Grrrr, I have a guest puppy here. She was flea'd the very day she arrived - a couple of days later I noticed her scratching and assumed it was the little buggers jumping off her.
A week later she is still scratching so I flea'd her again (wasn't happy about doing it twice, was worried about it making her sick) and that hasn't worked.
I got some stupid spray (which she doesn't like!) and that's not working either.
What do I do now? I don't like her being uncomfortable and I'm worried she is going to end up with a rash or something because she is scratching and licking so much. Poor baby.
My FIL mixes together a combination of tea tree oil, detol & water (i think) and that works a treat on his dog, even helps with skin irritation. If you like i can check the exact ingredients he uses.
Fleas are such a PITA especially if the puppy is outside. Seems like a never ending battle in our house!
Aw poor puppy!
u need a long term flea treatment, especially in this heat, the little buggers go rampant in this weather!
one of those one spot liquid ones like advantage or frontline will do the trick. it is exxy, but incredibly worth it.
u said the pup was a guest? maybe ring the owner and tell them your plans and ask them to reimburse u the cost when they pick it up.
give it a bath first to get the residue of the flea treatment you've already used off first.
Good luck hun, i hate the buggers!
ummmm one thing with the tea tree oil thing is it does work, but puppies and the majority of dogs will get chemical burns on their skin from tea tree oil, so it must be heavily diluted if used, and even then I wouldn't if they are already scratching.
Have you got capstar? Its a tablet which will help kill all the fleas within 3 hours. That with a spot on like advantage or frontline (but not one of the ones from the grocery store... they work for a few days) should do a good job, but if flea eggs are around they can still get fleas, they die within a few hours but they can still get them on unless you bomb your house & spray your garden.... sucks.
Have you actually seen the fleas? If you are still seeing fleas, definately go the capstar. Its incredibly safe and works amazingly well for outbreaks. If you aren't seeing the fleas, than it may be an allergic reaction to flea bites.... they need soothing stuff to help if thats the case. A high percentage of dogs actually are allergic to flea bites, which means even once you've dealt with the fleas, now you have to deal with allergic skin. Allergic skin is pink/red and can be hot to touch. Generally the big patches are above the tail and armpits.
If you aren't seeing fleas, and its an allergic situation no flea stuff will work. You can get stuff at the vet, but most of the time they want to give a cortisone injection and if the skin gets infected as it can from all the scratching they will want to give antibiotics instead. You can try some pure vit E lotion, or buy some leave on conditioner for dogs (remember puppy skin is extremely sensitive). Wash the pup and then apply the conditioner and that will help soothe. You can add fish oil or a raw egg for omega into their food to help boost the skins ability to cope as well....
I just checked her - really thinking it was going to be an allergy but there were 3 big ones on her tummy.
I will have to get the Capstar, I feel terrible, she is a guest in my house....
Oh i spent $100 on a frontline spray coz its all i could use on the puppies when they were a few days old and they STILL have fleas ggrrr i ended up giving them a warm bath with a natural soap and sitting there physically picking the fleas off...and the buggers have returned!!
Ok he said he uses neem oil (no idea what that is) or tee tree oil, i asked what he mixes it with waiting for him to get back to me
Why isn't the flea stuff working??
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