Rats with Flees?

[EDK]

Ok so during this week, we noticed our dogs were having some major itching issues, and my mother found a flee on her during that time period. *Gross fest grr* anyways during that week I had taken Gyro to the vet for a concerned eye issue to which it healed fine its own, but I noticed he along with my other boys were itching or grooming more then usual as well. My vet suggested it might be mites but he couldn't tell for sure without a skin scrap, and Gyro wasn't the best patient so we played it safe, and he had me put mite/flee repelent for kittens on them each. Needless to say they hated it but they took it in ok.

Well as of this morning I found a flee on me, I haven't seen flees in years since we are usually very careful with that and our animals. But this is the country side for us, and our dogs are always outside, my rats no lol. But still, do rats carry flees just as dogs do? And if so, should I continue with the kitten flee replent? I've already run out of the 3 small bottles they gave me that said would last a week for each of them. This was not the case or they miscalcuated. For each bottle, half the bottle goes on each one of my boys, twice a day. 3 bottles...half the bottle for each of my boys, twice a day... I ran out within 2days.

I do need to request we bomb the house, but that means having to take all the animals out for an hour or two, so road trip for me and the boys needless to say, but as far goes as treating them for poltential flee infestation, what SHOULD be used?

 

[lilspaz68]

Did they give you ivermectin or did they give you Revolution? My guess is they gave you Revo...and Revo stays in the blood stream for 30 days not a week.

 

[EDK]

I can't remember the brand but i do know it was for kittens and it was a very small dose for each of my boys. Granted I might have misheard how they said it works and that it should kick in within a few weeks. So its been almost 2 weeks since i've applied it, so maybe I should wait and see. I do know there's no signs of irritation or scabs so thats good at least. I guess its just our dogs that need flee treatment lol

 

[jorats]

I'd wait it out.
Also, my vet told me that if you have bigger animals in the house, the flees won't leave them to go on a small rat.

 

[EDK]

That makes sense lol ok

Something I also noticed about Gyro's eye. It was fine today and throughout the week no issues. Then this morning on my desk, Gizmo was roughly grooming Gyro, another case of dominance as usual. Gizmo has been on everyone's case including Nes. Nes and Gyro are also fight alot too, no blood or nothing, but Gyro has been 'chasing' Nes after he'd break away from a fight. But again there's no blood or signs of major stress.

Anyways, when Gizmo was roughly grooming Gyro, he went to his face, and rough groomed RIGHT on top of his eye, the one that i was worried about, Gyro was squeaking the whole time so I pulled Gizmo off him, and sure enough Gyro's eye had blood around the outside of his eye lid. It wasn't very bad, looked to be a slight tiny little cut. I'm not sure if Gizmo intended on hurting him, it looked to be harmless grooming.

I'm not sure what to do about all this fighting. Nes is 5months while Gyro and Gizmo are 6months. It seems both Gyro and Nes are fighting for alpha position or omega positions as well. Again they get along very well when they are in their cage, an occassional squeak from Nes during grooming time but nothing else. But during play time there's occassional boxing, and loud squeaking of rough groom fighting. I'm hoping in a few more months they will settle down, I can't afford another 'risky' neuter session for all of them. And after I lost one of my rats from my vet location, you can understand why I hesitate, not to mention 185$ per rat...with the risk of losing them...i'll pass.