Can a cat scratch cause infections if it doesn't have fleas? Could he have infected me with something, since he was in the elevator and other dirty places in the building? He dug claws into my finger.
Any break of the skin is an invitation to infection.I've suffered occasional cat scratches all my life (not frequently, but sometimes the scratch isn't intentional) and never had a problem. But everyone is different.Cats' claws and paws are not sterile, and neither are elevators or shared living spaces. Nor is the air, for that matter. Some people also seem more prone to infection than others, whether you blame it on luck or hygiene.Unless you feel unusually sore or in pain, or the wound is discoloured, it's probably nothing and (at worst) requires antiseptic and a band aid. If it's swollen or throbbing or you have any other symptoms after say 24 hours, get to a hospital because you don't want to be that person in the newspaper who ignored septicaemia or MRSA until it took a limb or killed them.
Kittens scratching but no fleas?
They have hard kitten food that I add water to so it is nice and soft, it DOES have corn meal (but only two of the three eat it, I don't think it's that) Other than that they get wet food that does NOT have corn meal. Thank you for warning me about cow's milk! They scratch like, the base of their ears/face/cheek/jaw, NOT inside the ear. They aren't super coordinated yet lol! They don't scratch incessantly 24/7 but I am so paranoid about fleas and the like I watch them like a hawk. They scratch the most during play. Their ears are the teeniest bit dirty (little brown patches flat against the skin) and kinda oily inside, is that normal? Compared to my healthy, clean indoor cats their ears look the same. They are eating big kitty food but they are not drinking water yet so I hope it's just dry skin. Their momma has been spending more and more time away from them as well so I hope that encourages them to try water. Again, thank you!
My dog is itchy and doesn't have fleas, think it is allergy can I wash him with pine tar soap?
What works for human eczema, dry skin, etc, might not work best for dogs. If she is itchy, try an oatmeal dog shampoo. Also look into changing her food. Food allergies or intolerance to some ingredients can make a dog very itchy. Try to find one that has no corn, soy or wheat ingredients, those are the ones usually responsible. Good luck.
Why does my dog scratch so much?
You should have your pet checked out. We can't see your dog, or accurately diagnose the problem.You'll have to look carefully. Don't forget to check in the ears or under the ear flaps. The arm and leg pits are also 'hot' areas where infestations and irritations are found.If your dog is severely infested, you could see fleas jumping on his coat.Otherwise, he'll just be shaking his head more, be restless, as well as licking a lot. Look for little black dots in his coat, on the skin.Mange is a disease dogs get that is intensely itchy. Mites burrow into the skin. The skin becomes thickened, hot, red and inflamed. Bleeding is not uncommon. The dog will lose hair where the mange is located.Many breeds are sensitive to their food, and that sensitivity shows up in skin irritation. This is more common with cheap kibble. You have to change out the food. Get this looked at, sooner than later. These issues don't resolve on their own, and generally progress.
Does my dog have fleas or ticks?
What kind of repellent or preventive did you use? Hartz, Seargents or any of the other brands you buy in stores do not work, can be toxic and can cause chemical burns and allergic skin reactions. Don't waste your money. If you did use a high quality, safe preventive like Frontline, Advantix, Advantage or Revolution, she should be free of fleas (and ticks with Frontline, Advantix and Revolution). Flea bites can cause allergic reactions for a week or more even after the fleas are dead. Is she on a high quality food? Feeding a high quality food lessens the chance of food allergies and improves the skin and hair coat. She may have allergies (food or contact allergies from the environment) Certain cleaning supplies, sprays, grass, small biting incests, fabric softener etc can cause contact dermatitis (inflammation of the skin). She may also have dry skin, especially if you bathe her frequently or use a shampoo that is very drying (which most are). Dry dampening her coat and applying a high quality unscented moisturizer every other day, you can do that same after every bath. Itching frequently is not normal, if she keeps it up, take her to the Vet.
Dog keeps scratching, no bugs, why??
It sounds like it's most likely an allergic-type condition. This could be something like a contact dermatitis, although I'd suspect this to be mainly confined to the belly, legs etc. If you've been treating for fleas and mange long enough to rule these out as a cause, I'd be most suspicious of a condition called atopy. This is thought to be due in part to an abnormality in the skin barrier and in part due to inhaled allergens that for some reason manifest as itchy skin. This allergen can be for example, a type of pollen, a particular food, etc. If you don't know what the allergen is, or can't avoid it, ideally it requires something like medical therapy or immunotherapy which obviously isn't an option for you right now. There are a couple of things you can try though, which should help him regardless of whether atopy is the cause of his itching or not. Try introducing an omega-6 fatty acid supplement to his diet. Most vegetable oils, especially those such as sunflower oil, contain omega-6, or better still there are a few supplements designed especially for animals such as Megaderm- this is a fatty acid supplement containing omega 3 & 6, which have been shown to have antiinflammatory effects and greatly improve dry, itchy skin. You should also try using an colloidal oatmeal-based shampoo and conditioner such as Aloveen or Episoothe. ADD: I've just read your update where you say that you don't bathe him very often. At this stage I would try bathing him maybe once a fortnight with a product like I've mentioned above- this helps to reduce bacteria and debris on the skin surface and as long as you make sure to rinse properly also helps to cool and hydrate the skin. This often makes a big difference to itchy dogs. If you do decide to try a raw food diet, please be careful and research very thoroughly before you go ahead. It's an absolute disaster if not done properly. To rule out food allergy, you would be better to try a commercial low allergen diet such as Hills z/d ultra or Royal Canin hypoallergenic. http://www.vetstop.com.au/Shop/os/shopdi... http://www.vetstop.com.au/Shop/os/shopdi...
Pug scratching himself raw?
How about you take him to the vet, find out exactly what's causing him to scratch so much and have the vet prescribe the proper treatment?
Dog being ate alive by fleas. I tried everything..?
I recently posted a question asking what can I use to get rid of fleas. I got some good answers yet nothing is working. I've had failed attempts with armor pets and frontline plus for my 13 lb shih tzu. Someone mentioned I should go to vet and see if they can prescribe me a pill that would cure it. DID IT! I was assured by the vet that they no longer carry frontline and similiar products because it doesnt work all the time. This 1 pill would get rid of all fleas including ticks and existing eggs after 30 minutes of use for 1 entire month. Its been 2 days and my dog continues to be bitten by these fleas. His skin in bloody at times for all the scratching and biting he caused himself. Its beyond frustrating because these products cause money. More money that continues to go down the drain along with vet visit fees. Have you ever had a similiar problem and how did u overcome it? also i do not have carpet in my home.