Posted: 6/7/2012 11:32:45 PM EDT
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We have two indoor dogs that are small. They have had their Frontline Plus and are bathed twice a week as we keep them in the house. Our backyard is fenced so they are allowed out several times per day. We have never had a flea or tick problem with them. Ever.
Recently we began to notice that both dogs nip, lick, and bite at their feet. They both received a steroid shot at the Vet's Office and allergy medication. Both dogs are fed a grain free, gluten free, and soy free diet and have never had a problem with it. Well, now my better half and I are being eaten alive as much as the pups are. We are experiencing welts, redness, and itching that will drive you crazy. Benadryl and anti-itch cream doesn't help at all. After researching, I realized we are dealing with a Chigger Problem. The images I found look exactly like the rash that we have developed. We have hardwood floors so it's mostly our bed, sofa, and chairs that host these Godless attacks on our epidermis. We look like tweakers as we try to sit comfortably and watch television. We wash our bedding every week without fail, keep the house pretty spotless, and never fall behind on laundry. We will have our furnishing steam cleaned once we obliterate the chiggers in the yard. If that's even possible to do. A friend suggested Sevin Dust for the yard, but I've never used it and would like advice from people who have. I am also open to other alternatives. I have searched Google for a couple of hours, but truthfully ... I would prefer to hear your success stories rather than waste my time at ask.com or other half baked sites. I've only been here a while and I already see how knowledgeable and diverse this community is. I'm hoping someone here will be able to weigh in and help me. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and look forward to your suggestions. Much obliged in advance, Pat Pretty much how I feel: 
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To help alleviate your symptoms, place a small dab of fingernail polish on each "bite." For extra effect, use the gaudiest color in the drawer. 
Not sure what to do about the larger issue - chiggers in your yard. You could try dusting your yard with Sevin Dust. To help keep them off of you, dust sevin dust around the cuffs of your pants, on your boots, etc. You can also "dust" your dogs with it. My dog gets a fairly heavy treatment whenever we're in tick-heavy areas. Take an old sock and put some sevin dust in it. Tie a knot in the open end. Now you can "hit" your cuffs with the sock and get a light dusting of sevin dust wherever you want. ETA: I see Sevin dust was already suggested. Consider this post a +1 for that. |
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other than the spelling, this is a good solution 
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Quoted:
other than the spelling, this is a good solution That stuff is great for all kinds of pests from Aphids to Scorpions. It cuts pests to pieces like a sword. |
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for nearly instant relief of the itching, I use antiperspirant on the welts. I don't know what makes it work, but within 5 minutes the itching stops and it lasts for about 8 hours. Where do you live? I am in south Georgia and we are infested with the redbugs, but I have never heard of someone having them in the house or in the yard either. they live in pine straw and Spanish Moss around here. |
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Quoted: PSA if you use Chigarid. DO NOT GET ANY CHIGARID ON YOUR TESTICLES. Unless of course you have chiggers on your testicles, and I that is the case, you have my heartfelt sympathy.... When you get chiggers, at least one of them is guaranteed to be on your nuts. That's been my experience. Never had a problem though if I go swimming in the pool after coming in from the meadows.
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Quoted:
other than the spelling, this is a good solution Sulfur ( /ˈsʌlfər/ SUL-fər) or sulphur (British English; see spelling below) is the chemical element with atomic number 16. Yeah I usually spell it with the "phur" but in this case I must've felt like "Phuck it". |
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Me too. Just thinking of chiggers is making me itch. 
In about two days the itch will be gone. But until then you will never be so miserable as you are right now. Suicide is NOT an option. You will be thinking about suicide, and often, but the itch will be gone in a few days, but NEVER the memory of the itching. |
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A good shower will remove them. Contrary to the fingernail polish myth, they don't actually burrow under your skin. They are usually gone by the time you start feeling the bites anyway. Keep vegetation short. They dry out easy, so they like to hide when the wind, sun and elements become too great. I'd burn off the area and start over. Diamecious earth is good, but not sure how long it will remain effective.
P.S. Eats lots of garlic before hitting the chigger beds. |
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Turns out I was wrong.
