Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  3. Flea Allergy

Flea Allergy

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • J

    Hollie had a flea allergy (caught it before it became an infection) a couple of months ago. She has begun scratching and chewing again, and starting to lose a little hair around her tail and under her tail.:eek:

    Being the over-protective parent that I am, I have already scheduled a vet appointment for tomorrow. They will check her out, confirm my suspicions and we will leave there with prescription and front-line.

    I just feel sooo bad for her, scratching all the time. The fleas have been horrible here this year. I typically put front-line on Hollie 3 months a year during the summer. This year I have used 6 already. I don't like putting so much front-line on her, but my vet doesn't recommend any of home remedies (garlic, cidar vinegar in water, dawn detergent for baths, etc. – DO Any of these worK???)

    Has anyone else had a horrid flea problem this year? :confused:

    0
  • dashD

    I have not had fleas since frontline was released until this year. I used it as soon as I saw one but it doesn't seem to have the same effect it used to. Maybe the fleas are getting immune to it. I may switch to something else. I hate fleas.

    Jennifer

    0
  • MaxBooBooBearM

    Tyler and Zoey's dermatologist (who has been treating their ringworm) prescribed monthly topical for fleas (they are already on the pills–Sentinel). Zoey is allergic to fleas. I wanted to just use it if they had fleas, but the dr told me I should keep them on it year round......there is also a pill that can be used when the topicals don't work. I forget the name of it--it's only used when really necessary.

    0
  • QuercusQ

    So you use both a topical and an ingestible at the same time! Hmm…didn't know you could do that!

    Andrea Walters

    Quercus Basenjis

    NW Ohio

    0
  • MaxBooBooBearM

    @Quercus:

    So you use both a topical and an ingestible at the same time! Hmm…didn't know you could do that!

    Oh yes–I've done it periodically over the years--on the advice of my vet. The ingestible works differently than the topical--I believe it sterilizes the fleas, but the topicals kill the fleas. So if there's an infestation, you use the topical to get rid of them fast, and the ingestible helps for maintenance. Sentinel also is their heart worm pill.

    0
  • tanzaT

    @MaxBooBooBear:

    Oh yes–I've done it periodically over the years--on the advice of my vet. The ingestible works differently than the topical--I believe it sterilizes the fleas, but the topicals kill the fleas. So if there's an infestation, you use the topical to get rid of them fast, and the ingestible helps for maintenance. Sentinel also is their heart worm pill.

    I would be worried with "overload" of a pill and topical?….

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

    0
  • TivaT

    My Zara (terrier mix) is alergic to fleas, too. Before, I was doing like jenwilson (put frontline during the summer etc.), but few years ago (in December), Zara scratched her armpits, they were so swollen, and Zara was barely walking… Vet immediately put on Zara stronghold, and next day I found one dead flea on Zara... Vet told me to put frontline on Zara every month and it works.

    0
  • MaxBooBooBearM

    @tanza:

    I would be worried with "overload" of a pill and topical?….

    I was worried when it was first recommended–but my vet said it was fine. And the dermatologist was pretty adamant that with Zoey's flea allergy, that the topical in addition to the Sentinel should be used year round. I've never had any problems with any of the 3 Bs I've done this with--but it may depend on the dog.

    0
  • S

    I remeber that the powder 20 mule team borax is it even around now?? sprinkled in the carpets and then vaccumed up, would kill and of the flea eggs that were in it.
    I have used it and it works…
    But since the frontline, have had no need.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

    0

Suggested Topics

  • M

    Seasonal Allergies?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    subaruthieS
    Oh, yes! Dogs can have seasonal allergies!!! Mine has seasonal (weeds and grasses) allergies, food allergies, and is even allergic to humans. His allergies are considered pre-existing conditions now, so pet insurance is not an option for us. Your vet will probably start your dog on Benadryl, but we've also had prescriptions for hydroxyzine and Zyrtec for our dog (only use these with your vet's dosing instructions). A simple thing you can do is to wipe off your dog with a damp cloth to get any pollen off of her paws and belly. It will keep her from tracking outdoor allergens inside, just as you would prevent by taking off your shoes at the door.
  • KipawaK

