How to tell if my dog's scratching is from fleas or a hot spot?

Looks like your little lady is giving herself some hot spots there. If there is a hot spot forming under the hair then the best thing to do is to remove the hair and cleanse the area with an antibacterial solution. Some dogs require topical and/or oral antibiotics and other dogs benefit from some steroids to stop the itch. Most hot spots are secondary to underlying allergies (inhaled/environmental, food, or flea). If seasonal environmental is most likely. The best way to help her would be to see your family vet to have the areas addressed topically and so that medications can be prescribed to treat any infection and stop the itch. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Scratching is one of the most common signs of fleas for many pets but can also be caused by a variety of other conditions. Fleas are tiny black insects that walk through a dog’s fur. Adult female fleas lay 40 to 50 eggs per day, which can fall off of the dog into the surrounding environment. So many eggs can contaminate the environment, to the point where the majority of fleas present are living in the environment with only five percent of the fleas living on the dog. Sometimes fleas can be identified easily with the naked eye or with the help of a flea comb. Fleas provide telltale evidence of their presence by leaving flea dirt behind, which resembles specks of pepper. In order to differentiate between flea dirt and run-of-the mill dirt, some of this debris can be smashed on a damp white paper towel and will turn a reddish-brown as a result of digested blood. Fortunately, fleas can be treated and prevented at home with a number of different high-quality products, such as Credelio, Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica, Comfortis, Trifexis, AdvantageMulti or Revolution, which are available with a prescription from your veterinarian. Other good quality options include Advantix II or Capstar, which are available over the counter. Regular, consistent use of these products is the most important aspect of treating an existing flea problem, as well as preventing future issues. Consult with your veterinarian about the best choice for your individual dog. ### Capstar is a trademark of Elanco or its affiliates.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Max. The skin lesion appears to be a mild infection. It is likely secondary to scratching from the fleas. If you are still finding flea dirt on him, then he likely still has fleas. Be sure to apply the Frontline exactly as direct. You will need to vacuum your home daily and wash all of his bedding frequently in hot water. You can bath him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to help to soothe the skin. If the lesion does not resolve though, he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localised spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria and commonly called hot spot). A check up, appropriate disinfection and antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid licking. 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.

The spot on the tail looks like a hotspot right now. Hot spots can be common with food allergies and fleas (which you are already treating). The article below discusses treating hot spots. If Summer can still lick his tail, you may need a long e-collar. https://www.petcoach.co/article/hot-spots-acute-moist-dermatitis-in-dogs/

Hot spots are small usually individual areas of superficial infection and tend to be moist and smell horrendous. Bathing and topical antiseptics are usually sufficient. Mange is an infestation of mites which crawl through the inner layers of the skin causing inflammation, itch and often hair loss, these damaged areas may then become infected with bacteria or yeast also. There are numerous mite treatments which can be effective from washes, spot ons and tablets; generally 3-months tresatment is required to eliminate the mites

Hello Susan! Thank you for your question to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Fleas actually live in the environment, not on the dog, so if you don't disinfect the environment, it will be a continuing source of fleas. Wash Bella's 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. Diatomaceous earth does nothing to treat fleas, so don't use it. Now some dogs can have allergies to flea saliva, and that can lead to continued skin issues. This could be causing her to continually chew at that spot. I'd have her seen by a vet for this issue so it can be treated. Best of luck.