What could be wrong with my dog?

Question

I have a rottweiler/german shepard mix named Dakota, he is eight years old and has always been like a big puppy - very energetic and friendly. He also grew up with my other dog, a rottweiler/dalmation mix we had to put to sleep last fall due to illness. Now my dog gets fleas every year and it's not normally a problem, but last year before the snow came I treated my yard with a dry chemical that supposedly kills the fleas as they're hatching and that didn't work. My poor dog is infested with fleas, what's worse is they are all over the house and until I can get the ones on Dakota to die there is no way to keep them out of the carpets, they'll simply remultiply on the dog and be back in the carpets - but that's only my small problem. My dog is in misery, I've tried every brand of shampoo and medicated drops (such as frontline) available in every store in my area and nothing is working. He doesn't run around the house anymore, he refuses to go outside, chews off his fur, etc.....

He continues to piss and crap in the house and is growing more aggressive. *Also flea powders don't work - he seems to be allergic to them. Please if anyone has any idea what it could be and how to treat his problems.

Answer 1

There is nothing you can do now for your dog except, SEE A VET URGENTLY!!! Its very cruel to leave your dog suffering! Take him straight away and tell your vet about the problem in your house. He should be able to advise you on what course of action to take. If your dog is infested with fleas,he most likely has worms as well. PLEASE SEE A VET!

Answer 2

Have the dog professionally bathed and dipped by a reputable groomer. The vet doesn't have anything better and grooming there is simply exposing the dog to illnesses lurking at their office. The dip will kill anything on the dog and last up to a week. While the dog is out for its treatment, bomb you house well. That means don't scrimp on the flea bombs. One in every room, and large ones in large rooms. Two in combination rooms that stretch a long way. Be sure to follow all safety instructions, turn off the gas, and open closets and take off bedding. I even recommend setting your mattresses up on end to get both the mattress and box springs. While your house is being bombed, seriously spray the entire outside of your house. Saturate everything with Diazinon (it disipates quickly so poses less threat to the dog and kids as compared with Malithion and other chemicals). Don't scrimp here either. Flea eggs love the cement as well as the grass. Flower beds too. Then repeat all of this in 10 days. But the second time have the groomer give your dog a good flea bath, letting it sit long enough to be effective and rinse off. No dip, so that then you can treat between the shoulder blades with one of the flea treatments which last for a month. Be diligent! To kill the most fleas, 10 days seems to allow for the most to hatch, but not long enough to reproduce again. Spray your yard weekly for a couple of weeks and then hit it hard at the end of flea season, and right after the first few nice warm days in the spring. I have recommended this many, many times, and have never had anyone say that it didn't work. As for the peeing in the house, you need to educated yourself on proper housebreaking techniques, and quit blaming the poor dog! Good luck.

Answer 3

OK, the immediate treatment for this problem is called Capster. You get it from your vet and it will kill every flea on him pretty quickly. It won't, however, prevent them from coming back...but you can use it every day.

What I would recommend doing is giving him a capster and taking him into a groomer/vet for a flea bath. While he's out of the house, you're going to need to treat *everything*. My vet suggests boric acid--take a broom and push it into your carpets. Let it sit for a few hours and vacuum it up *really* well. You'll want to wash all linens, curtains, etc. in hot water and spray furniture, dog beds, everything down with a flea/tick/bot killing spray. Make sure everything dries completely before bringing you dog back into the home. THree days after the bath apply K-9 Advantix (at least in NC it seems to work better than Frontline Plus for killing those nasty fleas). You want to wait for the oils in your dog's coat to build up to disseminate the prevention all over the body. Every day for about a week you'll want to vacuum *everything*, just to make sure you've got it all. Then, about three weeks later, you may have to repeat the whole process (if/when the eggs hatch). Or, you could just call an exterminator. De-fleaing an infested home is a grueling chore, but it can be done. Good luck!

Answer 4

Your dog needs to see a vet for a complete workup.Also if you bought OTC flea products you already found that they are ineffective & worthless.They are also dangerous to your pet.They can cause neurological problems, seizures even death. you need to get a flea product from your vet.Vacumn your house thoroughly every day.Throw away the bag every time you finish vacumning in the outside trash container.Pay particular attention to cracks & crevices, under furniture, couch & chair cushions, around baseboards, under mattresses..wash sheets, blankets, etc in as hot a water as the material can stand, etc.
If you use a flea product from the vet the fleas will not remultiply on your dog but rayher will be killed.If you use the "real" Frontline from the vet the adult fleas will die and so will the eggs they have laid so that will stop the life cycle. Also you can get a very good flea spray for your house from the vet.Again pay particular attention to all the places I mentioned above.

Answer 5

Take your talk to a groomer. Let him get a little pampering. While he is at the groomer get some bug bombs and set them off throughout the house. It will kill the fleas and other bugs while your dog is being deflead. Then a few days after his bath, use frontline flea treatment or another one your vet reccommends and stick with it once a month. Use Enforcer yard and kennel spay around the outside of your home and in the outdoor areas where your dog frequents. Follow the instructions on the bombs and the enforcer. When your dog feels better he will not be as aggressive. He is feeling miserable.

Answer 6

Get your dog to the vet for the flea infestation treatment, then while he is at the vet, have the exterminator come out and treat your house. You realize you will have to take down all the drapes, etc. and have them fumigated also, don't you? All the bedding, etc. will have to be washing in hot water. You might have to have it treated more than once, but don't let your dog back in the house until the fleas are gone. Your vet might want to keep the dog for a few days anyway. You will need to thoroughly clean and vacuum your place, making sure to get into the carpet around the baseboard, etc. Even if you dog is not at home and the house goes untreated, they will start biting you and continue to multiply.

Good luck to both you and your dog.

Answer 7

Please try this it works. You have to be patient, it may take a couple of weeks but you will start to notice a difference soon. Get Frontline plus and put a tube of it between his shoulder blades Make sure you have'nt given him a bath right before as it works with the oils on his skin and goes into his system. It will kill the adults and as the eggs in carpeting etc hatch and jump on him it will kill them. Has to go through the whole cycle of the flea so like I said it will take a couple of weeks. Be patient. Putting chemicals in your home is not good for your family. I have 5 dogs in my home and do not have a flea problem.

Answer 8

I had this same problem with one of my dogs, frontline didn't work at all! The vet said it doesn't work on some dogs,that I should try advantage..so, I tried that and went and got some raid flea spray(comes in a big purple can-mouse looking when sprayed) you spray it on any type of fabric, i sprayed it on all the carpet, couches,any place he had been and goes too. The combination worked....and his aggressiveness n things have quite along with the fleas!

Answer 9

Call a terminater to get rid of the fleas in the carpet, and go to a vet about the ones on Dakota

Answer 10

I would take him to a groomer or vet for a flea dip, then while they dip him, i would bomb my house, with a flea bomb....

it sounds like your infestation is pretty bad, so i'd get the bombs for the house and see if dakota could stay at the vet for a day or so until it's taken care of.

hang in there. there is hope.