My dog had fleas, now has a rash and won't stop itching. What to do?

I would recommend first a good flea and tick prevention. You can use the oral medication or even the seresto collar. Even if she doesn't go outside she can still get fleas. For her skin I would bring her to a veterinarian. She will most likely need medication to stop licking and scratching and antibiotics to heal her infection. She may also be prescribed a shampoo that is medicated that you can't get over the counter. There are great medications now that help with itching also. There are pills and injections that you can discuss with your veterinarian to help her feel much better. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Oh dear, poor Midnight! Her skin lesions look quite uncomfortable. Excessive biting and scratching may be related to underlying allergies, ringworm, or mange, any of which can then lead to the onset of a bacterial skin infection. As a starting point, make sure that Midnight is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative regularly, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II because a few flea bites could be amplifying the situation. You can also try bathing her with a medicated antimicrobial/anti-itch shampoo ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27980 ). Since she is chewing on herself excessively, also consider using an e-collar (cone) for at least the next few days to prevent further skin damage, as this will only make matters worse. If her skin issues continue or worsen despite these measures, Midnight will need to go to her vet for further evaluation. I hope that all goes well!

I hate to hear that Sam is so miserable! Definitely for the fleas I would recommend an oral flea product such as Simparica or Comfortis. These are the top products on the market and will kill any fleas that land on Sam within 3-4 hours. Topical products take 12 - 24 hours. You will need to use a good flea prevention on him and any other pets in the house for a solid 6 months. To help his skin to feel better, give him a cool water bath daily. You can also give him an over the counter antihistamine. If you have an elizabethan collar for him, you can also apply a small amount of cortisone cream. The collar will keep Sam from licking. You need to rub it in well and make sure he cannot lick it. You might also call the clinic daily and check to see if they have any cancelations. You might be able to get Sam in earlier. I hope this helps!

Poor Neffi. if the flea prevention doesn't seem to be helping, talk with your veterinarian about switching her to Simparica. Oral flea preventions are best for dogs who are allergic to fleas because they kill fleas 4x faster than topicals. This means Neffi gets less flea bites and thus has less reaction. 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. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash her whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching by having her wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesion doesn't start looking better within about a week or if it gets worse, have her examined by her veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If you’re noticing increased itching in that area and you found a flea, you may try switching the flea prevention to see if that helps. Fleas can become immune to products. The top products on the market are oral products such as Nexgard and Simparica. Most pets can use these products but you should talk with your veterinarian before switching. They are administered once a month and at this point appear to work very well. If the itching goes away, then you know it was related to flea bites. Best of luck.

If he has a flea allergy than it will probably take a little bit of time for the itching to resolve. You could ask your vet for an anti-histamine or a corticosteroid to help relieve the itching. Make sure to use a monthly flea prevention, like NexGard, Frontline, Advantage, etc every month to prevent him from getting fleas again.

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further chewing. Have her physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose the underlying cause. If she has a skin infection systemic and/or topical antibiotics may be necessary. Continue to treat for fleas with a monthly oral or topical preventative. Do this for at least 3 consecutive months, preferably year round. If you have multiple pets, ALL the pets should be treated. You will need to treat the environment as well. This includes vacuuming everywhere then disposing of the bag or emptying the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable by fabric then dry in a dryer. Use an area treatment, such as Indorex or Knockout ES, to prevent re-infestation.