Question:
My miniature shelty has a really bad flea allergy. Other vets said he might be allergic to a number of things. It’s got to the stage were he’s ripping his hair out near his backside. I bath him every two days but there are still lumps and he’s constantly scratching and also has anxiety problems, Can you think of anything, as I am desperate?
Thanking you,
Scott Carter
Answer:
You need to one by one eliminate possible causes of this terrible skin condition. Firstly, to rule out fleas you need to use a monthly flea spot from your vet, because even one is enough to cause problems and you often don’t see them. You may need to treat the environment if the infestation is bad by vacuuming or spraying, but check with your vet first. If you have done that and after a few days to a week there is no improvement, it may not be fleas but something else.
Just like us, pets can have allergies to anything so it’ll take a bit of ruling things out. You can try a hypoallergenic diet for 12 weeks or your vet can send your dog to a specialist dermatologist vet to do skin prick tests to determine what he is allergic to and make a desensitisation vaccine for him. If the skin has a secondary bacterial infection he may require antibiotics and an antibacterial lotion or shampoo containing chlorhexidine.
Your vet can rule out parasitic infections like mange and ringworm, doing tests if necessary. Bathing every second day is too often and depending on what you are using may be irritating the skin further. Things that may help the itch are oatmeal shampoos, essential fatty acid supplements, antihistamines and steroids, if your vet feels they are necessary.
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