My dog's rear is itchy. Could it be fleas, allergies, or dry skin?

Question

Charlie is itchy! He has seemed to be overall itchy the last 2 weeks but specifically his rear area. The itching is not constant -maybe 3-4 times a day at most he turns to try to itch his own rear (and is usually not successful). He is on Trifexis monthly so I'm hoping it could not be a flea bite? I would think he would be much more constant itching if he has fleas. His skin is dry in serveral areas...could it be allergies? Please help! Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | 2 years and 9 months old | 78 lbs

Jeffrey Milner · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry to hear about Charlie's itchiness! Based on the description provided, the location of Charlies discomfort certainly does line up with a flea related reaction. The most common areas of flea reactions are at the base of the tail and along a dog's back. Other causes of itching and scratching include environmental allergies, food allergies, and atopic dermatitis. If Trifexis is being given on a monthly basis religiously, it certainly would lower the likelihood of a flea reaction. However, it certainly does not rule it out. I would recommend obtaining a flea comb and going over Charlie's skin carefully to look for both live and dead fleas, as well as flea dirt. If you find any, you may want to consider using a different medication as some preventatives tend to work better than others in particular geographic regions. In order to prevent Charlie from doing any harm to himself, you may want to consider getting a collar for him until the scratching has been resolved. Temporary ways to resolve scratching might be with benadryl, but if the situation is advanced this will usually not work. Often times, a stronger prescription drug may be required to get the situation under control. If you are able to determine without a doubt that fleas are not the issue, I would certainly plan a visit to the vet to let them have a look at Charlie.

My dog's rear is itchy. Could it be fleas, allergies, or dry skin?

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