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How long after flea treatment will my dog stop scratching?

Species: Dog
Breed: shepherd husky mix
Age: 6-12 months
We adopted a female german shepherd husky mix. She is about 9 months old and 35 pounds. We have a lot of fleas in our area. We gave her k9 Advantix II about 10 days ago. She is still scratching a lot. How long after a flea treatment will a dog stop scratching?

We gave her a bath with Oster Oatmeal flea soap but this did not do much good. Can we give her another round of the Advantix II or do we have to wait 30 days? Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Lauren


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi and thanks for your question.

Advantix is a good product and you really should find that it does a good job to get rid of the fleas.

There's probably no advantage to putting another dose on now though. The scratching is likely because of the flea bites and not because of new live fleas on her.

Think of when you get a mosquito bite. You are still itchy for several days after the bite happens even though the mosquito is long gone.

It's possible though that the fleas have caused a secondary problem such as some allergy symptoms or infection. If you are seeing any crusty red areas then this can be a sign that there is skin infection there. If this is the case then Molly is going to need antibiotics prescribed by the vet.

Where is she the most itchy? If you find that she is itchy on her feet and ears then fleas may not be the only issue. This time of year a lot of dogs have seasonal allergies. I have found that in most cases seasonal allergies need to be treated with steroids such as prednisone.

I usually find that it takes about a week to 10 days for itchiness to stop after being treated for fleas. So, if Molly is still itchy after the weekend then I think that she should probably see the vet to make sure that there is nothing else going on.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.