    Flea treatment

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    P
    I rarely have flea problems with my Basenjis -they have garlic regularly which I think may be the reason. They are around all sorts of wild animals so must be in contact with fleas at some point.
  • VanessaV

    Spring is here…with that Allergies!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    MacPackM
    We used to have a dog that had seasonal allergies with hives, every year, for about 2 weeks. We never figured out what it was, but our vet had us give 25 mg benadryl every 8 hours for a week, then stop. If the hives came back, we started again. He was funny, I always took him into the kitchen to get his pills. One night he woke me up in the middle of the night, when I petted him I realized he was covered in hives, when I got up he ran to the kitchen and waited for me, he related his pills to his itching…and to it stopping too, I guess. Of course that night I was out of benadryl, so had to run to the all night drugstore at 3 am! Definitely start giving benadryl and keep it up for at least a week.
  • AndrewA

    Fleas! Help!

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    5k Views
    AJs HumanA
    @khanis: I have NEVER heard of these legendary fleas or mosquitos…. and I am a Portland native... and have NEVER had a flea issue with my basenjis [Whippet, IG, RR, Newfs, or cats]. Our home ranges from 3-6 basenjis on average and still no problem, even with dogs that come/go for showing or boarding. The only time I have treated them [my dogs] was prior to traveling to the midwest or east coasts. During the time I lived in Portland, which is at the very northern end of the Valley and has more wind than the lower Valley, I noticed a lot fewer fleas and 'skeeters. I can understand why you haven't experienced them. Try camping on the shores of Fern Ridge sometime. Make sure you take lots of DEET. I grew up there and, man, the 'skeeters are horrible!:eek: I can remember our dogs and cats had a rough time of it, too. We were always picking fleas off them. But that's the difference between living in the city and living in the back woods. The conditions in the lower Valley are perfect for the growth of fleas and mosquitos: standing water everywhere and very few hard freezes. (Gramma lives in the "sticks" too and has lots of both in her area outside Salem.) But, again, back to the subject, she used Brewer's Yeast and had pretty good results with it.
  • L

    What works for allergies ?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    23
    0 Votes
    23 Posts
    9k Views
    BasenjimammaB
    I did have a Westie in the past that had severe allergies to….storagemites, which is in every dogfood that has been stored for a few weeks or more, i.e every food known to man, so he was on the raw diet, did great, he was also severly allergic to fleas, or the saliva from the fleas and to mold/mildew, which living in houston Tx there is a lot of. Poor guy was miserable, until we did the raw diet and decided to keep him inside all the time, when the other dogs went out to play he had to stay in..and it is funny he wanted to go out and the other dogs wanted to come in...figures. The few foods out there that are supposedly good for allergies according to my vet is grainfree ones, Dick Van Pattens sweet potatoe and duck, I believe was one of the ones he recommended. Try to keep the ingredients list as small as possible, cleaner food means less irritants. Just like our food, the less junk we eat the better we feel... Good Luck, I know how hard it is with a dog that clearly is bothered by something and you don't know how to help it. I do know that Petco and Petsmart here in Texas will take food back even though the bag has been opened, which is nice if you are having to try various/numerous different brands until you find what works. Basenjimamma
  • K

    Flea treatment??

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    25
    0 Votes
    25 Posts
    14k Views
    LindaHL
    In the 15 years that we had Maxx, we never used any kind of flea product…and he never had fleas. We haven't used anything on Gracie or Blaze, either, and neither of them have fleas. If we ever do see fleas, our first line of defense would be a natural product of some kind. Only if the natural products didn't work would I resort to chemicals. Of course, YMMV. Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats has information on natural flea products. I'm sure there are other books and/or websites that do, too…just do a Google search.