The quieter you become the more you can hear ~ Ram Dass



Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday

F is for Fleas which frankly fluster me.

When my mom came to stay with us in August 2008 with her dog, we eventually found uninvited guests that came with the dog, fleas.

At first I noticed the dog scratching a lot but he used to do that at mom's house.  I kept thinking he might have fleas.  My husband kept combing him with a flea comb but it was fruitless.  I still thought he might have fleas but then convinced myself since he sheds so much, he must be scratching from that.

Until one time, my husband went to mom's to pick up her mail and he said when he went in her house, ferocious fleas  jumped on him fast. They were all over his white socks which after I looked on the Internet I found that's a good way to tell if you have fleas in the house.  I guess they are attracted to the light color.

When he came home and told me, to say I was freaked out was an understatement.  I was so frantic, I could hardly function at first LOL.  Once I was able to regain my faculties, I fiercely and with great fervor washed everything in hot water that I could see.  My husband vacuumed all the furniture.  My sister-in-law told me about this medication that would kill any adult fleas that were on him immediately.  We were giving him a monthly flea medication but when I took it from Mom's house I forgot to check the expiration date and found out it was expired.

Then
we my husband had to deal with mom's house.  We didn't really want to do a flea bomb or whatever they are called (they seem frightening).  I found this spray on the internet and he went and bought it.  He had to go over a couple of times and spray it all over her furniture but eventually he got rid of them. I then felt funky about the van thinking that they were probably in there as well.  I
made asked him to vacuum out the van and spray it too.

Hopefully, we won't see those forceful fleas again because that would give me fits.

Go over to Jenny's and see what fabulous words people came up with for the letter F http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/02/alphabe-thursday-f.html

32 comments:

mrs. c said...

We had fleas once when I was little, I remember them jumping on my legs and it was horrible! I feel your pain!

Unknown said...

sounds like you got it all under control now. our dogs had fleas for the first time this summer and it freaked me out too...it makes me itch just thinking about it!
happy alphabe-thursday!

Debbiedoos said...

Fleas are fickle,fussy little festering critters! you poor thing!!~

Carol said...

Fleas are the worst!

The Muse said...

it is hard to keep our dogs on the farm...flea free...a battle that usually leaves you feeling as if you never really won...

just thinking about them...brings the enemy back *even if imagined only :)

Jo said...

I havent had to deal with fleas for about 25 years ... i consider myself very lucky!

Steph said...

We have also had this experience when our boys were little, but thankfully you can get rid of them (the fleas, not the boys :) ).

Unknown said...

How awful!

This post made me itchy just reading it. I hope you did, indeed, get it under control.

Feisty Fleas Frolicking on Fur and Furniture would give me Frightful Fits, For sure!

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Fleas are horrors! Now that's a different spin on F!! Fantastic job!!

Mami said...

Oh terrible! It seems to make me itchy though.

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

FLEAS!!! I FORBID them to remain in my FUR-FRIENDS' FUR!!! They make me FURIOUS and FRANTIC! Happy Alphabe-Thursday!

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

I remember combing our cats everyday with flea combs and scraping the little offenders into cups of water that we would flush down the toilet. Also, running the sweeper hourly. But we got rid of all the fleas within a few days, and didn't have to use chemicals.

Kat said...

Yikes! I hate fleas. And working for a vet, I see them all the time. And they are very hard to get rid of because the little pests can lay dormant for years and then hatch when conditions are just right. Sounds like you've got it under control, good luck! Kathy (oh, and make sure that you get rid of the vacuum bags every time you sweep, they will breed in there too!)

Short and Sweet said...

Fleas are creepy but I did enjoy reading your post in spite of the uninvited guests theme!

Cathryn said...

With ferals and house cats, I fear fleas...I found that sprinkling baking soda on carpets and furniture helps to control them. *shudders violently* If it's a wet spring, we may get them back!

Pondside said...

Yikes! I hate fleas. We've had such an early spring up here this year that predictions are for an infestation of fleas on the island. I am known in my family as a flea magnet - if there is a flea within striking distance it will find me and bite me. Movie theatres? You bet! City buses? Yup! Friends houses? Yes, and very embarrassing too!

Betty said...

One of the greatest advances in veterinary medicine has been with flea control. We now put something on the dog and cats back and if we still have fleas we give them a pill. I remember years ago when we had to give our cats flea baths (no fun) and leave the house and set off a bomb or call an exterminator.

Without the dog in your mother's house those fleas were starving. Your poor husband!

Sarah said...

Yikes! Fleas are definitely not welcome guests. Hope you get these critters cleared out!

Jenny said...

Oh Viki! We had a flea infestation once when the kids were small. They bit the kids but they never bothered me.

I was still a good Mom and got rid of them.

They kind of give me the willies.

And you know what's funny?

I was thinking of F words all night and I never once thought of fleas!

Isn't it cool how our minds all go to a different place from the same starting point?

F un post!

A+

Amy said...

Fleas...ick! Glad you got rid of them. I remember getting fleas in our house once when I was a young girl. I was always on the floor playing and it was awful!!

Christy said...

Oooo, I dislike fleas. I freak out that they are on our animals too. icky fleas

laterg8r said...

fleas totally freak me out too yuck!!

Unknown said...

Oh, Fleas ... now I'm itching LOL! :) Fun post!

GardenOfDaisies said...

OH fleas are awful... I remember our cats had some years ago. Vacuuming regularly can take care of it along with monthly flea meds for the pets.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I'n glad you were able to get rid of those fleas before it got to be bad.

I hope you will will be ok ..I will say a prayer for all of you!

easternsparkle said...

oooh - we had a cat once that had fleas - the only peson they ever bit was my eldest son - he must have tasted sweet to them!!

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Luckily, you had it under control. Those fleas hurt and itch after their bites!

Jacque said...

Good Morning Ms. Viki,

I totally know where you are coming from with the fleas! We live in cattle country and the fleas are everywhere. We also have a cat! SO, we are constantly having to bomb the house. Good luck with your endeavors!!

Thanks for sharing with us today and thanks for stopping by the farmhouse for a visit. We love having company.

Maggie said...

We put our cocker spaniel Blue into a day kennels many years ago whilst we visited the Futuroscope Theme Park.He came out with fleas which we all brought home with us, charming!
Great post.
~Maggie~

lissa said...

what a story! glad the problem is resolved

thanks for your visit to my alphabe-thursday

Vicki/Jake said...

No FLEAS please!! Funny..

mub said...

I'm SO thankful I've never had to deal with fleas before! I'm glad you were able to get rid of them, and fingers crossed they don't reappear!