to you for some reason I wouldn’t be offended if someone asked me not to bring my pets to their home if they thought fleas where attracted to them and I personally wouldn’t be offended.
If you could let me know what question you’re looking for an answer to, I would be more than happy to try and help 🙂
Kimberly
Hi,
I stayed at a friends house and went around in their car. I found out a day later they had a flea infestation. Do you think I brought any back? How long would I have to wait to know for sure?
Hi Karen, the fleas probably didn’t come from your friends car if you noticed you’re infested just a day later. You can learn more about the fleas life cycle Here.The cycle would have started with the adult flea laying eggs and depending the weather conditions where you are, they can take 2 days to 2 weeks to hatch. Warmer more humid conditions are ideal for the flea eggs to hatch within a couple of days. Where as cooler temps and less humid conditions can take the eggs up to 2 weeks to hatch. The adult flea lays about 50 eggs at a time and after that you have an infestation very quickly!
You will need to treat your home and pets to get rid of the infestation. Wondercide which is an all natural product can be used on both your pets, if you have them, and all areas of your home to kill the adult fleas and its life cycle. Just spray your furniture, bedding, pet bedding along with mopping all your floors with it to kill the fleas. You will also need to wash all pet bedding and your own bedding in the hottest temperature you can in your washer and dry them as well on the highest heat you can.
As you see fleas on your pets or around your home after the initial treatment, just respray the Wondercide in the areas that they are seen to kill them. You should see a huge difference in the flea infestation within a couple days!
Best of luck and please let me know if I can help you with anything else 🙂
Kimberly
So I just bought a new house. Everything was clean. Girlfriend brought a new kitten home at 2pm. Cat hid behind washer because it was a new place. 4pm brought cat upstairs and gf found out cat had fleas.
Gf bathed cat in sink using flea shampoo and used a fine comb to remove. Found about 30 fleas on kitten. It was also in my couch for 5 minutes.
Vacuumed couch, under couch, by the washer, in the bathroom, carpets, rewashed clother, sprayed orange stuff around house.
About 6pm kitten went back to original owner to be treated.
Question. How likely am I to see an infestation?
I’ve vacuumed and sprayed cleaning stuff that supposedly kills fleas. Ground is wooden floorboard so we mopped and vacuumed the carpet.
Hello Justin, it sounds like you’ve taken all the steps that you can to make sure that you don’t end up with an infestation. Just keep an eye out for anymore fleas, if you actually see them or if you start seeing any red spots on yourself or your girlfriend that end up being itchy. If you do see any more signs of fleas treat those areas with the spray you have or you may want to get Wondercide. It works very well and is safe to spray on furniture, carpets and to mop floors with. If you are getting the kitten back after it’s treated for the fleas you can use the Wondercide on it as well to kill and prevent anymore flea problems.
I hope this helps you and please let me know if I can help you any further 🙂
Kimberly
This message is for Deena. Did you get rid of the cat because it had fleas?
How long does it take to kill fleas on a kitten if you washed them with flea shampoo? I was going to get a kitten from this lady I know but when I got there & ready to take the kitty hoke she had fleas so I didn’t take her home because I already have a 8 week old kitty who doesn’t have any fleas or anything and didn’t want my 8 week old kitty to be exposed. A day later the lady message me and says the fleas are off the kitty. Should I believe her or am I right not to believe her? I just want to get a Lil play mate for my 8 week old kitty but I don’t want any fleas. What should I do?
Hello Brittany, I would go and take a look at the kitten and see if you see any fleas but if the kitten was infested with fleas I’d be skeptical as well. I’d ask her what she used to get the fleas off the kitten so fast as well. Make sure that she didn’t use a topical flea med or a harsh flea shampoo because it could cause the kitten to become very sick from the chemicals.
If you do decide to take the kitten, you could treat it yourself with Wondercide. This is all natural and will kill all the fleas and eggs on the kitten immediately and it’s safe for all ages. I would keep the kitten in a closed off area for the first couple of days so that if he/she do still have fleas they don’t get spread throughout your home.
I personally would at least go take a look for myself and see if the kitten has any fleas. You can take care of the problem yourself and give him/her a great home.
Best of luck and let me know if I could help you with anything else 🙂
Kimberly
My boyfriend recently moved to a new apartment, and quickly found out he had fleas. His landlords told him the place was sprayed 2 days before he moved, and it has been 2 weeks since he moved in. He still sees fleas, but less and obviously dying. To be safe I bought a flea collar for my cat, and my apartment is sprayed almost every month. Could I get infested by dying fleas?
Hello Liz, if your boyfriend is still seeing fleas then the fleas life cycleis still going on with the fleas that are alive. You can get the Wondercide and spray everywhere along with mopping any floors that you can with it. You can also spray this on your cat to prevent fleas from getting on him/her.
The Wondercide is all natural and works extremely well at killing fleas and all of it’s life stages. A lot of times the chemical products just aren’t killing the fleas off anymore. After the initial treatment of your boyfriends place, just have him spray it on anyplace he still sees the fleas.
This is safe on furniture, carpets and bedding and will make a huge difference. Let me know if I can help you any further! Best of luck 🙂
Kimberly
I just washed my kitty with flea shampoo but do they really die because I tried to take some fleas out that don’t move and squeeze them with my fingernails to extra make sure their dead. I see them not moving or anything but are they really dead?
Hello Maricruz, If the fleas are not moving then yes they are dead. The flea will hop and try to get away if you go near it. Just make sure to treat any areas of your home that your kitty likes to go to and keep an eye out for fleas daily on your kitty. If you do see them, I would just give him/her another bath with the shampoo you used.
Please let me know if I can help you with anything else 🙂
Kimberly
A month in. Dogs trested by vets. House sprayed by myself x2 and had a proffesional in x2. He came again Friday and Ive caught another 3 in one of my water bowls with a light over. When does this end???? Im going to flea shampoo the dogs again but Im only catching them in our room where the dogs arent. Sick of my life now. The guy told me to not hoover for a few days to leave the spray 100% active. Please help before I actually burn my house down
Hello Sickoffleas, I’m not sure if you treated your dogs or if your finding the fleas on them? If you’ve just had your home professionally sprayed for fleas on Friday, it may take a week for you to see any results from it. I can understand your frustration, they are very resilient pests.
If you don’t see any difference with the professional spray within a week then I would use the Wondercide to spray your entire home. You should spray your carpets, mop the floors and spray all your furniture down with it. This is all natural so it won’t cause any sort of a chemical reaction with what is already sprayed in your home. For me this product works wonderfully!
Also, make sure that your bedding, throw blankets or rugs that can be washed are. Put them in with the hot water to wash and dry them on your highest heat setting. Do the same with any of the dogs bedding.
For your dogs, you can spray them with this as well to kill any fleas that they have safely, even if they’ve been treated with a chemical product. I use the Wondercide on my pets to keep the fleas and ticks away on a monthly basis in place of the chemical treatments.
If you have any more ?’s please let me know, I totally understand how frustrating this is!
Kimberly 🙂