Saturday, September 23, 2006

I'm a bad dog owner.

I smell like a wet dog, I hate wet dog smell. As soon as my back can move I'll have a shower.

Poor Spike had fleas. He's been scratching like mad for a couple of weeks. The groomer couldn't see any so she gave him a nice healing bath that helped for oh about 20 seconds. Wednesday John found a flea on him, crap! Last night I had a flea ON MY ARM ewwwwww.

Spike has only ever had one flea on him, honest. I found it, bathed him and that was it. Off we went to the pet store in the next village today. Found the shampoo and got him some more treats came home had lunch and and got the bathroom ready. Gardening kneeling pads to sit on? check. A eleventy towels? check. Big towel on the floor? check. Dogie flea shampoo? check. Shower at the right temperature? check.

Meanwhile the Spikeman has hidden behind my chair in his "safe" place. Oh right it's not safe today buddy. How does he know I'm going to get him wet? I swear that dog puts on 100 pounds as I was trying to drag him to the bathroom all the while trying not to let him pull his nails out as he grips the carpet. I'm glad we don't have a bath just a lovely shower with a non slip, waterproof floor. A strange calm descends over the bath room, Spike is resigned to getting wet.

Shampoo on, rubbed in and OMG, the fucking things were jumping all over his back by his tail, down his tail. He gets a nice massage while I'm freaking out with guilt. Rinse, lather up again rinse, rinse and rinse a dozen times.

He only tried to escape twice, the rest of the time he stood a shivering and a shaking. I think he shook himself extra hard twice just to pay me back.

Towel drying time is.......Play time! Yipee, I love you my lovely owner, let me snuggle next to you while I'm nice and wet and try to sit on you lap. Giggggle he loves being towel dried. One damp dog, three treats later for being such a good boy. One or two or a dozen rounds of rubbing himself around the floor, couch and beds he's having a nice nap in his safe place.


With all the stuff we put over the carpet I hope the fleas are gone for good, or at least until the next time. His bedding is clean, our bedding is clean, the floors, furniture and everything that stood still has been vacuumed. I don't know what else to do.

Skeeter, my friend if you read this what else do I need to do? There I go wanting free advice again;-)

Bedding needs to dried and put back on the beds, and I have a roast beef cooking that smells sooo good. Today is Sunday in my house because I said so and the roast beef dinner is our treat for a busy painful day. Tomorrow all we have to do is a bit of grocery shopping, something that I can stick in the oven for dinner and my back is resting as much as I can. What I'm trying to say is... I intend to be a lazy cow for the rest of the day.

7 comments:

skeet said...

LOL! How did you know I was planning on posting a few tips for you?

First - Get rid of the bag from the vacuum. It will be full of larvae & they'll hatch in there because it's also full of what they need for growth (dog hair, skin cells & such.)

Second - Treat the lawn/garden area. If he goes out there, he will have left fleas there also. Not sure what sprays or dusts are available to you across the pond, but check the label. Make sure ti says *fleas* on the label, and also that it's the right stuff for lawns and gardens.

Third - Kill all of the feral animals in the neighborhodd, and all of the neighbors' cats. They'll bring you more fleas. (JK, but if there are animals that come around your property spreading fleas, you'll face the problem again & again.

amanda said...

Nothing wrong with being lazy...dog-washing is hard work!

I don't know if you're already using something like it, but Advantage works really well for my puppy. It's only available at vet's offices here in the States though. :(

Susan said...

Oh poor Spikester! Do they sell Frontline where you live? It is a liquid that you squirt between their shoulder blades once per month to keep fleas and tics away. Supposed to keep mosquitos away too.

I hope you and Spike recover from the bathing event ;)

Chunks said...

We don't have fleas where I live. Well, I shouldn't say that. I'm sure if my dog was an outside dog and we lived on a farm, there might be some, but our climate really doesn't allow for the life of a flea. Too cold. I guess that would be the upside.

Fleas are hard to get rid of, fur shure. (Punny me!)

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

Hi Vanda!

I was going to suggest Frontline also. It is the best product available! you can buy it on PetMeds.com and it will be cheaper than buying it at the vet's office.

I use Frontline because my dog is socialized and has playdates! (Everybody likes coming out to the country for the day!) Her friends are always bringing hitchhikers!

Vanda said...

I got the frontline from the vets a few days ago and they are abandoning his body LOL. We keep finding dead fleas.

It was £20.00 for three months which is a great price and one I don't mind paying. At least winter is coming and the headgehogs will go into hibernation soon. Yeah for the cold LOL. First and last time I'll be happy for the cold weather.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I was going to suggest Advantage, but with all the testimonials, I'll try Frontline next time. I have seven cats and two dogs and NO fleas...it's really amazing stuff....