Flea or skin irritation problem?
Bella asked:
My dogs are five yrs old, for the 1st time we r encountering a flea problem, i hav tried all products such as collars, frontline, expensive shampoos, powder, it works for a week then they start scratching again. Sometimes i think its a skin irritation coz i can’t find any fleas, i’ve even tried tea tree oil. Please any suggestions.
My dogs are five yrs old, for the 1st time we r encountering a flea problem, i hav tried all products such as collars, frontline, expensive shampoos, powder, it works for a week then they start scratching again. Sometimes i think its a skin irritation coz i can’t find any fleas, i’ve even tried tea tree oil. Please any suggestions.
wash the dog then wait 2 days. put advantage or advocate wait another 2 days and then wash the dog. if it is a skin problem go to ur local vet and they should sell soothing shampoo like in western australia they have a shampoo called aloveen, if that doesnt work it may be the diet or an allergic reaction only thing to be sure is to take her to the vets. becci
It could be fleas, or it could be an allergy to food or one of the products you’ve used to rid the fleas. I would strongly recommend a product called Advantage. It’s a once a month treatment and if you are consistent with it then you’ll never see fleas again. You can purchase it at a pet store like PetSmart, or from your veterinarian. Most of the time you can just go in an buy it without an appointment. You will know if fleas are your problem because the product kills all of the adult fleas within 24 hours after application. If the scratching and itching continues then it could be allergies or something more serious. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you all feel better soon! Ashley
There are 2 common reasons for dogs to be itchy- mite infestation & allergic reactions. Mites are diagnosed by skin scrapings & you need to see your vet. Signs of allergies include chewing at skin, licking, rubbing up, scooting(rubbing bottom along the ground), chewing/licking at feet, chronic ear irritation, chronic watery eyes & sneezing. We can divide skin allergies into 5 general areas:
1) Flea Allergies- usually chewing/scratching around tail base or around neck, but can be itchy anywhere. It takes only 1 flea to cause an allergy, which is why some dogs that have very few fleas can be itchier than a dog with many fleas that isn’t allergic. Often seasonal (Spring/Summer), but can be all year round.
2) Food Allergies- often will be itchy around the face, ears and feet, although can be itchy all over. Most common allergens include wheat products (found in most canned and dry foods), beef, and to a lesser degree chicken. Allergies will occur all year round.
3) Contact Allergies- are quite uncommon, and usually affect areas with no or little fur cover eg. abdomen and feet. Allergens include grasses, plants, clothing/carpet fibres and many others. Often seasonal, but can be all year.
4) Inhaled Allergies- are quite common, and affect all areas ie. skin, feet, ears, face, eye, nose etc.. Most common are grass pollens, plant pollens, dust mites, and moulds (found normally in most environments). Often seasonal, but can be all year.
5)Allergies to the normal bacteria found on the skin- called Staph. These often show slightly different signs to other allergies- need a vet to confirm. Often all year round.
All allergies can cause itchiness anywhere, so it is impossible to tell just on appearances which allergen is causing the problem. Many dogs are allergic to several.
TREATMENT There are 2 main options when trying to deal with allergies:-.
1 Discovering the Cause- 2 allergies can be eliminated easily are flea & food.
* a) If fleas are present, it is worthwhile trying to eliminate them first.
* b) If food allergy is suspected, trial dog on low allergy food diet, must be done for 8 weeks, The diet consists of:- Meat that the dog hasn’t had before eg. fish, kangaroo, rabbit, - 30% of the meal. Rice- boiled -. 50% of meal. Vegetables -. 20% of meal.
After 8 weeks there should be improvement, if not an allergy test is next. This is a test for inhaled allergens, and tests plants, grasses, trees, dust mites and moulds. Done by blood samples. - if all of the above has been performed to no avail, then a contact allergy, or inhaled allergen not included in the allergy test is most likely. try change of bedding, send dog to a relatives place for 3-4 weeks.
2 Other medications -
* (a) Ant-histamines-. these work better with evening primrose oil (1-4 capsules in food) antihistamines to try include:- Phenergan, Periactin, Polaramine, Teldane Contact your vet for dosage, determined by weight.
* (b) Anti-allergy shampoos and conditioners- There are many that help, eg. tea tree preparations, eucalyptus rinses, Quit Itch Lotion & Malaseb christine sss