Fleas!

Is is my imagination or is this a really bad year for fleas? I've hade more dogs come in with fleas in the lst months than I've had since I've started grooming on my own (5 years). O.K., that might be a slight exaggeration but I usually get about 1-2 flea dogs a year. In the last month or two I've had 1-2 a week.

My last gallon jug of fleas shampoo has lasted years, but now with the sudden increase I am needing to buy some more but I don't know what is the best one to buy. Anybody have any suggestion on the most effective.

Also, what do you do when you have a dog with fleas. Do you immediatly give a flea bath? What if you have already bath and dried the dog and are halfway throught the groom before you see one flea? do you re-bath at that point or just finish the groom and tell the owner about it?

What about if you have a dog really infested with fleas. What is your protocol to treat the dog but also you room and kennels?

Last week I had a Schnoodle groom where I didn't find the fleas until I was giving the haircut. First it was one flea, no panic, then a few more. O.K. still no panic. Can't get ahold of 'Mom' on the phone but decide to give a flea bath anyways. When I picked up the towel I had used to dry the dog and had thrown in the tub, the towel was CRAWLING with fleas. By the time I had finishd the second bath and dry there were fleas everywhere. On the table and on the floor. Even after the flea shampoo alot were still alive. I was on my hands and knees squishing fleas as fast as I could. Luckily, about 2 days before I had spayed my whole room and kennels with a premise spray so I was praying any fleas I missed would die eventually. I was so annoyed. The worst part, when I told the Mom about the fleas she just nodded and said "I though she might have them AGAIN". Grrrrr. If she had just told me she suspected them I would have been on the lookout and treated them sooner before they got blown around my room. Some people!

I would love to hear what other groomers do when they discover fleas. I felt like I was running around trying to contain the situation without knowing what I was doing. I've only ever had one other dog with a really bad flea problem (usually it's just a flea or two) and it was the same then.

Thanks,
Caroline

There have been a lot of fleas this fall, not sure if it was the lousy summer or what. First and formost we reccommend on our permission form that all dogs be on flea preventative, covers our butt. If I find one flea after the bath, no big deal, kill it, tell owner and find out if dog is on preventive. If I find a few fleas on the dog I will have it re-bathed and make sure we flea bath any remaining dogs or check if they have already been bathed. Kennels, floors,tables etc then get scrubbed down and flea sprayed.
It would have been nice if the owner had told you prior to the groom (sigh).
We have also noticed a lot more ticks on dogs this year, anyone else notice this. They are soooo gross.

Especially lately, we've had sooo many flea dogs come in. I'm finding that most of the clients were on flea prevention but they have no run out, so fleas are popping up again.

I've found a few ticks this year as well, and yes, they really creep me out. I don't know why. I'm fine with just about any other gross thing that comes my way (as a groomer) but ticks give me the Heebie Jeebies.

What do you use to clean your tables and spray with? The spray I use is suspose to protect for 7 months. It's not intented to be used everytime there is fleas. I wonder if I should be using something else as well.

I have had a few with fleas as well. So maddening, when the owner "suspects" but does not tell you until after you have started on their pet! I removed two ticks from my own dog this summer but no fleas. The tics are scary because of the diseases they tend to carry. But I am glad that I check him everytime he comes in during the summer. I think it may have saved alot of problems by finding and removing them right away. I use Best Shot Flea and Tick Shampoo and I find it works great!There is no diluting or fuss, it is ready to use.Also, PPP Cycle Block Home and Carpet Spray works for spraying the affected area afterward. Such a pain, if we would know in advance it would be nice!!