Why is my cat still scratching and losing weight after flea treatment?

Sounds like George is very itchy. Common causes of itching in cats includes fleas, mites, ringworm, bacterial infection, allergies, among others. If George isn't already on a flea preventative, you should get that started. Ear mites are also incredibly itchy. You can try an OTC ear mite medication, but the best bet would be to have him examined by the vet. The vet may need to collect a sample for examination under the microscope to make a diagnosis. Then they can discuss appropriate treatments to make George more comfortable. https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-is-my-cat-so-itchy/

Hi and thanks for using Boop by Petco! Sorry to hear about Oreo. Not all flea products are created equally and you want to make sure to use what your vet recommends. But having said that, it may not be flea related. Allergies, skin infections, intestinal parasites, nutrition, etc all play a role in skin and hair coat. External parasites of course must be addressed and it sounds like you have done that. It is possible that stress/anxiety can also cause over grooming. Your vet can assess her now with the new information that you are using what they recommended. They can do skin tests such as fungal Woods lamp, skin scrape, fungal culture and other tests to try to determine what is going on. Once those are done your vet can then advise a sound treatment plan. She may need antibiotics, steroids, fish oil, antihistamines, etc to get her back on track. Good luck with Oreo.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor kitties! Flea allergy can be so stressful to deal with. The main thing is getting rid of fleas effectively as that is the inciting cause driving the itchiness resulting in scratching and self-traumatic lesions like that. If she is already on a flea preventative right at this time, then you could consider switching to a different product. There are many great product in the market such as Frontline and Bravecto, among others. Also, you can use a product called Capstar which can help a lot of fleas at once and that can be administered along with other flea medications. Also, it is important to vacuum the house and all things that have contact with them frequently. Try this for 1-3 months and if does not make a difference, they may have another type of allergy such as a food allergy or environmental allergy. As for the wounds, try to keep the areas clean and have them evaluated by your veterinarian to start them on antibiotics. Good luck and thanks

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be

A flea bite can cause itching and irritation for several weeks after the fleas are controlled. The majority of a flea problem is the environment. The fleas still have to get on the cats to bite and get the medicine to die, so you can still have a flea problem without seeing fleas on the cats. IF the spots and itching persist you will need to see a vet for a culture to diagnose ring worm. To get rid of the fleas you will need to get everyone out of the house and treat the house also

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! I am sorry that Zero is so sick! I would make sure that your Vet has done a skin scrape to check for mites under a microscope. Even if they don’t see any mites I would treat anyway. Nexgard monthly will get demodex and injectable ivermectin will get scabies. Sometimes if an animal is spending all of its time scratching they can lose weight. After treating prophylactically for mites I would try a prescription diet for food allergies, allergy test and make sure any skin infection is treated. Cytopoint and apoquel are good choices for skin allergies. I hope this helps! Good luck!

If they were scratching due to fleas then it is not unusual they are still itching. The bites from the fleas will not go away overnight (imagine if you had mosquito bites, these persist for quite a time after the bite occurs) and often the die off of fleas will cause increased itching for a day or two. If the itching is severe your vet may prescribe medication to help, or if they are still itching excessively in a few days, seek veterinary care.

If Hazel has developed a secondary skin infection from the fleas, then she may need antibiotics to resolve the infection. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her skin to determine if they think she has a secondary skin infection and decide on the best treatment for her. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor kitty! This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.