How to Handle Fleas

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Second Plan: 
	•	Buy some spray to use on the bed (all natural, no ingredients)
	⁃	Top contender: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PRI6OC?tag=bugkill-20
	⁃	Available at Petco and at Village Pet (plenty)
	•	Buy some spray to use on the other stuff
	⁃	Probably the Precor spray, but we know that it could be bad for us. 
	•	Do another comb through Cosmo to 



Plan now: 
	1.	Put all of the stuff that's being washed into the washer/dryer on high heat. 
	2.	While that's going, put Cosmo in the tub OR OUTSIDE and use the flea comb to get everything out of him. 
	⁃	Have a cup of soapy water nearby to dip the comb in each time after going through the fur. 
	⁃	Wash hands afterward. 
	⁃	Don't wash him or anything. You're just in the tub to contain the flees. 
	3.	Vacuum the tub when you're done and throw everything you got outside. 
	4.	Vacuum the entire apartment, like completely. Especially around the bed and couch and the big carpet. 
	5.	Bring back in all of the sheets and put them back on, normally. 
	6.	Decide whether to purchase a IGR, and buy it immediately. 
	⁃	When the IGR arrives, spray it on the couch, under the bed, and on the bed. 

Later:
	1.	One week later, give Cosmo a normal bath and look for fleas.
	2.	Continue treating Cosmo with the tick/flea each month. 
	3.	If you're still finding signs
	⁃	Buy and use an IGR if you haven't already
	⁃	Get a more serious method of killing them in your apartment. 





Things to buy: 
	•	Vacuum
	⁃	Dyson has a 30 day return policy. Can return after use. Just return to the place we purchased it.
	⁃	Wirecutter best cannister vacuum: Miele Compact C2 Electro+ (not dyson)
	⁃	$600 (but can use 20% discount for bed bath and beyond, so only $480)
	⁃	The paper coupons don't expire. 
	⁃	This is available at Bed Bath and Beyond. 
	⁃	It's up to a year return policy, as long as we have the receipt. We can use the vacuum and return it. Anything plugged in has this return policy. 
	⁃	They have 17 in stock in San Francisco. 
	⁃	Has a wand, and multiple brush heads. 
	⁃	Basically it's the one you need to get for high pile.
	⁃	Wirecutter says Dyson is very overpriced, and "Dyson doesn’t work on very-high pile shag carpet at all" compared to their Miele, even the Canister one
	⁃	Costco has:
	⁃	Dyson Big Ball Animal+ Canister Vacuum for $450
	⁃	Miele Classic C1 Electro+ Vacuum for $500 (Wirecutter says these are also good, but it's only a $100 difference).
	⁃	Do we want bags?
	⁃	BOUGHT. 
	•	Flea Comb
	⁃	BUY AT VILLAGE PET STORE.
	•	Flea Shampoo (?)
	⁃	It looks like just using regular shampoo and some lemon juice will be enough, and the risks of using a damaging shampoo are just too high. But some people say that lemons are bad for the dog, so just don't worry about it. 
	•	IGR (for killing the eggs) or Diatomaceous earth
	⁃	Probably should get IGR, insect growth regulator, because Diatomaceous earth is tough to vacuum. 
	⁃	Probably get online, this is good https://www.amazon.com/Precor-IGR-Regulator-Control-ZOE1010/dp/B0043HXV66
	⁃	Will need to get a spray bottle. 
	⁃	It's safe, it's just a protein that prevents development. It doesn't even kill them. 
	⁃	May be able to do without this. It's an option, but vacuuming might be enough. 
	•	More trash bags (?)




Fleas: 
	1.	Adult gets on dog. Female lays eggs on dog. 
	2.	Eggs live on dog. They fall off into carpets, etc. 
	3.	Eggs hatch into larvae, which can live in the carpet, eating skin cells and such. 
	⁃	Usually takes 1-2 weeks, so should be doing everything during that period of time.
	4.	Larvae cocoon, and eventually hatch into adult flea, continuing cycle. They hatch during vibrations, heat, and exhaled carbon dioxide.
	⁃	They cocoon after another couple weeks. 



Steps: 

	1.	Treat the dog. They're the food source. 
	⁃	Use a spot treatment, like the Frontline we have, (this kills all of them), and continues for 30 days.
	⁃	Continue this for at LEAST 3-4 months, if not indefinitely. 
	⁃	If you don't want to use chemicals, there are other options.
	⁃	Could use a flea comb to remove the dead fleas from the hair. 
	⁃	Be sure to do this in a controlled environment so that the fleas don't jump somewhere else. Like in the bath should be good, but move out any matts. 
	⁃	Drown any fleas you find in hot soapy water. 
	⁃	Vacuum the area after you're done.
	⁃	Could also get a flea killing/removing shampoo to bathe them in a week later. 
	⁃	The soap prevents the fleas from being able to hold onto the hair, and so they'll fall into the water and drown.
	⁃	Flea shampoos kill the fleas on contact. Make sure they kill eggs as well. 
	⁃	Keep the dog inside for as much as possible for the next 30 days to prevent re-infestation (might be fine given we have Frontline). 
	2.	Treat the home. 
	⁃	Machine wash in HOT soapy water, and dry in HIGH heat.
	⁃	ALL of the things on your bed. 
	⁃	All of your pet's bedding. 
	⁃	All the things your dog spends time/sleeps on (e.g. couch).
	⁃	After washing, keep them in garbage bags until 12 hours after treating the rest of your house (to prevent bugs from crawling onto them). 
	⁃	Vacuum all couches, smooth floors, carpets, and rugs.
	⁃	This will suck up all fleas, larvae, and eggs, and cause any in cocoons to hatch so you can kill them. 
	⁃	Seal the bag in a plastic bag and put it in an exterior garbage. 
	⁃	KEEP VACUUMING EVERY DAY. 
	⁃	Use food grade diatomaceous earth or borax to kill all remaining fleas. (could potentially use an insect growth regulator, IGR, such as Methoprene) 
	⁃	Brush the powder into the rug or carpet and furniture. 
	⁃	Don't vacuum for a week. 
	⁃	Things will emerge and then die when exposed to this stuff when they hatch a couple of weeks later. 
	⁃	After a couple weeks, you can vacuum again.
	⁃	DO NOT USE REGULAR VACUUM FILTER WITH DIATOMACEOUS EARTH.
	⁃	Looks like Borax is recommended by PETA.  
	⁃	Do this process once, THEN DO IT AGAIN 1 MONTH LATER.

Sources:
	1.	https://pestkill.org/insect/fleas/infestation/
	2.	https://www.1800petmeds.com/education/steps-tackle-pet-flea-infestation-7.htm
	3.	https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tapeworm-infection-in-dogs
	4.	https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_fleas_on_dogs_and_what_you_can_do_about_them?page=2
	5.	https://www.petcarerx.com/article/how-do-you-stop-a-flea-infestation/99


Tara's requests: 
	•	Figure out dyson return policy, free return after 30 days. 
	⁃		Yes, 30 days. Should call and ask. 
	⁃		30 days of any canister and vacuum. You can use it as much as you want. Just return it to the place we purchased. 
	•	Look up best canister vacuums 
	•	Look up dyson canister vacuum that is not cordless and check reviews
	•	Check what dyson vacuums are sold at Costco