My partner and I, along with our two cats, are temporarily staying with my parents after college to save up some money. My parents have a dog who has a really bad flea problem. The poor dog is scratching all the time, to the point where he’s lost patches of fur. I’ve tried to talk to my mom about getting flea treatment for him, but she refuses to take him to the vet or use any flea medicine because she’s anti-chemical and believes in natural remedies.
The problem is, our cats now have fleas too, and I’m really worried it’s going to get worse. We’ve been treating our cats with flea meds and cleaning the house, but I’m afraid it’s not enough since the dog is untreated and continues to have fleas.
I’ve told my mom, but she’s only offered natural solutions, which I’m pretty sure won’t solve the problem. It’s getting really frustrating, and I’m not sure what else to do. How can I make sure the fleas don’t spread further without stepping on any toes? Any advice would help.
I’d just go ahead and buy some flea meds for the dog and put them on him yourself. Your mom’s being unreasonable, and the poor dog is suffering. Flea meds aren’t that expensive, and they’d at least stop the fleas from spreading to your cats.
Your mom must be okay with being bitten by fleas… because if she’s letting this go on, the house is probably full of flea eggs by now. It’s gross and honestly abusive to let the dog live like this. I bet the dog doesn’t get heartworm meds either, right?
You could try getting a flea collar for the dog and telling your mom it’s a natural brand. Sometimes flea collars work well, and if she doesn’t know it’s chemical, she might let it slide. But make sure your cats are treated properly with flea meds too.
Once fleas are in the house, it’s a pain to get rid of them. You might need to look into getting Capstar for the cats, which kills fleas right away. Also, steer clear of cheap flea treatments, especially for the cats. Some brands like Hartz can actually be dangerous. Stick to something from the vet or a trusted brand.
If this has been going on for a while, you might already have a full-blown infestation. Fleas can lay eggs in carpets, furniture, and anywhere the pets hang out. Even if you treat the pets, the fleas might still be hatching and re-infesting the animals.
You may need to bug bomb the entire house and take the pets to stay somewhere else while you do it. It’s extreme, but sometimes it’s the only way to fully get rid of them. Fleas are tough to beat once they’ve spread all over the house.
@West
This is so true. I had to move out of my apartment once because we couldn’t get rid of the fleas. We tried everything—flea baths, cleaning constantly, flea meds for the pets—and nothing worked. Sometimes you need to bug bomb the whole place and start over.
@Peyton
I had a similar experience when I lived with a roommate who refused to deal with a flea problem. It was a nightmare. Fleas can be really hard to get rid of once they’re in the house. If you don’t deal with it right away, they’ll just keep spreading.
@West
Yeah, it’s a tough situation, especially when one person doesn’t want to deal with it. It’s unfair to the pets too. Fleas can make them miserable and lead to other health problems.
If you’re worried about causing a fight with your mom, you could just put the flea treatment on the dog when she’s not looking. If she notices anything, just say you don’t know what’s going on. The dog shouldn’t have to suffer because of her refusal to use meds.
Make sure your cats are on flea meds too. If the dog’s untreated, it’ll keep passing fleas to them. Treating all the animals is the only way to stop the cycle.
If you want to try natural solutions, there are some options, but they might not be as effective as flea meds. Apple cider vinegar mixed with water can help, but it won’t get rid of all the fleas. You might need to give the dog a flea bath and comb through his fur. Just know that natural remedies might not fully solve the problem.
@Finlo
Honestly, natural remedies don’t really work for fleas. If they did, your mom’s dog wouldn’t be in this situation. Flea collars and prescription meds are really the only way to go.
Caiden said: @Finlo
Honestly, natural remedies don’t really work for fleas. If they did, your mom’s dog wouldn’t be in this situation. Flea collars and prescription meds are really the only way to go.
That’s not always true. I’ve used natural flea collars before and they worked for me. But yeah, in this situation, it might be better to just take the dog to the vet.