Fleas in a mobile

[mylady]

OK, I think I read a thread here a while back about someone grooming a dog in their mobile that ended up having fleas and them having to cancel the rest of their days appointments so they could treat their van. It got me wondering. Now I've only been mobile a little under 2 years, but it would never occur to me to cancel a day of appointments to bomb my van after doing a flea dog. At all the salons I've worked at we've dealt with fleas and never sent anyone home or closed up shop because of fleas. I have a spray I use in the rig if I find a dog with fleas and treat the rig that way. I'm just wondering if there is something different about being in the mobile that I'm not seeing. Do you all usually bomb your van and cancel other appointments? Am I doing something wrong? I certainly don't want to contaminate another pet, but I've been taking all the same steps I would when I worked in a salon. It never occurred to me to do anything different. I would really appreciate your feedback. Thanks!

[Debbiedogs]

I suppose...

I suppose that it would depend on the AMOUNT of fleas, and some people are much more frantic about fleas than others.

I flea spray in my shop and would do the same in a mobile if I saw a dog with fleas. I do not bomb unless there is some kind of unusual, ongoing problem, which there hasn't been with the premises spray and the low number of dogs I do with fleas.

[PrincessPoodle]

I'm mobile and I don't bomb the van. I rarely get dogs with fleas, but when I do I put them straight in the tub, shampoo them up and while they are "marinating" I spray down all the surfaces. I think the clipper vac being cleaned frequently and just being super clean period really do prevent an infestation. I or my coworkers I don't think would cancel a whole day of appointments; as far as I know we've never had complaints of a dog becoming contaminated in our care.

[puppy love]

Any dog that has fleas immediately goes to the tub to soak in flea shampoo. Then at the end of the day, I will spray the van with Ortho Home Defense spray. I spray my van with the Home Defense every weekend after I clean it just to be sure I dont have any buggers calling it home but if I have a dog with fleas during the week, I give it an extra spray just to be sure. Been mobile for 7 years and never had a flea problem in my van. (knocking on wood now since I said that..) I also clean my van barefooted so if there were any fleas in there they would jump on my feet. For some reason fleas are attracted to me. I have had fleas jump off of a dog onto my arm...same thing with mosquitos. They will swarm me and leave everyone else alone.

[kats_melody]

Canceling a day's worth of appointments to bomb the van to me borders on overkill. We clean the van every day, hubby cleans up after each dog and damp mops between appointments. We've never had a flea problem in the van and we've had a few dogs that were loaded with fleas, enough to make the rinse water turn reddish brown as the little boogers dropped off after the flea and tick treatment.

Keep the van clean and spray once a week and you shouldn't have problems. Just advice from the flea and tick capital of the U.S., the state of Florida.

[Gracy Rose]

something else to do- if you get a horrid infestation on the dog, I don't put the used towel in my hamper, instead I seal the towel in a plastic garbage bag (just in case any live ones were left on the pup when I dried him) and seal it. When I get home I IMMEDIATELY throw the towel(s) in bleach and wash.

[Sasha's Mom]

I'm freaky about this issue since it's happened to me. I had a dog with just a few that I soaked, sprayed van, etc. but several fleas had jumped on me when I carried him and when I went to do the next dog I noticed one jumping on that luckily white dog. So now I bomb even after seeing only one flea - sorry but imo can't be too careful since I market that that is one of the benefits of mobile - no cross contamination. I bomb, seal all towels/trash in bags, then disinfect everything -all within 2 hrs, so I miss only one appointment (which I generally do that evening since I feel so bad). By the way I also de-flea myself, as best I can, by changing clothes, putting my long hair up in shower cap and turning my reversible coat inside out - my pretty but my customers appreciate me taking the precautions. Told ya all I was freaky about this...

[gottalovegracie]

I'm freaky about this issue since it's happened to me. ... Told ya all I was freaky about this...

How can you bomb a space within 2 hrs? Any bomb product I've used say to set it off of a couple hours then air it out with windows, fans, vents open/on for at least another few hours or overnight? I'm sorry but bombing after a severly infested pet is in my truck is the only way I will go. Call me crazy, call it overkill...but I'm NOT taking a chance to have another clients pet end up with fleas on them after being in my truck. I've heard too many stories from clients about their pets coming home from "the groomer" with fleas... among other issues. Of course, I don't do it for one or two, but if someone comes in infested, darn right I'm taking all precautions. A truck is such a small confined space just seems alot easier for fleas to be "everywhere". Other point is that, yes, if fleas are known to be on the pet they will go right to the tub, but sometimes on very overgrown coats they aren't noticed until you begin to shave off the coat. By then, it's too late! jmho

[louie]

if i bring a dog into my van and i notice it infested (happened to me twice) I just bring the dog into the house and alert owners so THEY can do proper treatment. I cut hair, not play with bugs.
I will bomb my van if i see a flea escape my grasps when i go home for the day. The bomb takes 24 hrs and I do not feel comfortable IN my van if I think a flea escaped the bath............might be overkill? who cares, i don't like bugs.