Self-Inflicted "Bald Spots"

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  • #60110 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Hey, all!

    So, Bruno has caused himself a relatively large (about the size of 2 quarters next to each other, which is large-ish for him) “bald spot” on his rear hind leg. He vigorously itches that spot with his mouth, apparently “shaving” the hairs off in the process or something. He had done it in another spot before, on his, um… where his testicles used to be. Right behind that spot, on both sides of his scrotum (?) I guess. I used Eucalyptus essential oil first and my own blend of other nourishing oils (coconut, olive, shea, chamomile, vitamin E oil, a tad baby oil, a tad castor oil, and some drops of essential oils – no tea tree) and that spot healed up and grew hair back and he stopped biting at it, but now he’s at the new one. I can use said oils again and it will probably heal (although it doesn’t seem irritated at all, just “shaved” by Bruno himself, and regrow the hair (I think my oils make it light-brown, almost crimson-ish when it grows back though! That’s the color of the hair on the scrotum spots at least).).

    Does any of you have an idea what may be causing it? And just in his hiney area, by the scrotum and only on one leg… He doesn’t seem irritated anywhere else, I also don’t know if it would be a food allergy. He was also recently brushed with the Furminator and bathed, I saw no fleas. He gets his monthly Sentinel on time, which should control any flea populations by killing the eggs… Do I need to get some Cedarcide and spray him just in case? I wouldn’t use any chemical-based anti-flea topical even if he had fleas.

    #60115 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    It sounds like a hot spot, which can be due to various different things. It can be due to allergies, though if he is not showing other symptoms then that isn’t terribly likely. Have you tried any new foods lately? The most important thing right now is getting him to stop chewing on it, which unfortunately may require him to wear a cone or cone-alternatave. You could try a soft or inflatable cone if he doesn’t try to reck it and it stops him from going at the spot. You could also ask the vet for advice. If this reoccurs or if he shows other signs of being itchy or hair loss, then allergies, either food or seasonal, are likely.

    #60119 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Dog_Obsessed, he usually stops chewing on it when oils are on it. And it literally looks like clear, healthy skin – is that what hot spots look like? I don’t know much about them. I just looked them up actually, and they look nothing like Bruno has – in fact they look like something Snowy has, on both her sides of the thighs, red, irritated, almost raw, skin, on the fold between the legs and the torso, and hers clear up very well with coconut oil, but her family is not very consistent with it and they come back.

    As for foods, we started transitioning today, so it can’t be from that. Other than that, no change in his normal food routine. Until today he was on Back to Basics Open Range with usual THK and BDN toppers, plus fresh food toppers. Today we began introducing Castor & Pollux Ultramix GF with Duck, Turkey, Lamb, and Salmon meals. But the spot was there before, I saw it yesterday actually.

    As far as seasonal or environmental allergies, it may be that, not sure. When he had the scrotum spots, I did see one flea on him, and there may have been more, but so far I haven’t seen any on him around the leg spot… But there MAY be some? The oil treatment helped last time, and I will try it again I guess, and if he gets another itchy spot, I will ask a vet.

    #60120 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    Hmm. Probably not a hot spot then, if the skin looks clear. I’m suppressed he hasn’t irritated it with all the chewing. I would recommend continuing to put the oils on, if that seems to help him. I guess it could also be caused by dry skin from the cold weather. It probably wouldn’t hurt to have the vet check it out, or at least call them about it. Hopefully the more experienced users will have more advice. 🙂

    #60121 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    You know, it could be dry skin, as when I condition him after his bath, I can only do the coat (with the oils) cause if I go down to the skin, he will be a greasy mess! LoL. I do give him coconut oil every other day just about, but I think I will just call the vet to ask about it on Monday or so if there is no improvement. I just put the oils on him again and will continue to do so over the weekend. He took it like a champ though he doesn’t like how the Eucalyptus smells – maybe that will deter him from itching at his leg! 🙂

    He doesn’t seem to be feeling bad or anything, and it really may just be a couple of fleas I am not seeing for all I know… Hope it is not anything worse. And he’s not chewing at his scrotum spot anymore, hasn’t been for a while.

