TAMMY MERRIS asked 7 years ago
I realized there was an issue when I noticed my cats had started scratching. I used a flea comb to check them and voila! Several fleas on each one. Up until then, we regularly used a broad spectrum insecticide inside and out and we had never seen evidence of fleas anywhere. Each cat has a new Seresto collar and I’ve sprayed each twice over 5 days with “Advantage” with IG Regulator. They spray says it kills adults and inhibits hatchlings and eggs. I suppose the key word here is “inhibits” not “stops.”
I’m also a pet sitter and do “In Home Boarding” for dogs. I ask people to bring proof of their dogs flea & tick preventative before boarding. I also spot check dogs daily with the flea comb and so far, no fleas on any of the animals that I can find.
We bombed the house heavily with a product that allegedly has an IG Regulator and sprayed the yard also. The treatment was 5 days ago. I’m vaccuming daily, sometimes twice because pets shed but also to suck up the fleas. Today, I checked the canister and there were several adults crawling around that seemed pretty active. I also found fleas in my cats water dish and in my bed sheets. The cats do sleep on the bed but neither SEEM to have any fleas now.
I understand the life cycle of the fleas and the importance of treating pets and environment but I’m confused about the products and why I’m still seeing adult fleas. (I assume these recently hatched) I thought that a chemical with an IG Regulator would PREVENT the eggs from hatching for 7 months, not just “Inhibit” them.
Am I not treating the home/pets correctly?
Is there a specific bug bomb and yard spray that you can recommend?
How can I tell when relief is on the horizon?
Adam Retzer Staff answered 7 years ago
Hello Tammy,
It sounds like you’re taking all the correct steps. It will just take a bit a patience, as there are some issues related to flea habitat and life cycle.
Insect growth regulators (IGR) work by mimicking a natural insect hormone that regulates development. When eggs and larvae are exposed, they’re unable to mature into adults. And when adult females are exposed, they’re unable to lay eggs.
Unfortunately, you’ll continue to see fleas here or there for around 8 weeks. This is normal, and there isn’t much you can do to stop it. 95-99% of infestations are composed of eggs, larvae, and pupae living in the environment. They hide in protected refuges, often deep within carpets. As a result, sprays can’t penetrate well and many of these immature stages won’t be affected by chemical treatments. For these fleas to be killed, they need to mature, emerge as adults, and then die.
Using an IGR is one of the best ways to control fleas in the environment. It does indeed prevent (inhibit) flea eggs and larvae from maturing. The problem is the fleas already living in the environment are protected in their habitats, as discussed in the previous paragraph. However, any new eggs that fall onto the carpets/flooring won’t be able to develop. And IGRs last 7 months indoors, which is great for prevention of re-infestation.
Here are our comprehensive pages on flea sprays. The pages contain product comparisons, and also a wealth of information about control:
Best flea spray for yards
Best flea spray for homes & carpets
Bombs and foggers aren’t a good option compared to premise sprays, because they create a mist that settles over everything in the room and can’t be controlled. Premise sprays can be directed at flea hot-spots and have better penetration. Here’s our page on the best flea foggers if you are interested in reading more.
The number of fleas should diminish within a couple weeks. And the infestation should be over in around 8 weeks. A good way to monitor an infestation is to place flea traps around the home. Flea traps are a poor method of control, but are useful for assessing flea populations and determining when the infestation is over.
You can dial the vacuuming back a bit if you’d like to. Every other day is ideal, but once control is established, a few times of week is fine too. You can read more about that here: How often to vacuum for fleas.
Washing the sheets will kill the fleas on the bed. Fleas there probably developed from eggs that dropped off the cat. Or perhaps adults were groomed off the cat. Regardless, fleas don’t infest beds and mattresses like bed bugs do, which is sometimes a concern of pet owners. Simply laundering the bedding will take care of the problem there.
I hope this helps!
Adam
