Flea treatment for Golden Retrievers after heavy infestation

A heavy infestation with a vet already involved — good, that means you're taking this seriously, which is exactly what's needed. Here's the key thing most people miss: roughly 95% of fleas aren't on your dog at all — they're in your carpets, sofas, bedding, and skirting boards as eggs, larvae, and pupae. That's why your vet is right to push hard on treating the environment, not just the dog. A single product almost never handles both. To point you toward the right combination, can you tell me a bit more — what size is your Golden, roughly how heavy are they, and have you already got something from the vet for the dog itself, or are you still sorting that part too?

Perfect — Bravecto is an excellent choice for the dog herself, so that part's handled well. Now for the home, with a heavy infestation, multiple dogs, and a large house to cover, you want something with real staying power, not just a knockdown spray that kills adult fleas today and nothing else. What I'd recommend is Indorex Defence Household Flea Spray. It contains two active ingredients: permethrin, which kills adult fleas on contact, and pyriproxyfen, which is an insect growth regulator — it stops flea eggs and larvae from developing into adults for up to 12 months. That 12-month residual is important after a heavy infestation, because flea pupae can lie dormant and hatch weeks or even months later. One 500ml can covers up to 40 square metres, so for a large house you'll want two or three cans. Spray all carpets, rugs, soft furnishings, under furniture, and along skirting boards. Vacuum thoroughly before you spray, and wash your Golden's bedding on a hot wash first.

Really important question — thank you for raising it. Indorex is safe for dogs once it has dried fully, which takes about 30 to 60 minutes. Keep all pets and people out of the rooms while you're spraying and until everything is dry. However, the permethrin in it is toxic to cats, so your cat must be kept completely out of treated areas until the spray has dried and the room has been ventilated — at least a couple of hours, ideally longer. Once dry and aired, it's considered safe for cats to re-enter. That said, given you have a cat, I'd suggest spraying one room at a time, letting it dry fully and airing it out before moving on, and keeping your cat in an untreated area while you work through the house. Don't spray it directly on or near your cat under any circumstances.

Your vet is absolutely right, and it's worth being prepared for this mentally so you don't panic. Flea pupae — the cocoon stage — are the problem. They're completely impervious to sprays and can remain dormant in carpets for up to six months, hatching in response to warmth and vibration. So even after a thorough spray, you may well see new adult fleas emerging for four to eight weeks. The key is that Bravecto will kill any flea that jumps on your dogs within hours, stopping the cycle from restarting. If you're still seeing fleas on the dogs or in the house after eight weeks of consistent treatment, that's when to go back to the vet. In the meantime, vacuum frequently — at least every other day — as the vibration actually encourages pupae to hatch sooner, so the growth regulator in Indorex can get to them faster. Empty the vacuum outside each time.

Good plan — for a large house with a heavy infestation I'd get three cans to be safe rather than running short mid-job. Treat everywhere in one session if you can; a patchy approach lets fleas retreat to untreated areas. You're in good shape with Bravecto on board for all three dogs — just make sure the other two are covered for fleas as well if they aren't already. Once you've done the house spray and kept up the vacuuming, you should have this under control within six to eight weeks. Good luck with it.