shoot me now..

A dryer set on hot or putting items in plastic in the freezer will kill stuff off Jen. Make sure your pillows, bedding, etc. gets a good run or two through either of these methods. Stuffed toys as well are lovely hidey homes for buggies so dump them all in a big plastic bag, push out all the air and store them in a freezer for a few days.

I don't know about animal fleas but having had a kid come home years ago from bible camp with head lice, this is what we had to do with all "soft" things that couldn't go through a washing machine.

Ack now I'm itchy just thinking about it LOL.

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Originally Posted by Sausage

Yeah, I've been having some major issues with fleas on my dog. I did give her Capstar last week and it did help. Best of look with the fleas!

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Capstar alone will not clear up a flea problem. It will kill the fleas that are currently on your dog, and any that get on for the next day or two, but has no long-term residual effect. It's good for a quick clean-up of an animal who is being brought into a clean environment, but has little use in managing an active flea problem. A long-lasting topical like Advantage or Frontline plus treating the environment will be far more effective.

For treating the environment: Look for a spray that contains Nylar...it stops the flea reproductive cycle. Knockout is one brand. Others that have been used effectively are Ovitrol and Siphotrol. All of them are designed to be used on indoor surfaces and last for months.

In the absence of an area treatment, get a cheap flea collar or some of those nasty pyrethrin based topicals from the grocery store. Squeeze the pyrethrins onto a paper towel and put that towel or the flea collar in your vacuum bag (or chamber if using a bagless). Vaccum the whole house meticulously...vacuum every nook and cranny in the furniture, every rug, every seam in the floor. The eggs and larva are lurking everywhere.

It will also be necessary to keep a topical on your pet for a minimum of three months, and ideally year 'round. Even in winter fleas hitchhike in from body to body.

^ Thanks, I'll have to look for some spray. I've been vacuuming my place obsessively and the dog isn't allowed on the bed/couch now. I've been using Frontline religiously for the duration of my dog's life and honestly, it ain't working. My dog does, however, have allergies to grass, mites, other things, so when one flea gets on her, she goes nuts.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks for the sound advice! :)

Sounds good. I ran all of the bedding through the hot dryer cycle that is supposed to kill off everything. I also have a furry faux-mink blanket (it is my blankie; hell, I am 26 and cannot sleep without it lol!) But anyway, I ran it through the longest sanitizing setting in the washer and overdid it on the soap; I figured that it'd have the same effect that a dish-soapy-water soak has on a snake with mites; the bubbles help kill things off. Then I ran it and the other bedding (including pillows) through the drier HOT setting.
I am waiting on this Advantage; hopefully it is delivered tomorrow. Last time I used it, it was like a magic switch went off and all fleas died in the house. I have not seen any since yesterday; hopefully this is only the beginning of their reign of terror and i can nip it in he bud.
Oh, I think I know how I got them here in the first place. Visited my friend last weekend.. brought up the flea thing on the phone yesterday.. she's like "oh; I just live with them. They hop around on me when I am reading in bed, etc. etc." ARRRGH!!!