I know, I know ... it shocked me as well. 
Wound up going to one of those pharmacy clinics over the weekend because blisters started popping up in places you don't want them. One ear was swollen almost completely shut. My lips looked like I had been suck starting a Herpes Lawn Mower. Both of my eyes were pink and pouring green crap. Inner thigh, buttocks, and even worse places were oozing pus. I contemplated boiling myself to death which is what propelled me to seek medical attention. The Nurse Practitioner sent me to the ER immediately where I was given steroids via IV and Vistaril. I've been slathering myself in Caladryl, taking baking soda baths, and starving to death because they gave me one of those steroid pill packs. Damn, they make you want to eat. Definitely NOT a chigger infestation. Doc advised me to check every inch of my yard for Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. I am often outside playing fetch and frisbees with the dogs and have never noticed these plants before. Lo and behold ... I now have a yard full. Turns out the asshole who moved in behind me last year is removing the Poison Ivy and Oak from his yard and tossing it into MY fenced yard. My dogs were probably inspecting it because it was something new and they've been bringing it back into the house with them. It's been a while since I was out in that corner of the yard or I would have seen it before it got this bad. That area is obscured by our shed and a thicket of trees. So, I put on gloves, a long sleeved shirt, long pants, and a covered my face as best as I could, loaded it all up in my truck, and paid him a visit. Didn't bother knocking. Just backed my truck up his driveway, got my shovel, and unloaded it right there. He came out and tried to get confrontational. I politely suggested that it wasn't wise to piss off the person whose balls you had caused to resemble cauliflower. I have another load to return to him tomorrow. This pile is behind the gazebo and just so happens to have a bit of dog poo in it. I hope he enjoys it. |
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Quoted:
Turns out I was wrong. I know, I know ... it shocked me as well.
Wound up going to one of those pharmacy clinics over the weekend because blisters started popping up in places you don't want them. One ear was swollen almost completely shut. My lips looked like I had been suck starting a Herpes Lawn Mower. Both of my eyes were pink and pouring green crap. Inner thigh, buttocks, and even worse places were oozing pus. I contemplated boiling myself to death which is what propelled me to seek medical attention. The Nurse Practitioner sent me to the ER immediately where I was given steroids via IV and Vistaril. I've been slathering myself in Caladryl, taking baking soda baths, and starving to death because they gave me one of those steroid pill packs. Damn, they make you want to eat. Definitely NOT a chigger infestation. Doc advised me to check every inch of my yard for Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. I am often outside playing fetch and frisbees with the dogs and have never noticed these plants before. Lo and behold ... I now have a yard full. Turns out the asshole who moved in behind me last year is removing the Poison Ivy and Oak from his yard and tossing it into MY fenced yard. My dogs were probably inspecting it because it was something new and they've been bringing it back into the house with them. It's been a while since I was out in that corner of the yard or I would have seen it before it got this bad. That area is obscured by our shed and a thicket of trees. So, I put on gloves, a long sleeved shirt, long pants, and a covered my face as best as I could, loaded it all up in my truck, and paid him a visit. Didn't bother knocking. Just backed my truck up his driveway, got my shovel, and unloaded it right there. He came out and tried to get confrontational. I politely suggested that it wasn't wise to piss off the person whose balls you had caused to resemble cauliflower. I have another load to return to him tomorrow. This pile is behind the gazebo and just so happens to have a bit of dog poo in it. I hope he enjoys it. You are my hero!! Had a dog walker allow his dog to lead into my yard and shit, did not attempt to pick it up.. I stood there and calmly said "hey I think you forgot something!" Dumb fuck ignored me, on went the rubber gloves and I scooped that steaming dog turd up, caught up to the shit leaver and plastered him with it right in the back. Damn it got dumb fast and cops called and nearly got arrested for ASSault but the guy got a hefty fine instead. Never had another turd show up in the yard after that. |
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Glad you found out the real cause.
