My dog had fleas, now gone, but still itching. What's wrong?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on December 19th, 2016

  She may have a flea allergy and may still be reacting even though you don't see any fleas. Have her examined by a vet to determine the cause. She may need an anti-histamine or corticosteroid to help relieve her itching and make her more comfortable.

  

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  Answered By David Darvishian

  Veterinarian

  Published on August 15th, 2017

  Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Kegsi is having problems. I always assume fleas in a case like this and if no fleas are noted, this could be a flea allergy to the saliva of the flea when it bites. Other causes would be other external parasites (ticks, mites, other), bacterial infections either primary or secondary, allergies to inhaled allergens, flea bites, or food problems, internal organ dysfunction, or hormone/endocrine problems. I would advise that if the itching intensifies or doesn't decrease, please take her to your veterinarian and let them take a good history and evaluate her physically. They will then either advise some testing (skin tests, blood tests, etc) or some treatment options. Good luck with Kegsi.

  

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  Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Published on March 26th, 2019

  If she is still scratching more than a week after the flea treatment, it's probably not the fleas that are causing it, it's likely to be a skin allergy. you will need to take her to your vet to get it checked, in most cases a short course of steroids will be able to calm down the itchiness.

  

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  Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

  Veterinarian

  Published on January 10th, 2020

  Chronic itching could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the itching should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Osa wear an elizabethan collar at all times if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful