Itchy dog.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question! For quick reference, here is your previous question: Itchy Dog.

Your situation really does sound frustrating!

Something is not adding up for me here. I rarely use steroid sprays, unless it is used as an added bit of itch relief on top of some other program. What steroids do is slow down the immune response for a bit so that an animal is not itchy. But it does nothing to treat the initial cause.

You mentioned in your previous question that Choo Choo had initially had issues with fleas. This may be hard to convince you of, but I am guessing that there may still be a flea issue.

Any time a dog is chewing at his rump (i.e. the top of the base of the tail), 99.9% of the time it is an allergy to fleas. Soem dogs are so allergic to fleas that even one flea bite can set them off with itchiness. Often, you can't see any sign of fleas until there are hundreds of fleas there. So, even if I didn't see fleas I would be recommending a serious flea program. As mentioned before, Frontline may be ok, but in some parts of the world Frontline is becoming less effective than it once was. It is super important to follow these rules when treating for fleas:

-You need to treat for 3 months in a row (at least).
-You need to make sure the treatments are no more than a month apart (otherwise flea eggs have a chance to hatch into adult fleas and start the cycle all over again.)
-You need to make sure every single animal that comes in the house is treated for three months in a row as well.

This problem is so common that I wrote an article on it:

Article about fleas.

If fleas are not the issue (but I would be surprised) then there are other possibilities. Sarcoptic mange is possible. Mange usually shows little response to steroids. It can be hard to diagnose. If I am suspecting mange I will use a medication called Revolution which is meant for fleas and heartworm but also treats mange.

Allergies are a possibility as well. Most dogs with allergies need oral steroids, not just sprays. A shot may work for some time, but not forever.

The spray is not likely to be hard on his heart. I just fear that it is not enough for him.

One thing you may want to consider is to ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist if there is one in your area. It will cost a little bit more but you are much more likely to get down to a diagnosis and treatment that will work.

I hope things are better soon!

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

This all seems quite strange to me. What country are you in? I don't know any vets who use a spray for fleas any more. Most flea sprays are not effective in the long run.

I hope things look up soon!