Question by Debra M: Need Veterinary Assistance…?
Ever since we took care of our friends’ dog two months ago, our OWN dog has had fleas. Lately, it’s got really bad to the point where she’s scratching consistently for minutes on end if we don’t stop her, and her skin is starting to scab and is starting to fall out around the rump area, most specifically at the end of her back, right where her tail meets the rest of her spine.

I’m convinced that perhaps this is an allergy to the flea saliva. I want to know if flea allergies are fatal or can make the dog extremely sick? Also, what actually WORKS to get RID of fleas? I’ve tried the most expensive things within my budget (I cannot afford a vet right now, unfortunately). Salt seems to heal her scabs and abrasions, but it doesn’t stay on long enough to kill the fleas. It falls right off. Also, I’ve tried bathing her several times in a row and that doesn’t help.

Can anyone suggest cheap, but excellently effective ways to get rid of fleas so my dog doesn’t have to suffer anymore?

Thank you kindly.

Also, are there any non-profit/volunteer veterinarians in the Raleigh/Wake Forest vicinity? If so, I’d LOVE their contact information.
And to those lovely people who like to be negative; please read properly. I said I can’t afford a vet right NOW, as in, only lately I haven’t been able to care for her properly, as in, I WAS able to care for her when I got her. I absolutely agree that if you can’t afford to take care of an animal, don’t get one. So please, lay off the colorful language.

Best answer:

Answer by Baby on Board
I am sooooo sick of reading these questions where people say they cant afford a vet so what can they do. How about dont get a f-ing pet if you cant care for it!

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Question by tyler Y: whats wrong with my dog? >< *edited*?
recently my 7yr old golden retriever has had a skin condition that was caused by “allergies”. he has gotten passed that and now hes starting to get a weird spots under his nose. i was hoping that someone knows what it is and we can cure it without going to the vet. thank you so much in advance. i would take him to the vet but its already cost ALOT for his “allergy problem” i am hoping that its not to serious and i can just cure it with something at petsmart. but heres a picture of what it looks like. its a little blurry but you can see the discolorationn

Best answer:

Answer by pierced_chick123
You’ll still need to visit a vet.

Even with a picture, a vet would still need to take a skin scraping to determine what it is.

A lot of different skin conditions and rashes can all look teh same, but after some lab work is done that can help determine what it is.

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Question by Bordeaux: Allergic dog prescribed Hill’s z/d food?!?
My dog has been having some serious issues with allergies since I adopted him from the local shelter 3 months ago. We weren’t sure if he had only environmental allergies or if there were food sensitivities also, but now we are pretty sure he’s deathly allergic to some foods too.

Last saturday I tried to introduce EVO red meat to slowly switch him to grain-free but he refused to eat anything other than two pieces of kibble. Apparently that was enough to set him off in a serious allergic reaction with scratching, chewing at his skin furiously, and a couple of red spots in his belly. Well, on Tuesday night he managed to eat a tiny piece of chocolate and then his body almost shut down. After yet another extremely expensive trip to the vet’s due to diarrhea, widespread rashes, muscle tremors and serious lethargy, he was sent home with prescription food for the intestinal issues (the i/d). Last night the vet called with the blood test results that ruled out any other health issues, which makes him pretty confident the dog has extreme food sensitivities. He now put my dog on Hill’s prescription z/d food for 3 months to do a proper food trial. After that, if the symptoms have cleared up and we are sure it was all due to food allergies, we will start experimenting with other foods and protein sources to see if we can find something else he can eat.

Has anyone here been through this? Besides the obscene cost of this food ($ 90+ for a 27.5 lb bag), it seems to me that the food is not really “healthy” either. I guess I’m looking for people who have tried this elimination food trial and have good or bad results to report. Should I hope for the best and do the 3 month food trial or what?!?

Thanks!
I have tried switching him to Wellness whitefish and sweet potato, but he had a pretty serious vomiting episode a little under 2 weeks after starting the new diet (plus bad gas, frequent stools, dry heaving, etc). The last food he was on was California Natural lamb meal and rice, which did not provoke any serious reaction but didn’t help either. I had just bought a small bag of Pinnacle duck and potato food to start transitioning again when all hell broke lose from the chocolate poisoning episode…
BTW, I am not an idiot. The dog stole the chocolate while I was driving myself crazy looking for my keys, which I lost during the snow storm and have never been able to find. I guess in the shuffle of looking under everything and opening every drawer we overlooked the dog and the chocolate.

Best answer:

Answer by Lolo
I had a labrador that was allergic to the wind if it blew. The vet had him on Science Diet too. I switched him to Wellness Whitefish and Sweet Potato. He loved it and didnt suffer from food allergies any more. It’s healthier, human grade, and uses fish as a source of protein. Explore Wellness foods. I think your dog would do well on it.

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Question by Lauren S: mom wants an outside cat?
I just moved and we keep finding snake skins, so my mom and little sister want a cat to keep snakes away, but we have 2 dogs, my really little sister has allergies. (we manly want one because the snakes are in our pool area.) So should we get a cat?
Yeah, maybe she was just joking…. But the man one shes scared about is this 2 foot ling one which is silvery brown , so it looks like a small python.
The cat wouldn’t be outside all the time, she(he) would be in the garage on rainy days, and upstairs on cold days. We dont just want a cat because of the snake thing…………. We have had 3 cats in our lives. One died, the other 2 we had to give away…..I live in Fareview, tx, which is a small town with LOTS of trees. I would never let the cat get hurt, the cat would just be to find the snakes.

Best answer:

Answer by Rover Fan
What kind of snakes are they? I don’t think having a cat would help all that much of you already have two dogs. Maybe you need to call a exterminator instead. I have heard that moth balls will keep some snakes away. Maybe you could do some research on how to keep snakes away.

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Question by Eslie C: My dog (Male Boxer) keeps breaking out in whelps?
He has whelps (raised areas on his skin) that come and go. This Past Monday I had to take him to the vet. He said it was an allergy. He gave him an antihistimine and it went away, today it is coming back???
I haven’t been able to come up with anything that could be causing it?? Any suggestions?

Best answer:

Answer by Susan B
Could be many things. My schnauzers sometimes break out in whelps after they are groomed.
Do you have carpet? Did you put carpet cleaner on it?
Does your dog stay outside? Any pesticides used lately?
Could be a lot of things, but you surely need to find out what and prevent it from happening over and over to your dog.
You can give your dog some benedryl when it get’s the whelps, they should go down quickly.

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