Whats wrong with my dogs skin?

Question

My dog has lost alot of hair on her lower back, and she has a bunch of little red spots right there.
She also has some small scabs on the base of her tail, and she had alot of fleas.
But we got a flea collar, and used frontline and i think its getting better, she has been shedding skin i think, so i think its getting better.
Is she?
We have another dog and she is perfectly fine.

Answer 1

hey,
it's normal, especially in the summer months.
it's a " hot spot" you'll see an improvement but it may take a while for the hair to grow back and look normal again. I never used frontline but I know advantage works really well to keep the fleas off.it's expensive but SO worth it..

Answer 2

Sounds like she has what's called FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis). The flea created an allergic reaction so she probably kept scratching and biting where it was very itchy. If you started the frontline and you said it's getting better then frontline did it's job. I would continue using frontline all year round since she's allergic to fleas. The flea collar is not going to do much of anything. In order for the flea collar to work it has to sit on the skin so when the flea bites your dog the flea will get poisoned if it ingests the poison from the flea collar. That is not going to happen since the flea collar sits on around the hair of your dog.
Give it time to heal the frontline will kill the fleas and you'll start to see improvement and hair growth. You can bathe her with an oatmeal and aloe based shampoo (that you probably can get at your vet or pet store). NEVER USE HUMAN SHAMPOO ON YOUR PET. It can worsen the skin problem.

Answer 3

It's a hot spot. An infection. You need to see a vet.
You have a very allergic dog. She is allergic to fleas and probably the food you are feeding her. Go to naturapet.com for more info about dog nutrition.
Read the ingredients in the dog food. Wheat and corn products cause allergies. If you got the food at Petsmart, Petco, or the grocery store, it is almost poison, stop feeding it and find a more natural dog food. Read a book called "Food Pets Die For" be Ann N Martin. What they put in pet food is Disgusting and not healthy.
Try Wellness, Avoderm, Royal Canin, and Natura Pet Products.(mentioned above) and Chicken Soup. They all have websites by those names.
Flea control is also going to be very important so she won't break out again. You mentioned Frontline, but for very allergic dogs (like yours) use both Frontline and Advantage. Some fleas are immune to one or the other of the drugs and using both will kill all the fleas. Flea collars are pointless for allergic dogs and she may be allergic to it.
This is going to be an expensive dog, she has special needs and keeping her well is going to cost quite a bit of money. Don't feel guilty if you need to find her another home. Do what's best for her please.
As to the other dog, you lucked out with her, she's not allergic. It's still a good idea to get her on a good quality dog food.

Answer 4

If the hair and scabs are in the area where you saw a lot of fleas, I would say that's what caused it. Especially if you treated it and it's getting better, the fleas were more than likely the culprit. Fleas do tend to rest at the base of the tail and towards the butt because it's a warm area, so it's very much possible.

If the shedding really continues though, her scabs don't get better or you start seeing more, I would have her rechecked at the vet.

Answer 5

Sounds like she is allergic to the flea bites. If the itching is really bad, you can give a dog Benadryl or Claritan (consult a vet or book for dosage instructions). My dog was and there are special shampoos and supplements that can help. Most importantly is to get rid of the fleas. If you have a yard, treat it. Also, sometimes the fleas can get accustomed to a particular brand of treatment so it is good to switch every 6 months to a year or so.

Answer 6

After a dog has had fleas it will take some time to heal. The spots dound like the effects from the fleas biting her. Where there's lots of hair there will be many fleas, because they will need the extra protection from your dog's scratching.

Answer 7

Sounds like ring worm, especiallyw hen you mention the red spots and scabs. Best to take dog to vet to rule out for sure before giving anymore flea collars or frontline. Allergic reactions can also happen from them. Please take dog to vet to be sure and do not give anymore meds until you know.

Answer 8

Often times this is a sign of something more. Have you taken the dog to the vet? I had a dog with that problem and the vet said it was an allergies . we had to change her food and bathing products. She was fine after we made the changes and lived to be a good old age.

Answer 9

It sounds like she has a flea allergy. This is very common.
Giving her a cool bath with oatmeal shampoo, such as Aveeno (or generic) will make her more comfortable and promote healing.
Be sure and rinse well after the shampoo, as it is drying if left on.

Answer 10

She could have allergies, believe it or not some dogs are actually allergic to the fleas. My moms doggie has the same problem. Check with the Vet they can give her allergy shots.

Hope your doggie gets better!