My dog has a serious flea problem!?

Question

She is a 5 year old, black/white, Beagle/Terrier mix. She weighs roughly 30 to 35 pounds. She's a house dog, and only goes outside to defecate and urinate, and to go for a short walks --- she doesn't really like being outside much. Well, she has a serious flea problem. She's been biting herself (and is even bald in two spots), and sometimes she bleeds. I don't know what to do, because topical antibiotics might irritate her bald spots. I feel so bad because I never really noticed that it was problem until I woke up one night and heard a strange sound, and she was biting herself! I give her baths and the fleas come off, but then they're back again. I made her an appointment for the vet on Saturday, but are there any other alternatives because she doesn't like riding in cars or veterinarians. I know the fleas are driving my poor Oreo crazy, so if you guys have any suggestions let me know!

Answer 1

you need to take her to the vet. buy a crate for the car if she hates to ride in it.
you need to start using the once a month medication that you put on their backs, or between the shoulder blades. your vet will have it. or you can get a cheaper kind at a discount store such as Wal-Mart.
next you NEED to have your house and yard sprayed!! even if she is only outside for 5 minutes, she is picking up and bringing inside fleas.
if you dog is having THIS much trouble with them, then your home is infested, as well as your yard. have your home and yard sprayed every 6 to 12 months. keeping your grass/yard mowed down helps. i ended up removing my carpets, they were just breeding ground for fleas! i have 4 dogs. all are on a flea prevention, i have my house and yard sprayed regularly. i have no problems with fleas now, or ticks for that matter.

you MUST treat all three areas, house, yard, dog. or you will never get them under control. remember that fleas also carry diseases, so when you go to the vet make sure you dog is up to date on his vaccines.
poor little guy...i hope he's feeling better soon.

Answer 2

Unless you have seen fleas..... it sounds more like a MITE problem.... At any rate.. get some sarcoptic mange liquid(in a bottle) and use that on the dog... It does smell a little so plan to keep the dog outside all day... Wet the dog thoroughly and when with rubber gloves on.. apply the liquid thoroughly and slightly rubbing it in.. turn the dog loose in the back yard.. the mites under the skin will go crazy and cause the dog also to jump, run, scratch, etc... If the smell is not too bad, you can let the dog bacvk into the house later.. BUT... in about a week's time(7-9 days) do the same thing over again to the dog and this second tme will kill the eggs of the mites that might have been laid under the skin.. Where to get the sarcptic mange stuff.. Do not get that cheap and not good stuff at PetSmart or Walmart's.. go to an animal store.. Every city has a city feed store where they sell saddles, bridles for horses, feed for horses, cattle, and also dog and cat supplies.. that is the best place to get the sarcoptic mange medicine... I have used this many many times... not only on my dog once but on many neighbor's dogs.

Answer 3

Well I think that you should take your dog to the vet. Sounds like she has an allergy to flea bites. The vet can give her an injection for that. (and some much needed relief)
You also have to stop the cycle of fleas...the best method is the stuff you squeeze onto the back of the neck (Frontline, bought from the vet is great)
You should also treat the bedding and carpets. Fleas can live dormant in the home for many months.
Good luck

Answer 4

Your dog is sufering from an allergic reaction with fleas. These spots are called "Hot Spots" And the only way to get rid of them is to get GOOD flea medication from your vet not from the supermarket. Your vet will probably give your dog a cortizine shot to help stop the itching but- your going to have to get stuff for your carpets, like stuff you can suck up with a vaccum and wash all of your sheets. Anything that is capable to hold fleas.

I know this because my cat has the same problem.

Trust me, this will work.

Answer 5

You need to use a spot on flea treatment every month. The vets sell Frontline and Advantage. They work. I use Bio Spot which is an otc spot on. It also works.
Vacuum your carpeting. Then sprinkle Twenty Mule Team Borax on the carpet. The borax in the product will kill the fleas in your carpet. Keep using it for a few weeks everytime you vacuum. There are also flea eggs in the carpet. As they hatch, it will kill them also.

Answer 6

My inside dog had the same problem and I tried all kinds of over the counter sprays and things you squeeze on their back and none worked. I finally took her to the vet and he sold me some spray that you only have to spray on your dog once a month but you must use gloves and rub it in good, being careful not to get it in his eyes and mouth. This stuff really works and my dog has not had a flea since.

Answer 7

Get Frontline. It's absolutely great and it kills AND prevents fleas and ticks. It's a small liquid dose that you put on the back of your dog's neck once a month. It gets absorbed into the skin and basically poisons any existing fleas and prevents them from coming back. Also, fumigate your apt/house to kill any remaining fleas b/c they'll just keep jumping on to your dog and eventually you.

Answer 8

Take her to the vet. That is the best thing to do even though she doesn't like it. You could also get some type of shampoo that kills fleas. You also might want to get her a flea collar.

Answer 9

Hey there, try going to a groomer, and having them dip her in flea prevention solution. Also, you need to start giving her her flea & tick medicine every month...tell your vet on Saturday you want Frontline. It isn't hard to put on, and your baby will love you for the better. =) Even though she doesn't go out much, you could be bringing them in and not even knowing it. Good luck and I hope she gets relief!

Answer 10

Well you do need to bath the dog but you can also buy flee killer at your local pet store. If he as flees that bad they may also be in your furniture and all over your house. You may need to flee bomb the house. We had that happen once. We bombed the house with the flee bombs and sprinkled Borax on the carpets. Remember they live in/on furniture too. But the vet is still a good idea, he may have sores or other issues as well.