thanks again all - they look like flea bites that I've had in the past

regards spraying the house - I'm a little owrried about the rats... I know they can't catch/don't have the fleas - but I'm not sure how to go about spraying/bombing the rat room. Dudley doesn't go in there anyway - would it be OK to leave the rooms dudley doesn't go in? asI'd be worreid about the fumigation thing upsettign the other animals...?

xx

Fleas mostly like soft furnishings, round the edges of the carpet, down the sides of the chairs etc. and spraying the carpet etc with a good quality spray should prevent reinfestation for up to six months. Fish tanks should be covered and birds, small animals etc moved out. Air the room after an hour and then replace eveybody - But I've told you this without knowing what flea spray you intend to use -it is just a generalisation. It's not a massive job, I used to do the house room by room when we had a number of dogs and cats . Now I just check the one cat we have on a regular basis as she does go hunting where there are wild rabbits etc. So far we seem to have avoided the problem. Kath

Right - well he's seen the vet. He had impacted anal glands - they smelled pretty awful poor lad - but there wasn't *loads* of nasty gunge. We were 'sold' a very expensive house de-flea-er, and had worming tablets, antihistimines, steroids and frontline pushed on us too Turns out he has got an allergy to the protein in flea saliva - and all this should work - and it just better had because it was a fearful price *weep*

I just hope he's OK - I don't begrudge paying out to have him not in any discomfort - but I am horrified at price for just a few bits, some of which seem terribly unnecessery to me *sigh*

**goes off to find things for car bootsale to raise £100 for very expensive flea spray and anti-histimines...*

*sigh*

xx

I know exactly how you feel! The first time I took my rescue Georgie to my previous vet, I came out with everything they could throw at me for fleas plus an invoice amounting to £140!!!!! I changed to HIS vet who had known this dog for years, and the prices came down and so did the flea treatment coz he never had any!! Oh well, at least if you use everything they gave you, you can at least eliminate them can't you. I still think it is though looking at those marks. Any chance of claiming on the insurance?? If you sent them the pictures of his skin??? Try it!!

insurance we don't have I'm afraid - not going into it lol as people think I'm spawn of satan - but after much research decided I don't agree with it.

and now - to top it all off - we probably can't use the fearfully, criminally expensive house flea spray as it could be very dangerous for the rats.

i am very very angry.

xx

Oh noooooooo, then take it back!!! Tomorrow!!! Get a refund!! I did that with some of my "stuff" the vet gave me, when I went to the 2nd vet about Georgie, I only kept the indorex spray as I thought it might help to do the house. You are entitled to a refund, especially when you give them the reason!

Just a quickie for anyone that I've not told before - I dealt for years with a firm - www.hyperdrug.com If you google them and then go on to canine-chemists you can get all sorts of things so much cheaper than from the Vet. Worm pills come free of P&P. and delivery has always been very quick. If you phone them you will get help too.
My Vet knew I used them but never bothered, perhaps he just thought my custom was too good to loose anyway.
Kath

Good tip there Kath, I have always used them for any meds and also my food. They are really brilliant and deliver within a couple of days. I chop and change from Hyperdrug to Bestpet Pharmacy coz some things are even cheaper on there! I never buy anything from the vet now, not even prescription drugs coz I just print out the prescription when ordering and my vet signs it free of charge, they have to by law now.