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Dog has fleas, itching, hair loss. What to do if I can't afford a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 2 years old | 7 lbs

My dog and I moved into the country from the city. He has now more pron fleas I have had him off his medicine (flea meds) for a couple months now and he has started itches like crazy and loosing his hair I don’t have money to take him to a vet but I want to take care of him what do I do to help him. I started him on flea meds and started Benadryl at night. What do I do?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on October 10th, 2017

It takes time for flea medications to kill the fleas in the environment. The first step is restarting the flea preventatives. Benadryl can help with mild itching. However, since it can take several months for the fleas in the environment to die after starting a preventative, dogs may need anti-inflammatory medications to help with the constant need to itch. If he is scratching his skin a lot, he can cause a secondary skin infection that may need antibiotics to clear. If you cannot take Cooper to the vet, then you can try anti-itch shampoos. He may need to wear an e-collar or socks or booties to protect him from self-traumatizing his skin. Here are a few articles you may find helpful: Fleas: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3682 Financing: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-smart-solutions-for-pet-care-financing/

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    Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Good to hear you have started Cooper on flea medication and the Benadryl. It may take a few months to see 100% improvement with the itching from the fleas, but you should see some improvement after a month depending on what flea medication Cooper is on. A lot of the over the counter flea mediations do not work as well as prescription flea medication. If you notice a few weeks pass and the itching is not getting any better at all, there may be another cause of the itching such as mites which will need to be diagnosed and treated at your veterinarian's office. You may also try a soothing shampoo with oatmeal and/or aloe in it-that can help to relieve itching and help soothe the skin. Best of luck to you and Cooper!

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