    #60122 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    That sounds like a good action plan. Of course, if he gets worse you should take him to the vet, but I think putting the oil on and just monitoring him sounds good for now.

    #60128 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Thank you, Dog_Obsessed! Yes, if he seems worse, I will scoop him up to the vet, but he doesn’t seem distressed or anything. I haven’t even caught him in the act of itching between yesterday and today, but hubs said he’s seen him chew at that leg before. So maybe he’s done chewing it. I also checked his ears and paws, nothing smells weird or yeasty, everything looks good on him so far. It might just be a stray flea or just some skin dryness or something… We will see how the oil treatment goes! 🙂

    #60129 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    Good luck! 😀

    #60131 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Thank you!!! I shall keep you all posted! 🙂

    #60132 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Hi Naturella:
    Hot spots are usually pretty irritated looking. My previous dog used to get them now and then in the summer and they usually become pretty obsessed with licking them.

    Have you used a flea comb on him to see if you can find any fleas? I am just thinking if there are only a few they can be hard to see even though he has allot of white in his fur. One of my cats got fleas mid-September and the first sign was he losing hair near the base of his tail in a small spot because he was biting at fleas.

    #60133 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Bobby Dog, thank you, I will probably go get a flea comb tomorrow and try it out. He has a double-coat, and it is fairly thick, so it is hard to just dig in it kind of. So I will try the comb tomorrow and see how it goes! 🙂

    #60134 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    If it has to be anything, hopefully that’s all it is.

    #60135 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Agreed!

    #60140 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Naturella. Doesn’t sound like hot spots. Hot spots usually have some redness or other type of inflammation that goes along the the bald spots. If you’ve been giving Bruno Sentinel every month without missing any then it shouldn’t be fleas either but do check him out with a flea comb or just give him a bath. Fleas don’t like water so if it is fleas you’ll readily see them in the sink or tub. That only leaves some type of allergic reaction to food or some environmental issue he may have been exposed to. Is it possible that whoever did the fur intake treatment on him was too aggressive and he got a bit of a razor burn type effect. They really have to know what they’re doing with those things and just work slowly and on small areas at a time. Maybe they rushed through it?

    #60143 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Hey, Dori!

    It shouldn’t be fleas then because he was bathed on Nov. 30th – fairly recently, and I scrubbed him very well and rinsed well too. He gets Sentinel on 1st of every month, so Dec. 1st, and we don’t skip any pills. As for the Furminator – it was me who brushed him, and it may be from that actually, maybe I scratched him some, but not too much to leave any lasting irritation, and he kept itching at it, and got himself hairless at that spot… I will be more careful with this thing, cause I don’t usually do the legs much, but I go over them a couple times just to take any excess hair out… I really wasn’t trying to take much off cause it’s getting cold anyway. So it may be that too, didn’t think about it.

    #60144 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Lufenuron does not kill adult fleas.

    #60149 Report Abuse
    T
    Participant

    Skin issues can be so frustrating! If he’s chewing the skin, it’s most likely itchy. Causes for itchy skin can include: inahalant or food allergy, food sensitivity, gastrointestinal imbalance, external parasites, or less commonly autoimmune disease, liver disease, etc.

    Skin problems are one of the most common presenting complaints in the patients I see. I’ve had some good success with concentrating on optimizing gi function, feeding whole foods, using acupuncture and herbs. Avoid strong meds unless it is a real emergency. Steroids and antibiotics may suppress symptoms for a while, but the problem is still there! Symptoms are the body’s way of telling us there is a problem and we want to address the problem, not just suppress the symptom.

    Hope that makes sense… I have some articles on my blog about food, allergies, and skin if you’d like to check it out: http://naturalalternativesvet.com/category/blog

    I’m a holistic veterinarian in Bloomington, IN and food/skin issues are one of my obsessions! Best of luck to you.

