dog losing hair...

[jenok]

Sorry didn't have internet access for a few days. I started with frontline this year when I noticed she did have some fleas and ticks. It took care of the ticks and most the fleas but she still had some after a couple weeks to I got one of the chewable flea only tablets from the vet and that took care of the fleas. Then a month after the pill I reaplied frontline and do not see any fleas even when I give her a bath which is once a week to every other week depending on how dirty and smelly she gets. I even shaved her earlier this summer to see if I could figure out what makes her itch and nothing, except some scabs where she itches the most around the tail. She did get red/irritated skin(not sunburn) when I shaved her though possible from the shaver I used. now her hair is back to normal length she isn't red. She will itch other spots too just not as often. She came to us as a stray literally starving to death every bone in her body was showing and this was last year, she has itched ever since. Her tail was docked and it kinda feels like it was broke when they docked it all they way to her but. It doesn't hurt her when you touch this area but could that make her want to itch it?

[finalfantasyxii]

Try to keep the bathing to every other week if you can. Otherwise you will dilute the Frontline. I know it says waterproof - but only to a certain extent. If you need to bathe more often I would stick with the oral Comfortis instead, it will not be affected by bathing. You can use a Preventix collar for the ticks - still the best product for ticks on the market! If she isn't licking to the point of hurting herself I wouldn't worry too much about it. It could definitely be from her tail dock - maybe she gets phantom itches?And Trifexis is the most awesome product out there just about. It's basically Comfortis and Heartgard together in one pill. (Technically Comfortis and Interceptor but they don't make Interceptor anymore...) it prevents fleas, heartworms, whipworms, hookworms, and roundworms all in one monthly tablet! No I don't work for the company...

[jenok]

Ok, thanks. She itches/chews (but usually doesn't lick) enough that you would think she would have a bald spot or really bad sore, but the most I have found was a couple smaller scabs that didn't seem to be infected and no bald spots so I worry about it but just a little.

[Bustyfrog]

Hi all, thanks for advice. Sorry lost the thread for a while and still learning how to navigate the forum. We've checked persistently for ticks and fleas and still come up with nothing. He has frontline and isn't due for the next one till sept. Without being able to ask his owners exactly when the last one was I didn't feel comfortable treating him without checking first. He's a border collie and his skin seems to be a fairly pink colour all over so it's really hard to tell but cannot see any sort of irritation or rash. Yest I discovered a nest of mite/tiny white fly things that were disgusting. They were crawling all over the handles of the wheel barrow and I only noticed when they'd covered half of my arm and it looked like my skin itself was crawling! GROSS! I have a feeling he may have brushed up against them and has them tickling him as I've been finding them crawling on me since and they're rather itchy when there's just one of them! Have been brushing him softly since incase it is those little buggers, and he's had olive oil with his food incase it is inflamed skin as that was some advice from our local pet shop. His owners are back today, and I know they'll deal with it quickly what ever it is. On the plus I have managed to keep him occupied enough to stop chewing out his fur. Every time he starts itching we end up playing or taking another walk, so I think he'll miss me when he goes back to normal farm life! ThankQ all so much for your help. I'm going to try the benedryl now as happen to have it with me. Catch you all later. xx