Baby Kitten has fleas - how can I get them off of her?

[Nurse_Jamie]

My baby kitten stays indoors all the time, but I have noticed that she has some fleas on her. She was an outdoor kitten before I got her. I have read that you aren't supposed to give flea treatments to kittens under 12 weeks (she is 8 weeks). Is there any way that I can get the fleas off of her, or do I have to wait until she is 12 weeks?

Thanks!!

[Cleo]

Whatever you do, DO NOT use any over the counter flea treatments!

Here's the paragraph regarding parasites and fleas taken from the Kitten Care Pages on this site (Page 2). It's best to get your kitten to a vet.

Parasites

Internal parasites such as Roundworms, Hookworms, Coccidia, and Giardia can leave a kitten in seriously ill health. Fleas and ticks can also have a devastating effect on your kittens health. Never attempt to treat these parasites yourself in newborn kittens, your vet can properly and effectively treat them. Most products for these problems are fatal to kittens, so please contact your vet for help if these situations occur. Older kittens can be treated later when your vet deems them old enough, but dewormers should never be given to very young kittens. Please ask your vet for further information.

DO NOT attempt to treat kittens for fleas or ticks without a vet's approval or advice. Newborns and very young kittens cannot tolerate the harsh ingredients and chemicals in flea and tick products, and some products may be fatal if misused, or if the improper product is applied. Please never use OTC (over the counter) products on kittens or cats of any age, not only are these products often ineffective, but can prove fatal as well. Fatal allergic reactions can occur as a result of ANY flea or tick products in young kittens, so please take every measure to call or consult with your vet for the proper treatment. He/she knows which product may best suit your particular kitten's needs.

[Mona]

Actually Advantage and Frontline are formulated for 8 weeks of age.

Ask your vet for some and you will have to clean her bedding thoroughly, and spray your house because the new eggs will hatch.
I use Advantage, click on link below.

http://www.nofleas.com/

Mona, Honeybun and Chloe

[guestbrittney]

buy a flea comb. we had a 6 week old kitten who lived outside b4 we got him and he was so flea infested that he was scabby and hed bleed. since not many things are formulated for kitties that young we Got a flea comb and just ran it down his back a few times ya know just comb him though and the fleas stick in the comb, dip it in water bcz the fleas cant get out of water and we squished them with tweezers to kill them. If you wanna hear a horror story... heres one. We picked off over 90 fleas off of him in 2 days. NO JOKE. sad, poor lil guy was in pain im sure. but the flea comb is wonderful i swear by it!

[Sara]

I would definately have your vet look at this and decide treatment. It can be very serious for babies and can't be treated by anybody but a vet. My vet gave me special drops and also gave the kitties special injections and paste for internal parasites but it was a very delicate situation and I had to follow strict vet orders and products. I bathed them but again, under the vets supervision. I would take her in right away. My vet told me that the fleas and internal parasites could be fatal if not treated properly. I actually bathed them allot, but only with vet approval.