    Tabitha

    #60151 Report Abuse
    theBCnut
    Member

    Definitely not a hot spot! With a hot spot the skin turns red and hot before the hair falls out, then the skin starts weeping and gets raw, this causes the hair to fall out, so you definitely would have known if it was that. When the weeping dries, it is crusty like a scab.

    You could have a couple different things going on here. If Bruno is sensitive to fleas, they can remain itchy for up to 10 days after a single bite, so you don’t have to see a flea for it to have been a flea. And then of course there is the drier winter air. It isn’t at all uncommon for short coated breeds to have dry skin.

    #60166 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Sounds like it was the fulminator Naturella. Just be careful when using it and go slowly and gently. You could have scratched him without knowing it and it just bothered him a bit for a while. You don’t actually have to be able to see the irritation and it didn’t actually have to be that you would have seen his skin red. You’re better off not going over the same areas. You’re better off going over Bruno’s body once only and then you can do the entire process once a week or every two weeks or monthly. That will keep some of the fur off him and home on a regular basis. Those things can be pretty wicked if not used gently and with caution. And yeah, you know how dogs are. One teeny little area on their bodies bother them and they will just not leave it alone. Just keep putting whatever oils you use on the areas until you see he no longer bothers with the spots and the fur starts growing back. Hope it was the Furminator….so much easier a fix than anything else.

    • This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Dori.
    #60227 Report Abuse
    Susan
    Participant

    Does he have the odd flea, Patch has been going mad & trying to scratch around the base of his tail & licking his ball sac, when I looked & he had a couple of fleas in the fur of his ball sac, (Patch was desexed at 4 yrs old, so his skin is a bit lose where his balls once were) he must of picked up fleas on our walks, we’ve had alot of rain & humid weather, prefect for fleas…I killed the fleas & put some Cortisone 1 % cream around the base of tail & ball sac & this relieved his itch also get a good shampoo… I use “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, this is excellent kills any bacteria on their skin but doesn’t strip the oils in their skin, leaving him feeling so soft & itch free…

    #60228 Report Abuse
    Susan
    Participant

    Hello Tabitha, Patch was dignosed with Lymphocytic Gastritis, Helicobacter infection & also suffers from skin allergies from food & environment, When I googled Lymphocytic Gastritis the helicobacter infection & Celiac disease comes up, you can only find L/G for humans & its suppose to be rare, I’m putting Patch on a Gluten free & grainfree diet, I found a vet diet Royal Canin “Sensitivity Control” its just Tapioca & Duck, & is only 9% fat he also can’t have too much fat… Ive also been researching “Lectins” as Lectins can cause heaps of health problems especially the GI tract…With the Tapioca would Tapioca be high in Lectins It says that Tapioca is Gluten free,
    I always thought Patch was allergic to Starch cause he’d get real bad diarrhea & break out with a rash all over chest & stomach area & itch after eating potatos, sweet potatoes made his ears itch, peas, rye, barley gave him bad wind & sloppy poos but now Ive read that Potatoes, peas, rye, barley are high in Lectins, so he probably wasnt allergic to starch, its the lectins, do you know much about Lectins…. I’m trying to find foods that are lectin free & alot of foods have lectins in them…How do I find out if Tapioca is high with Lectins….
    I just read the link that u put up for Naturella, Its sounds like ur girl Keva has acid refux, my boy was doing the same thing 12am-3am he had a Endoscope + biopies done 3 weeks ago, that’s when vet found the Helicobacter infection & has been put on antibiotics & Zantac for 3weeks, maybe try Keva on a lower fat diet & a small feed around 9pm so the acid doesnt come into her throat early hours of the morning, thats what Ive been doing also the Zantac has helped… by the way I love ur Fat Protein & Carb converter..

