do dogs just scratch regardless?

[booyhoo]

WB has been treated for fleas and is still scratching. i googled for a cure incase he already had an infestation and found one that said if you bath him using washing up liquid and then spray diluted lavender oil on his coat it should get rid and keep them away. i actually put a few drops of lavender in tha bath water and washed him with the washing up liquid. i rinsd him really well and dried him as well as i could. he still scratches.

I would NEVER wash a dog in washing up liquid. Its far to harsh for their skin.

That may be why he is scratching.

Dogs do scratch regardless in the same way that humans do i.e. occasionally. But they dont scratch a lot for no reason.

He may be free of fleas but still suffering from a flea allergy. This may need steroids to clear it up (from memory).

The only way I have found to control fleas is the new back of the neck monthly treatment. I got it from my vet for about 40 quid for 6 mths. It treats ticks and lung worm too.

The treatments you get from pet shops are rubbish.

really? it was only a petshop one. he was at the vet on friday and he gave him a full check over. would that have involved checking his skin? dses were playing up so i had to take them out of the room to settle down.

he isn't scratching constantly but enough that i am noticing it. although, that could just be me watching for it IYSWIM. i think i will take him back down tomorrow and ask vet to look at his skin.

Honestly those petshops ones are useless.
I know its bloody expensive to go to the vet, I only go if I think its absolutly unavoidable.

Some dogs have sensitive skin and I would expect most dogs to feel uncomfortable after being washed with washing liquid TBH.

I am sure the vet would have checked your dog's skin because you can tell a lot about an animal's general condition from its coat and skin.

You can usually tell if an animal has fleas from the flea dirt in their coats (little black specks). You might not see a flea unless the infestation is heavy.

I checked my dog over before he went for an op. Spruced him up and gave him a bath etc. I got a call from the vets telling me they had to give him a special tablet before they could operate because he 'running alive
with fleas & . I hadnt seen one!

oh gosh. i will give him a good look over then and see if i can see anything. he is white so might be a bit easier to spot them. will ring the vet tomorrow and see if they can confirm taht the vet checked his skin.

I agree entirely with MrsDeVere, both wrt washing up liquid and to pet shop flea treatments.

I'd advise that you either buy Frontline neck drops (cheapest from PetMeds online as far as I can find, certainly FAR cheaper than via the vet) or Advocate, which requires a prescription as a rule although there is one website which sells it without that need.

If you want to use a shampoo to combat fleas, try Johnson's Flea Shampoo for dogs, which is pretty effective in killing a lot of existing fleas BUT is not sufficient alone, you'll still need Frontline or the like to rid your dog of flea larvae and eggs. For optimum protection you will also need a good quality household flea spray. I and lots of those I know in doggy circles use Indorex on soft furnishings/carpets/suites/bedding/around skirting boards and under radiators. It costs about £12 a tin, a treatment can last up to a year and most importantly, it works. If you don't properly de-flea both dog and home you're fighting a losing battle.

HTH

thank you val. that is great info. i'm going to go on now and order all those things. i feel terrible now about the washing up liquid. the poor wee guy.

Val I found Petsathome instore vet pretty reasonable.

I am not keen on petshops that sell animals but TBH I am skint so needs must and all that.

booyoo dont feel too bad. Quite a few pet shampoos are not better than glorified washing up liquid anyway. Just dont do it again [smil]

oh i won't i promise. lesson learned. he is lying at my feet snoring now. i didn't know pets at home had an instore vet.

Not all of them do.

ah right. i will try pet meds then. cheers.

There is an easy way to check for fleas. Brush you dog on a piece of White paper, or bash the comb onto a piece of White paper after brushing pup.

Add a few drops of water to
the paper. If any little red dots appear, your dog has fleas. I must test my own dog as he is forever scratching at his neck.

thanks kid. i couldn't see any this morning when i checked his coat but will try your method.

Some dogs also have allergies - same as people! They can be allergic to different grass pollen they run through or tree pollen too. For some reason the vet said this can affect their skin.

Assuming you've got rid of the fleas try a soothing shampoo. We use a shampoo I got from Pets at Home. Its called "Groomers" and has Evening Primrose Oil in it for soothing itchy skin and it works brilliantly. Her coat is really soft afterwards and she smells lovely!

Dogs can get eczma (sorry can't spell!) just like people. My lab is allegic to housedust mite and is treated with low dose steroids and various creams.