Note: Treating your pet for pests without veterinary supervision may, at best, be a waste of time. At worst, some treatments can be fatal. Please consult us before diagnosing or treating pest problems.
| Common Causes of Itching/Scratching | |
| Fleas | |
| Ticks | |
| Topical Prescription Flea/Tick Treatments (like Advantage and Frontline) | |
| Heartworms | |
| Roundworms | |
| Hookworms | |
| Whipworms | |
| Worming Medication | |
Common Causes of Itching/Scratching
All causes of itching and scratching can be dangerous to your pet’s health. A diagnosis of the problem by Dr. Carver is the safest way to help your pet with this annoying and frustrating problem.
Puppies
The most common cause of itching in puppies is fleas. See our secition
on fleas to determine if this is the issue.
A second possible cause is mange. If your puppy is a shelter animal, or you got them anywhere else other than a reputable breeder, mange is possible. Mange is caused by one or more of three different types of parasites, and is not contagious to humans, but can spread to other animals. It is characterized by chronic itching, and possibly also hair loss on the face, ears, or rest of the body, as well as doggy dandruff.
Visit Dr. Carver as soon as you get your puppy to keep puppy problems in hand, and to avoid infesting your home with parasites.
Scratching Around Rear
If your pet scratches themselves mostly around their rear, the cause is
most likely fleas. See our section on fleas for more
information about how to combat this problem.
Other possible causes: impacted anal glands, allergies (which establish themselves when your pet is 1-2 yrs. old), or other esternal parasites. Because the causes vary greatly, consult us before you treat the problem.
Itchy Ears, Face, Stomach, Paws
If your animal itches in their ears, on their face, stomach, and/or paws
without any visible ear mites or other infestations, your pet may suffer
from allergies. There are treatments available for pets with allergies,
and Dr. Carver would be happy to discuss options with you if allergies
are diagnosed.
Itching With Patchy Hair Loss / Pink Ring-Shaped
Sores
If your pet’s hair falls out in patches,
or if there is an itchy patch of skin in a pink ring shape, these are
common signs of ringworm or some other infestation of your animal’s
skin. The skin of the animal may instead be patchy and scaly. A ring shape
might not form on your pet, but the infection will surely spread from
one part of your pet to other parts of their body.
Ringworm is very contagious, and to keep from getting it yourself, your pet should be handled very carefully. Call us for tips on how to transport your pet to our facility for diagnosis.
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Fleas
Infest dogs, cats, and the living area. Lay eggs on the pet, which drop off, and hatch in carpeting, furniture, leaves, and other dark places. Larvae feed on fecal matter dropped by adult fleas. Can bite and infect humans.
Fleas are an integral part of the transmission of tapeworms.
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Ticks
Attach to dogs, cats, and humans. Suck blood from their host, transmitting diseases into the blood stream.
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Heartworms
Enter the cat or dog’s body and infest the heart and lungs.
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Topical Prescription Flea/Tick Treatments (like Advantage and Frontline)
- Application: Dropped on the skin on the back of the neck (cats), or between the shoulder blades (dogs)
- Kill ticks and fleas within a short period of time, often 24 hrs.
- Spreads itself over the animal’s body.
- Continues treating for a month.
- Can be gentle enough for kittens and puppies.
- Is stored in glands under the skin and continuously released into the fur.
- Can be water resistant.
- Can dry quickly.
- May kill fleas/eggs in the environment as well as those on the pet.
Note: Some treatments are NOT SAFE TO USE ON OR AROUND CATS. Tell us if you have or may have a cat near the dog being treated for fleas and ticks so we can prescribe the appropriate medication.
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Roundworms
Live in the intestines of the pet. Can be transmitted to humans.
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Hookworms
Attach with “hooks” to intestinal lining of dogs or cats. Can be transmitted to humans.
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Whipworms
Live in the large intestine.
| Symptoms / Diseases Caused |
Facts |
| Bloody diarrhea | Can produce 2000 eggs a day |
| Anemia | Eggs passed in feces into soil. |
| Dehydration | Very difficult to eradicate. |
| Loss of appetite |
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Worming Medications
Prescription worming medications, such as Heartgard, are given orally to both cats and dogs. These medications are usually preventative, and prevent infections from heartworms, and several types of roundworms and hookworms. Monthly use of worming preventatives will eliminate the risk of infection by the types of worms these preventatives treat.
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