    #60229 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    I have to honestly say that my dogs have always been on Sentinel and now on Sentinel Spectrum (weight appropriate…they have one for 2 – 8 lbs. which all three of my dogs qualify) and, I don’t want to jinx them or myself, but none of my dogs have ever had fleas or any types of worms other then when they were first born and got their newborn worms from their mothers. The only dog I have ever had in my life that had fleas was the very first dog I had on my own and I lived in the city and had to walk around NYC and I didn’t know about doing any type of flea preventative. Cleaned him and had to flea bomb the apartment and have never had any fleas or worms again. I have lived in a number of states and cities and suburbs (I like to move…can you tell?) that are flea and tick central but it has not been an issue. No, I do not use topical neck type liquids. Sounds scary to me putting insecticide on the top of their necks so that they cannot lick at it and then allows it to get in their system. Yikes and Yuk!!! Just not my idea of a good thing.

    #60230 Report Abuse
    Susan
    Participant

    Hi Dori, what is Sentinel, Ive seen it at Pet Barn behind the counter, is it a tabet??? I haven’t used no flea products this winter spring or summer on Patch.. as he gets sick from everything, I did use Frontline Plus but that was back in March, also I have a cat called Jeremy, & Jeremy brings the fleas home…he’s a big fluffy bath mat that comes home, whinges, eats then washes himself, flicks off any fleas, then scratches at the door to go back out…I do use Advantage spot on, on Jeremy monthly but he’s still always scratching, when I look I never find any fleas on him but like I said he’s a big fluffy bath mat, so 1 could be hiding, I dont think they have made a tablet for cats yet only the spot ons….

    #60232 Report Abuse
    Naturella
    Member

    Hey, all! Been a long day for me, so here I am with an update and a response to each of you:

    Bobby Dog, I know Sentinel Spectrum only kills flea eggs, not the adult fleas, but I thought, like Dori said, giving Bru a brushing and a bath fairly recently would have eliminated that issue? I mean, a stray flea could be there, which is why, as BCnut said, he could just be very sensitive to flea bites, which I think he has a history of, so this may be it, plus, like Dori suggested I may have scratched him too hard with the Furminator. I really need to be better with this thing and just do short sessions every 2 weeks or so instead of an intense one every 3-4 months… Maybe I will just start doing that, and keep it to one brushing per area. Quick, easy, gentle. I was just trying to not do it too often in the cold months so as to help him retain most of his undercoat as he may be cold, so I only was going to do one in the end of November and pick up when warm months come, as in probably in March-April. Maybe when I start brushing again, it could be every 2 weeks or so (that’s how often I do his nails too), and it won’t be terrible as it will be warm outside.

    Tabitha, thank you for the info! I will certainly monitor Bruno, but so far he seems overall well internally – he had a checkup in September, all was well; he fares well on a rotational kibble diet with added canned/dehydrated/freeze-dried/air-dried foods and whole foods such as egg, sardines, coconut oil, yoghurt/kefir, RMBs. Stool is great, eating is great, I make sure he eats a lot of water with every meal (I feed his kibble and toppers with warm water as a soup), so that I try to increase his hydration. I also would try to use more natural remedies before I resort to medical (chemical) compounds in other stuff. I make my own shampoo of castille soap, coconut milk, and essential oils, and I, Brian, and Bruno use that, and I use the oil blend mentioned above for almost everything – body lotion, hair conditioning, dog coat conditioning, wound remedy, etc. Which is why I will definitely keep in mind the recommendations by Susan (thank you!) on the Malaseb shampoo and Cortisone cream, but I will hold off on them as long as I can to give a chance to the natural stuff to try and help. He hasn’t chewed at it today, and I was able to watch him all day. Spot looks fine, skin is ok, and there is no miraculous overnight hair re-growth, lol, but I am sure it will come back – the scrotum spot got all its hair back. 🙂

    I will just watch him and play it by ear, and see how it goes. By no means will I let him suffer (if he displays any signs of it, like excessive chewing, redness, etc.), but for now, we may just be able to home-treat this. 🙂 I will certainly keep you posted.

