Flea allergies **more questions, barbp, if you're around!**

[BabyReba]

So my most recent pickup was a female AB named China who I got a call on while I was all broken up after my stupid accident a couple weeks back. She's a sweetheart. When I picked her up, she was bald from her mid-abdomen to her tail, and I was kinda suspecting Demodex. But her former owners swore she was allergic to fleas (which they treated by dousing her in Avon Skin So Soft till she was greasy--yuck!), and my vet has done skin scrapes and came to the same conclusion--the poor dog had fleas for way too long and the biting, itching, allergy made her lose a lot of hair on her butt and tail.

She's doing well, and she's getting ready to be spayed (tomorrow) but she's not going to be put on any chemical flea treatments yet. I was told by her (former) people that she has reactions to every soap or flea shampoo or topical ointment they put on her. They had no vet records to give me, and I really don't want to see her skin flare up any worse than it is . . . but at the same time, I want to make sure she doesn't get fleas again any time soon!

What do you all do to help a dog who is pretty much bald from years of flea misery? She's healthy otherwise, just ugly right now and in need of a bit of fur on her ass and tail--poor dog! Other than that, she's pretty damn cute and soooo loving.

[barbponys]

I know you have said what you are feeding in the past but I can't remember which food it is. It's got to be better than what she was eating. Getting her immune system healthy will make her unattractive to the fleas. To a point anyway.

I would be giving her fresh garlic in her food as well as flaxseed oil. Raw eggs would be good since they are the perfect food and have everything you need in them, no more than about 6 or so a week. Mine get 2 in their breakfast 3 times a week. For her coat I would give a good plant based vit/min mix........there's one called "Animal Essentials" that's excellent. I would also be using essential oils(pennyroyal, eucalyptus) mixed in water on her to keep the little buggers off. It will take time to get all that hair back, once she isn't ripping it out you should see good growth in a few weeks. Lets hope there isn't too much damage done and it does grow back completely. Good luck. Pics??

[Hooligan]

I would also be using essential oils(pennyroyal, eucalyptus) mixed in water on her to keep the little buggers off.

Wouldn't this alter the taste of the water and cause them not to drink it? I have also heard pennyroyal can be fatal, as well as a seditive.

[barbponys]

Sorry, should have stated, the essential oils should be used as a topical spray for when they go out. Not be put in the drinking water. Mixing half an eye dropper of each in 16oz of water is a good concentration.

[BabyReba]

Thanks guys--I didn't see that my topic posted right and never responded. Instead, I started over with another topic! Sorry!

China's back looks like this right now only less hair. This is a picture that the good samaritan neighbors took to show me that she had skin problems. Since this was taken, pretty much all of the hair on her rear end fell out:

<img src=http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d934b3127cceb21a78e883230000001610>

She still at the vet's office because she just got spayed the other day. I pick her up in about an hour! I feed my own dogs Canidae and they do great on it. I dunno if maybe I should start her on that, or maybe give her something else to boost her system. I can get Wellness, Wysong, Verus, Canidae, Cali Natural (though barbp, I know you've said you've had problems with this one, I don't think I'm gonna go there with her), Innova, and I'm pretty sure Flint River is still at one of my local stores.

Thoughts on what would work best for a dog who needs more fur?

[BabyReba]

So far so good with China but I was a bit worried this morning.

She's eating Canidae supplemented with canned salmon, vitamin E, flax, yogurt, and some raw egg.

Her fur is growing back and she's been scabbing up pretty well. But I took her out of her crate a couple of hours ago, and it looks like a lot of the scabbing has sloughed off and she's pretty red and icky looking again. I don't know if that's a normal stage in the healing progression, but it looks pretty bad. My vet still says not to worry about it for a couple of days, but man, she looks uncomfortable!

Think this is normal?

[barbponys]

That's normal, they look pretty gross but it's part of the healing process. As long as it isn't hot, weepy or inflammed........ she might be chewing again if it is.

Sounds like you got the food under control....... can't wait to see pics of her all healed.

[Hooligan]

Sorry, should have stated, the essential oils should be used as a topical spray for when they go out. Not be put in the drinking water. Mixing half an eye dropper of each in 16oz of water is a good concentration.

Does that work really well? Bubbles our AmBull has the worst flea problem! We have tried flea baths and ivermectin (which she will be staying on for heartworm prevention) but nothing helps. Poor little thing! We have started adding garlic powder to their food as well, but I can't see any difference.

[BabyReba]

Well, I gave up and added some chemicals to the mix! My poor girl was so miserable that she started chewing herself raw again, so I gave her a coupla Benedryl and picked up some hydrocortisone spray to give her a bit of relief from the itching--I just need to get her over the hump.

I just put her in for the night, and hung out with her for a while, and she seems a bit more comfy. She went into her crate with her Kong and didn't chew her tail or her rump, so that's an improvement. And the redness is really starting to clear up a bit, I'm sure from the Benedryl.

And the feed mix--oooh, the parts of her coat that weren't all flea ridden are already getting nice and soft and silky! I can't wait until the rest of her is like that too!

[barbponys]

Does that work really well? Bubbles our AmBull has the worst flea problem! We have tried flea baths and ivermectin (which she will be staying on for heartworm prevention) but nothing helps.

Yeah it works. For me at least. Flea baths aren't very effective, they only affect the fleas on them. They don't prevent the fleas from coming back. They also tend to be toxic to some animals. Flea combing and dropping them in hot soapy water is more effective.

Glad to hear your girl is doing better Reba. Can't wait to see pictures.