savingdogs
Overrun with beasties
I've worked with rescued dogs extensively and also worked for several veterinarians. I would NOT inject ivomec. For one, it would not be effective, and two, OFG is correct that it is not safe for some breeds. You need something that kills all the fleas, not just most. Heartgard ivomec is a different dose for a different purpose and will do nothing to fleas given internally at that dose. Capstar is an excellent product and could be used to kill all the fleas on your dog at one time, much easier than combing them all off. I have not found garlic to be effective whatsoever.
The bare spot over the top of the tail and butt is classic flea allergy, but when you are actually seeing fleas on the dog, you have a lot of fleas in your environment. The whole environment needs to be treated because one bite on that particular dog feels about the same as you would if fleas bit one 50 times. Even if you flea combed every flea off or immersed the dog in water (or used Capstar), if as soon as it returns to its environment, the fleas jump on again (new fleas) then you have accomplished nothing and just wasted your money. When you have a flea infestation, there is no liquid or collar that will kill all the fleas in your environment. You need to wash all bedding, vacuum like heck whereever the dog lays, spray your outdoor yards, bomb your house. Some people have good luck with DE. But you need to get rid of all of them in the environment, and then two weeks later, do a repeat treatment when the eggs hatch, unless you use a product that kills eggs and says it will work in one application (there are a few).
The easiest way to kill the fleas of a dog that swims that I know of is to use Frontline Plus, which is waterproof. I would apply that after using Capstar and bathing the dog and letting it dry 24 hours, and at the same time, treat the environment the very same day.
A dog with flea allergies takes a higher level of diligence in the battle against fleas. If the problem is chronic or real bad at the moment, they sometimes give prednisone or Temaril P and/or antibiotics to the dog to get things cleared up and soothing baths. Not flea baths, some things for the skin. Some dogs with flea allergies also have food or environmental allergies.
This is really one of those times when going to the vet and paying the money will get you steered in the right direction quickest. They have all the products you need there and can give you complete directions how those products are used. And there are new things on the market so perhaps a combination of products can be found to help the dog with newer things than I know about, they were just coming out with those Comfortis collars when I stopped working and new things are invented all the time.
I hope you find my experience helpful, but I've always had the best luck fighting fleas by using either Advantage or, because my climate is very wet, Frontline Plus. If those products don't kill all the fleas, you have a lot in your environment and you need to tackle it a different way, not just the fleas on the dog itself. Only a few of them actually live on the animal, they jump on to feed and live elsewhere. If my dog had flea allergies, I would apply Frontline Plus every month after I got the infestation taken care of.
I just re-read your original post and see that you are away from home. I suspect there are fleas at home as well or the dog would not have lost all that hair, that happens over time when the condition is chronic. You may not see the fleas until the situation is bad ......that is typically how it is, the fleas bite the dogs, not the people, so it is easy for it to get infested before you know it. If you are away from home, you can't treat the environment, but there are vet offices open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week where you could buy products and some stores sell them as well (try PetSmart).
The bare spot over the top of the tail and butt is classic flea allergy, but when you are actually seeing fleas on the dog, you have a lot of fleas in your environment. The whole environment needs to be treated because one bite on that particular dog feels about the same as you would if fleas bit one 50 times. Even if you flea combed every flea off or immersed the dog in water (or used Capstar), if as soon as it returns to its environment, the fleas jump on again (new fleas) then you have accomplished nothing and just wasted your money. When you have a flea infestation, there is no liquid or collar that will kill all the fleas in your environment. You need to wash all bedding, vacuum like heck whereever the dog lays, spray your outdoor yards, bomb your house. Some people have good luck with DE. But you need to get rid of all of them in the environment, and then two weeks later, do a repeat treatment when the eggs hatch, unless you use a product that kills eggs and says it will work in one application (there are a few).
The easiest way to kill the fleas of a dog that swims that I know of is to use Frontline Plus, which is waterproof. I would apply that after using Capstar and bathing the dog and letting it dry 24 hours, and at the same time, treat the environment the very same day.
A dog with flea allergies takes a higher level of diligence in the battle against fleas. If the problem is chronic or real bad at the moment, they sometimes give prednisone or Temaril P and/or antibiotics to the dog to get things cleared up and soothing baths. Not flea baths, some things for the skin. Some dogs with flea allergies also have food or environmental allergies.
This is really one of those times when going to the vet and paying the money will get you steered in the right direction quickest. They have all the products you need there and can give you complete directions how those products are used. And there are new things on the market so perhaps a combination of products can be found to help the dog with newer things than I know about, they were just coming out with those Comfortis collars when I stopped working and new things are invented all the time.
I hope you find my experience helpful, but I've always had the best luck fighting fleas by using either Advantage or, because my climate is very wet, Frontline Plus. If those products don't kill all the fleas, you have a lot in your environment and you need to tackle it a different way, not just the fleas on the dog itself. Only a few of them actually live on the animal, they jump on to feed and live elsewhere. If my dog had flea allergies, I would apply Frontline Plus every month after I got the infestation taken care of.
I just re-read your original post and see that you are away from home. I suspect there are fleas at home as well or the dog would not have lost all that hair, that happens over time when the condition is chronic. You may not see the fleas until the situation is bad ......that is typically how it is, the fleas bite the dogs, not the people, so it is easy for it to get infested before you know it. If you are away from home, you can't treat the environment, but there are vet offices open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week where you could buy products and some stores sell them as well (try PetSmart).