    Also, Susan, I am not Dori, but Sentinel is a tablet that prevents all worms: heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm, and controls flea populations by killing the eggs (not the adult fleas though). It works pretty well I think, and if they sell it in Australia, you can look into it, but I don’t think they make it for cats. http://sentinelpet.com/

    #60234 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Hi Susan. I use Sentinel Spectrum. It’s main selling point is as a Heartworm preventative. As added bonuses it also kills 5% of adult fleas. It kills flea larvae, hookworms, tapeworms, ring worms , round worms. I’ve been using Sentinel for years (I use the chewable tablets). They have recently (this year I believe) come out with Sentinel Spectrum (also a chewable or tablet you can hide in the food) which added the ability to kill one of the worms mentioned above. I switched to this one early this Summer. What I like about this version of Sentinel Spectrum is that there is more weight varieties. I use the one that is made for dogs that weigh between 2 and 8 lbs. All three of my dogs fall into those weight ranges so that they are not being over medicated with doses that have, until recently, been geared for a wider range of rates. I don’t use topical flea solutions like the ones that you put on their necks. Frontline, Advantage and stuff like that. It always worried me that the directions were to put on the upper part of their neck where they can’t lick it and then immediately wash your hands thoroughly even if you didn’t get anything on yourself. Little too frightening for me. Anyway, I’ve been using Sentinel with all my dogs for more years than I can remember and have never had an issue with it. None of my dogs have ever become ill, itchy, anything all on Sentinel. I don’t know if they sell it where you live but I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to get it from your vet. I always buy it from my veterinarian so that I don’t have to be afraid of a medication like that having expired or having been transported under bad conditions. I’m super careful about medications with the dogs and myself and husband. I don’t purchase things like that on the internet. That’s just me possibly being more concerned and cautious than necessary but that’s just me being me. I don’t have cats so I’m not sure whether they make a cat version. I’ll check into it for you and get back onto this post and let you know.

    Susan I just did a quick Google search and they do make a Sentinel Spectrum version for cats. The manufacturer of Sentinel Spectrum for dogs and the cat version are made by Novartis. Just go to Novartis.com and type in Sentinel Spectrum.

    • This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Dori.
    #60236 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    I am always on alert for adult fleas because Bobby does have a friend in the neighborhood that he hangs out with sometimes. Although I don’t see her scratch and her fur looks good, you never know. I also keep an eye out after visiting my pet store. They always have several cats in the store up for adoption. The cats are in great health, but again you never know what is lurking in a pet store since there are other pets that visit the store throughout the day as well.

    Glad he seems to be doing better today! 😉

    #60247 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Hi Bobby Dog. I hear you about adult fleas. I don’t take my dogs to pet stores, friends and relatives homes with animals that I know are not particularly careful about fleas and such. I don’t ever take my dogs to dog parks and let them run free. Way too many issues with dog parks for me. Fleas, ticks, illnesses, feces and urine everywhere and then, of course, the dog fights that break out while the owners sit around b.s.ing not paying the least bit of attention to their dogs. None of that is to my liking or for my girls. The local pet stores that I go to don’t have cats but some of the workers do bring their dogs in that hang around behind the counter. As you so, they all look healthy and I know the workers are pretty scrupulous about the store and their animals, but you never know. Some of my friends say I’m too cautious and nuts about all that but the last thing I want is an infestation of fleas on my animals and my home.

    #60248 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Dori:
    Where did you find information that lufenuron kills adult fleas?

    #60250 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Bobby dog. I have seen the info on line and also in the pamphlet that comes in the box. Probably would say it on Novartis’s site. Says it kills 5% of adult fleas on the dog. It’s not a particularly large amount of adult fleas at all but better than none I suppose. HW, flea larvae and all the worms it covers is really more my concern. Adult fleas you can pretty easily get rid of if caught fast enough in the bath I think or would hope so from what some of the posters have said. Just glad I haven’t had to worry about fleas and, again, I hope I haven’t jinxed myself and the girls. I have a real aversion to insects of any sort. YUK!!!!!!!

    There are other ingredients in Sentinel Spectrum so I’m just thinking that I don’t know which of the ingredients would kill 5% of the adult fleas. Bobby dog, the info is on Sentinelpet.com I just went to their web site to make sure I had read it correctly.

