Well this is war, as simple as that!
3 weeks after I treated the dog with Frontline, the dog was still full of fleas. I treated again with the same remedy, only to find that 2 days later they were all happily partying on his belly. I was horrified.
I could not blame Frontline as I brought it with me from the UK, last January. So it is not a fake copy.
I thought maybe fleas in this country have some sort of superpowers? After all when you see the size of the cockroaches (almost big enough to have a mouse for breakfast!) you can understand my doubts!
Always the proactive one, I got into the Gringoes’ forum to explain my predicament and ask if this is normal. (And yes there is such a thing as a Gringo forum: www.gringoes.com).
After various answers I realised that, no, fleas here don’t have superpowers and that I most certainly have an infestation. I then proceeded to go my local “petshop” where they sell all sort of products and pet food and explain my problem. I was explained that I needed to disinfect the flat and floor boards as well as treat the dog.
Back home with a product called Fortis, I dilute it in a bucket and I disinfect the whole flat: mop the floors, spray the sofa and carpet and wash all the pet beddings with an anti-fleas shampoo. I also bath the dog in the same anti fleas shampoo.
I believe if you are going to strike, you have to strike so strongly that whatever you strike at won’t come back to bite you. Ever. That is my take on “the art of War”. Hit once, and hit VERY hard! So there. I’ve been hitting pretty hard, surely the dog won’t have any fleas left?
2 days later a close inspection shows fleas still partying on the dog belly (he has very little fur there so easy to spot them!). Argh! I go back to the petshop and explain my predicament again. The shop hasn’t got any solution of Fortis so she gives me a bottle of Triatox.
Back home I look at it but the leaflet is written with such small letters that I can’t read it. Even with glasses! I manage to decipher that I need to dilute 10ml into 5 litres of water and proceed to do just that in a bucket. Without gloves. Or goggles. Or any protective stuff. I pour a liquid into a measuring cup and put in a bucket, pouring a vast quantity into my hands. After dilution I put some of it into a spray bottle. I spray all the sofa and carpet again and wash the floors.
The dog has another bath with that solution (diluted as 10ml in 10 litres) and I wash again all his bedding with some of this solution.
Few days later another inspection of his bedding show tale tell signs of flea’s dropping. I grab the dog and check him again. There, dirt flea in his bottom and one flea wandering around! Damn it! Scruffy fleas definitely have super powers, no way!
I use a cloth dipped into diluted Triatox to rub the dog with it. Flea dead. Once again all bedding is being disinfected. And flat.
I will win this war. I hope the dog can make it though!
(Polite notice: no pet was not harmed in the process ok? Don’t send me complaints emails! Find your sense of humour! )
As for me I’m not so sure! Not using gloves when pouring the concentrated solution into a bucket was not a good idea. AS not wearing a surgical mask to spread. It happens that Triatox is highly toxic and used on cattle and pigs! I’m pretty sure this would not be sold over the counter in Europe!
On the plus side, there is not risk of me of getting any fleas any time soon, that must have treated me for life!
On a totally different topic: our container.
If you remember, the packers came, at end of June, last year, to take away all our stuff. Then the container was stuck in the UK, waiting for our “permanent “ visa to be granted. At the end of January this was done. By mid-February, the container left the UK and arrived at Santos on 3rd of March. After a month it went through Santos custom, only to be told by the shipping agent that the container would need clearance from Rio customs too! Why? No clue!
Anyhow, on the 2d of April the container arrived in Rio and we continued waiting.
And finally, at last, some good news! Rio’s customs has put us on a fast track (!) as we had already be cleared in Santos, and they only took 2 weeks to inspect our stuff. We had confirmation yesterday that we are allowed to get it! Not that the stuff is on its way just yet! But at least we can hope to get it by end of this month? Please? Maybe?
So in total, 10 months to London/Rio. One year and 1 month after Alistair arrived. Don’t we love Brazilian bureaucracy? ;-)
