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/

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 Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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 Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Sascha. If fleas have been ruled out and treated for, and other possible skin parasites/infections like mange and ringworm has well, then the most likely explanation is allergies. Allergies are never easy to treat, but in a diabetic cat they become extra difficult, because of our reliance on steroids to calm the inflammation. Steroids can actually cause diabetes (I wonder is this is the case with Sascha?) so I would look to other remedies, including trying a novel protein/hypoallergenic diet as well as other immunosuppressive drugs that don't lead to insulin resistance, such as cyclosporine.

Hello. I am so sorry for your poor Cheeto, his skin looks horrible. I think he would really benefit from antibiotics & treatment for a pretty significant flea bite dermatitis. Your veterinarian is the best person to help Cheeto before he deteriorates further. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.