    • This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Dori.
    • This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Dori.
    • This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Dori.
    #60253 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    I found a flea on Lily the other day, and she has seemed sort of itchy over the last few days. She had her Activyl (a topic flea preventative) 3 weeks ago. I would definitely rather not put those chemicals on her. We talked to the vet on the phone yesterday, and she said that just because we saw one flea on Lily doesn’t necessarily mean she has fleas. We asked her for natural treatment recommendations, and she said that she doesn’t have that much experience with natural treatments but she mentioned Sentry as an alternative treatment. I looked it up and it contains the same main ingredient as Frontline, so I’m not crazy about it. I’ve gotten suggestions on various threads for Little City Dogs, Sentinel, and Dichotomous Earth. I am a little worried about the DE because I have heard it is bad for humans to inhale. I’m a little overwhelmed with all the choices right now. I just looked up Sentinel and it looks like it is a Heart worm and internal parasite prevention, but it didn’t say anything about fleas. Could someone please un-confuse me please? Thanks!

    #60255 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Hi Dog Obsessed. Go on line and go to Sentinelpet.com When you’re there check on Sentinel Spectrum. On the left hand side of the page you’ll see a list of all the things it deals with. Click on each item one at a time and read up on them. The first one will be Heartworms, of course. Second one on the list is fleas and then so on and so on about the different worms. Let me know if you need more information.

    #60256 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Dori:
    This is from Sentinel’s FAQ section under general FAQs:
    I see a few fleas on my dog. Are Sentinel Flavor Tabs working?
    You may see an occasional “hitchhiker” adult flea that your dog has picked up at the dog park or in the yard or other infested environments. Since Sentinel Flavor Tabs stop fleas before they become adults, you will need an adulticide, such as CAPSTAR® (nitenpyram) Tablets, to eliminate the occasional adult flea.

    http://www.sentinelpet.com/faqs

    #60257 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Bobby dog. Read what I just wrote to Dog Obsessed and if you go to Sentinelpet.com and click on the upper left hand side of the page on Sentinel Spectrum and then follow directions on my post above it says that it kills 5% of adult fleas on the dog. That’s pretty inconsequential I think. If it only kills 5% of adult fleas on your dog you’re still left with 95% percent of adult fleas on your dog. Not even sure why they bothered to add that part. As I said, I don’t give Sentinel Spectrum to kill adult fleas nor do I think anyone else will have good results if that’s there intent. It’s a HW preventative and preventative for a hold host of worms and flea larvae. As an added benefit it says it kills 5% of adult fleas on the dog.

    #60258 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    Thanks! I’m looking at the website now, and this sounds like a good alternative to skin treatments. It doesn’t say it prevents ticks, though. Any good, natural, products for that?

    #60259 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Are you talking about the pyramid?

    #60261 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Thank goodness. I’ve very rarely ever had to deal with ticks. Only when we lived on the Cape Cod Bay and then only once or twice and I saw them walking on a Bichon Frise we had years ago. We had to check the dogs carefully when we brought them in the house. I was concerned that they would be an issue here in the South but I haven’t had any of the dogs have ticks.

    #60262 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Hi Bobby. What pyramid? Help. Where is the pyramid and I’ll go see.

    #60263 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    We once had a foster dog get a tick last year. We were able to remove it, but with Lily I would be afraid that I wouldn’t see them or couldn’t get them out because she has so much fluff. I think that are more a problem in the spring/summer.

    #60264 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Sorry Bobby. Yes! Just went back and saw the pyramid.

    #60265 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    Also, I assume this stuff is safe for all-year use if you use it. Is it better than Heart guard in terms of chemicals? Sorry I have so many questions!

    #60266 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Hi Bobby. Yes, the pyramid. I just went back on line and am wondering if I misinterpreted what I read. I thought they were saying that it killed 5% of adult fleas on your dog. Now I’m thinking they mean there are 5% of adult fleas on your dog and then going on to say everything else living in your house with you, the dog and the 5% of adult fleas on your dog. Now I need you to explain it to me cause I’m really confused now.