You guys that deal with chiggers be careful. My dad nearly died after walking through a major infestation while hunting. He had thousands of them all over his body. He wound up hospitalized in serious condition, had to be resuscitated twice when his heart stopped. Once he was over the initial attack, he had major allergies for the rest of his life. Chiggers suck! |
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Wow. I hope you feel better soon. Poison ivy can be deadly. I'm so allergic to it I went on a mission to destroy any within 100 yards of my house to prevent cross contamination from my dogs and cats. So far it's worked for more than 10 years. Herbecides? |
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Quoted:
Turns out I was wrong. I know, I know ... it shocked me as well.
Wound up going to one of those pharmacy clinics over the weekend because blisters started popping up in places you don't want them. One ear was swollen almost completely shut. My lips looked like I had been suck starting a Herpes Lawn Mower. Both of my eyes were pink and pouring green crap. Inner thigh, buttocks, and even worse places were oozing pus. I contemplated boiling myself to death which is what propelled me to seek medical attention. The Nurse Practitioner sent me to the ER immediately where I was given steroids via IV and Vistaril. I've been slathering myself in Caladryl, taking baking soda baths, and starving to death because they gave me one of those steroid pill packs. Damn, they make you want to eat. Definitely NOT a chigger infestation. Doc advised me to check every inch of my yard for Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. I am often outside playing fetch and frisbees with the dogs and have never noticed these plants before. Lo and behold ... I now have a yard full. Turns out the asshole who moved in behind me last year is removing the Poison Ivy and Oak from his yard and tossing it into MY fenced yard. My dogs were probably inspecting it because it was something new and they've been bringing it back into the house with them. It's been a while since I was out in that corner of the yard or I would have seen it before it got this bad. That area is obscured by our shed and a thicket of trees. So, I put on gloves, a long sleeved shirt, long pants, and a covered my face as best as I could, loaded it all up in my truck, and paid him a visit. Didn't bother knocking. Just backed my truck up his driveway, got my shovel, and unloaded it right there. He came out and tried to get confrontational. I politely suggested that it wasn't wise to piss off the person whose balls you had caused to resemble cauliflower. I have another load to return to him tomorrow. This pile is behind the gazebo and just so happens to have a bit of dog poo in it. I hope he enjoys it. Wow. WTF is it with people these days. I would cut down all his trees for good measure. (kidding)
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It's a powder, not a solution.   OP, you sure this isn't bedbugs? Send your laundry to be washed anywhere? Got a housekeeper?
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Quoted: Be sure to follow it up with some bamboo sapplings and sprouting roots. (On the far side of his lot, you don't want that stuff around.)Turns out I was wrong. I know, I know ... it shocked me as well. Wound up going to one of those pharmacy clinics over the weekend because blisters started popping up in places you don't want them. One ear was swollen almost completely shut. My lips looked like I had been suck starting a Herpes Lawn Mower. Both of my eyes were pink and pouring green crap. Inner thigh, buttocks, and even worse places were oozing pus. I contemplated boiling myself to death which is what propelled me to seek medical attention. The Nurse Practitioner sent me to the ER immediately where I was given steroids via IV and Vistaril. I've been slathering myself in Caladryl, taking baking soda baths, and starving to death because they gave me one of those steroid pill packs. Damn, they make you want to eat. Definitely NOT a chigger infestation. Doc advised me to check every inch of my yard for Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. I am often outside playing fetch and frisbees with the dogs and have never noticed these plants before. Lo and behold ... I now have a yard full. Turns out the asshole who moved in behind me last year is removing the Poison Ivy and Oak from his yard and tossing it into MY fenced yard. My dogs were probably inspecting it because it was something new and they've been bringing it back into the house with them. It's been a while since I was out in that corner of the yard or I would have seen it before it got this bad. That area is obscured by our shed and a thicket of trees. So, I put on gloves, a long sleeved shirt, long pants, and a covered my face as best as I could, loaded it all up in my truck, and paid him a visit. Didn't bother knocking. Just backed my truck up his driveway, got my shovel, and unloaded it right there. He came out and tried to get confrontational. I politely suggested that it wasn't wise to piss off the person whose balls you had caused to resemble cauliflower. I have another load to return to him tomorrow. This pile is behind the gazebo and just so happens to have a bit of dog poo in it. I hope he enjoys it. |