[Izzy]

For the last week I have been getting itchy bites on my ankles, lower legs and the backs of my knees. This is since I started wearing shorts at work. (I'm a postie.) The thing is I seem to get the bites in the house, not when I'm at work, walking on concrete and Tarmac. So now I'm in a  panic about fleas and bedbugs. My house is not immaculate but I would say bathing and laundry were my strong points. After a busy day at work/dogs/hens I enjoy nothing better than a hot bath, clean sheets and a good book.
 
I have had bedbug bites before (from someone else's house) and they do feel very similar. I live in Stirlingshire in central Scotland and in Aug/Sept we get harvest mites but they bite around tight clothes eg waistline and bra straps.
 
I have until recently been looking after a friend's dog. (She's got a new hip.) I did make the mistake of allowing him onto the bed once but put a stop to it once I found out how much space he managed to occupy!
 
Has anyone else in central Scotland had the same experience recently. Do dog fleas bite humans? I don't want to accuse my friend's dog unjustly.

[NicandChic]

Im in south ayrshire and the only one in the family to recently get bitten by who knows what!!
I've never reacted to bites before - usually only see a teeny red dot....but these are big risen red blotches and itchy!!! I've no idea what's doing it, mainly my legs, couple towards the top of my leg (I'm the main rabbit, duck, chicken feeder, cleaner) and have been known to wonder about the yard in my pj's!

I've not felt anything, seen anything flying about...but they sure hurt once they've finished feasting on me!

****

(Could be flea bites though Izzy) I'm presuming mine aren't as I'm the only one getting bitten!

[SallyintNorth]

I suspect your friend's dog left some of its friends behind.  And they're hungry enough to bite any warm-blooded thing now!

I once had some kittens which for the first couple of weeks I kept in the spare bedroom (so the resident cat could still use his cat flap.)  After they graduated to the main house, I didn't go in the spare room for a few weeks.

When I did go in, starving fleas covered my bare legs in less than two seconds.  Ewwww!!

(Nuvan Staykill was my best buddy.    Or maybe I used Acclaim, I can't remember now.)

[plumseverywhere]

we had lots of flea bites a few years ago (when we first moved here) thing is, they seem to get in the carpets and breed really fast!
we treated all our animals with a spot on from the vet and bought some 'acclaim' spray which did the carpets. Used Eurax on the itchy bites. its horrible.

[Beeducked]

Bites round the ankles is classic for fleas!

[HesterF]

Yep, sounds like fleas. Our cats pick them up off rabbits so we spray the house once a year with the spray from the vets to try and prevent infestation. Their advice is to vacuum first so the fleas are jumping around (they respond to the vibrations apparently) and then spray. It's not cheap but it does seem to work.

[Lesley Silvester]

If you have a steam cleaner, I would steam the mattress. Dog fleas are nasty vicious things with insatiable appetites for blood - anyone's blood, they're not fussy. My brother had a nasty reaction to flea bites as a child. Our mother was so horrified that the dog and his basket and bedding were all smothered in DDT (it was still legal then).

[Izzy]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I need to get scrubbing and spraying!

[Izzy]

It is fleas. I've seen 'em with me own eyes. I feel so ashamed!

[Daisys Mum]

It is fleas. I've seen 'em with me own eyes. I feel so ashamed!

No need to its a fact of life you keep animals good chance you will get fleas. If it's any consolation my goats have lice and I didn't see it until it was really bad, I just thought they were losing there winter coats.

[Penninehillbilly]

This winter we took on 2 rescue dogs, defleaed them first week, then during winter we had an explosion of fleas (best desciption), they didn't bite OH, but my legs are a real mess, really shocked - never had fleas before, I was combing the dogs out and squashing the sods, vacuuming every crack between the floorboards, some spot on stuff on the dogs, got some spray for house but couldn't use it because I couldn't really keep the dogs out for an hour in winter, dogs are scratching again, don't know if its the moulting or THEM again.
I'd be wary of looking after your friends dog again

[benandjerry]

I read this thread last night and my OH woke me at 03.49 hrs this morning to ask me if I was ok as I had been rolling around in the bed, scratching all parts of my body enough so that I had woken him.  He said he watched me for about 5 mins and I was scratch, scratch, scratch.  I was dreaming about the house being flea infested and every time I moved these little black things kept dropping off me.  Boy was I glad he woke me!

[Backinwellies]

It is fleas. I've seen 'em with me own eyes. I feel so ashamed!

No need to feel ashamed .... have animals then you have parasites!  Just a case of keeping them under control. Acclaim kills and stops new ones breeding on carpets and mattresses etc.

[Mammyshaz]

It is fleas. I've seen 'em with me own eyes. I feel so ashamed!

At least it was a dog that infested your house. I regularly bring the little blighters home from work ( vets ) and pass them to the dogs and cat 
Use a house spray from your vet. I use RIP as thats the one we sell and 1application protects from 6mth-1yr.
And treat all dogs and cats and rabbits you have as pets regularly for the next few months to break the cycle
 
Take an antihistamine for your itchy skin, you are a delicate sole who reacts to bites, bless 

 My dogs and cat are done with frontline then stronghold, in rotation every 6-8wks ( we also have the odd tick but I can blame the cat for that one  )

 Oh the joys of owning or working with animals 

[madcat]

I get monstrously itchy off flea bites and treating the house as well as the pets was the only thing that worked for us. I loathe fleas.