    #60267 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    I’m still stuck on where the pyramid is.

    #60268 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Dog Obsessed. If you go back to Sentinelpet.com and then click on the left side Sentinel Spectrum then click on fleas. Then in the middle of the page scroll down the page and you’ll see a huge pyramid showing different percentages of things that live in your home and/or on your dog.

    #60269 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Lufenuron does not kill adult fleas, it breaks the life cycle of fleas by adult fleas ingesting the chemical then adult fleas transfer it to their eggs. This is from peteducation.com:

    FDA approved for use in dogs and cats. Available by prescription and over the counter. Once the female flea ingests blood from a pet treated with lufenuron, 96% of egg development from fleas on cats and 99% of egg development from fleas on dogs is stopped. This helps prevent a continual flea problem. Lufenuron does not kill the adult flea and does not stop the flea from biting and causing flea allergy dermatitis. The drug is stored in the body fat and released into the bloodstream over the course of a month. Flea eggs laid prior to treating the pet may take several months to hatch; Program will not be effective until these fleas start to lay eggs. Therefore it may take several months to see the product’s effectiveness. If quicker results are needed, use a product which will kill adult fleas; these will provide quicker relief for the pet. Cats require a higher dose per pound than dogs. After the cat injectable form is administered, 2-3 weeks are needed to reach therapeutic levels in the blood. The injectable form for cats is effective for 6 months.

    http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=26+1303&aid=1471

    #60270 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    Thanks, I see it now. I think it is saying that only 5% of the fleas are adult fleas and only 5% of the total fleas and juvenile fleas are on the the dog. The rest are in the home and not adults. It is an ad for the product because the product does not kill adult fleas, and it is saying that that isn’t necessary. Not totally sure if I interpreted it right though.

    • This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.
    #60271 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    My reply just got lost. lol So I am posting this link to peteducation.com. It explains it better than I could anyway:

    http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=26+1303&aid=1471

    #60273 Report Abuse
    Bobby dog
    Member

    Two of my replies are lost. lol Pet education . com has a good explanation of how lufenuron works.

    “FDA approved for use in dogs and cats. Available by prescription and over the counter. Once the female flea ingests blood from a pet treated with lufenuron, 96% of egg development from fleas on cats and 99% of egg development from fleas on dogs is stopped. This helps prevent a continual flea problem. Lufenuron does not kill the adult flea and does not stop the flea from biting and causing flea allergy dermatitis. The drug is stored in the body fat and released into the bloodstream over the course of a month. Flea eggs laid prior to treating the pet may take several months to hatch; Program will not be effective until these fleas start to lay eggs. Therefore it may take several months to see the product’s effectiveness. If quicker results are needed, use a product which will kill adult fleas; these will provide quicker relief for the pet. Cats require a higher dose per pound than dogs. After the cat injectable form is administered, 2-3 weeks are needed to reach therapeutic levels in the blood. The injectable form for cats is effective for 6 months.”

    #60274 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Your interpretation sounds good to me.

    On your question regarding Heartgard, I can’t answer that because I’ve never used it. I do know that Sentinel has the chewables that go as low as 2 to 8 lb. dogs where I think Heartgard’s lowest dose goes to 25 lbs. That’s a a pretty wide range if you have dogs as small as mine. They don’t need the extra chemicals that are in the higher doses. Bad enough having to give them anything at all I’d rather give them the lowest dose for their sizes.

    #60275 Report Abuse
    Dori
    Member

    Good explanation Bobby dog, thanks. I wonder why cats need higher doses than dogs. Did it mention that. Just curious. I don’t have any cats I’m allergic to them.

    #60276 Report Abuse
    Dog_Obsessed
    Member

    Okay, thanks. I will try Sentinel Spectrum for flea and Heartworm prevention. For ticks, are spray-on products any better then spot-on treatments?

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