I've never seen harvest mites, wouldn't know what to look for.
We haven't used a flea comb but mostly because even when we knew we had fleas we didn't do well with a flea comb. My logic for no fleas is that both Laufey and the cats sleep on my white bedding (the cats obviously a lot more) and you can see the flea dirt from them - and sometimes the fleas if they run onto it - and there has been no signs at all for months; well before we got MiMi. Whilst I don't want to subject him to tests if he doesn't need them, the amount of itching from the two of them could only be linked to fleas if there as a major infestation or a severe flea allergy. The former we would have surely(?) seen some sign of and the latter we wouldn't know for certain without tests either
It's not an excellent picture but this is the worse side on her at the minute, the lighter area around her chest is all where she's lost top coat and just has grey-ish fuzzy undercoat
Losing top coat
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Re: Losing top coat
sorry I was in a rush and my iPad is stupid if I type fastSanna wrote:Just bring the for and the vets will for you (at least mine does) good luck Laufey!
For the insurance claim- just bring the forms, and the vets will do it for you
Re: Losing top coat
ahhahaa it's okay; I've been there Thanks for the info! I need to dig the form out later thenSanna wrote:sorry I was in a rush and my iPad is stupid if I type fastSanna wrote:Just bring the for and the vets will for you (at least mine does) good luck Laufey!
For the insurance claim- just bring the forms, and the vets will do it for you
Re: Losing top coat
You can normally download one from your insurers website
Re: Losing top coat
ahaha I know it's upstairs, and in which box even, I'm just too lazy / forgetful to get it
Re: Losing top coat
Taken him back to the vets this morning to have his biopsy / blood taken. He's still their and they've just rang me to say that they've nearly finished taking the samples but they've just found a flea on him so it's likely to be the main root of the problem. I'm still extremely sceptical that fleas are the big problem here unless he has a severe flea allergy. If that's the case then he still needs the tests to tell me this and it doesn't explain MiMi without her being extremely allergic to fleas too. I have no idea what to think now as mum's starting to think maybe it could just be fleas and we need to flea them more. I'm reluctant to use spot on treatments with huge frequency and don't know where to go from here except wait for the test results The way I see it, he can only be this itchy from a couple of fleas if he has a bad flea allergy because we haven't seen fleas for months.
Update: They've just rung me to say he's up and awake but I can't go get him until 3.30 and it's driving me insane. I just want to see my baby boy!
Update: They've just rung me to say he's up and awake but I can't go get him until 3.30 and it's driving me insane. I just want to see my baby boy!
Re: Losing top coat
Hi Delladooo
keep us posted on what they say it is.
if it is fleas then what ever your using is not working. I actually use spot on's I give Theo frontline every tow months and he has never had fleas at all in his life so far.
keep us posted on what they say it is.
if it is fleas then what ever your using is not working. I actually use spot on's I give Theo frontline every tow months and he has never had fleas at all in his life so far.
Re: Losing top coat
Laufey's home and looks a right state! Poor lad has 4 shaved spots, and 2 stitches as well as being dopey from the anaesthetic and having a pee rash and scabs on his belly. My poor lad feels very sorry for himself.
They have no idea how long the test results are going to take
The young vet who I saw this afternoon said that obviously with finding a flea it's likely to be fleas but it could be something else too. We use advocate and / or stronghold which are only available on prescription from the vet. We're going to flea both cats and the dogs and use spot ons for a couple of months to make sure it's not fleas. I've discovered that we've run out of the one for MiMi so I'll ring them in the morning and get one for her. I don't want to use chemical treatments on them long term because I don't think it's good for them and I'd prefer to treat naturally but want to make sure fleas aren't the issue.
We're under no illusions that there won't be fleas about in the environment and that there won't be fleas on our animals, with two outdoor cats, four outdoor rabbits, a guinea pig and two dogs fleas are inevitable but we're also no stranger to flea allergies (or allergies in general) so we'll get this under control and then see what we can do to keep it that way
They have no idea how long the test results are going to take
The young vet who I saw this afternoon said that obviously with finding a flea it's likely to be fleas but it could be something else too. We use advocate and / or stronghold which are only available on prescription from the vet. We're going to flea both cats and the dogs and use spot ons for a couple of months to make sure it's not fleas. I've discovered that we've run out of the one for MiMi so I'll ring them in the morning and get one for her. I don't want to use chemical treatments on them long term because I don't think it's good for them and I'd prefer to treat naturally but want to make sure fleas aren't the issue.
We're under no illusions that there won't be fleas about in the environment and that there won't be fleas on our animals, with two outdoor cats, four outdoor rabbits, a guinea pig and two dogs fleas are inevitable but we're also no stranger to flea allergies (or allergies in general) so we'll get this under control and then see what we can do to keep it that way
Re: Losing top coat
I hope he feels more himself soon
I'm pragmatic when it comes to chemical treatments - having tried to keep it natural with Jasper, I've resigned myself to using them (and oral ones at that). You need to weigh up the risks of long-term chemical treatments, which I suspect are relatively low, with the effects on the dogs if you don't manage to keep on top of the fleas.
And not all that is natural is good - when I used diatom, though I tried to avoid inhaling it, I had a sore throat and nasal lining which I'm sure isn't healthy either!
I'm pragmatic when it comes to chemical treatments - having tried to keep it natural with Jasper, I've resigned myself to using them (and oral ones at that). You need to weigh up the risks of long-term chemical treatments, which I suspect are relatively low, with the effects on the dogs if you don't manage to keep on top of the fleas.
And not all that is natural is good - when I used diatom, though I tried to avoid inhaling it, I had a sore throat and nasal lining which I'm sure isn't healthy either!
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Re: Losing top coat
Me too! At this point I'm not sure who was more traumatised today.JudyN wrote:I hope he feels more himself soon
I agree that I'm not completely sold on if it can be done but I would prefer to try than just keep with the spot ons, especially because they don't like. I may have to look into an edible treatment if we keep using. We do have diatom but haven't used it as a flea treatment yet. So far I've only made a paste for them to ingest for intestinal health (apparently it also helps with worms but that wasn't my primary reasoning). I think we'll just have to see how it goes and hope for the best at the point.I'm pragmatic when it comes to chemical treatments - having tried to keep it natural with Jasper, I've resigned myself to using them (and oral ones at that). You need to weigh up the risks of long-term chemical treatments, which I suspect are relatively low, with the effects on the dogs if you don't manage to keep on top of the fleas.
And not all that is natural is good - when I used diatom, though I tried to avoid inhaling it, I had a sore throat and nasal lining which I'm sure isn't healthy either!
Re: Losing top coat
When we went to the vets, they said that he's doing fine and just has to go back for his stitches out next week. He's got razor burn from the clippers and they've given me a thing to put on that. They can't tell me when the results will be back which is frustrating and mum thinks MiMi is itching less after just her glands being emptied and a flea treatment. We definitely don't have an infestation so if this is the case it would seem she is very sensitive to fleas. I'm still glad we did the tests because, at least for him, I still suspect something else as when they had be flea-ing him biweekly he was no less itchy.
Judy, you mentioned you give Jasper tablets? What are they? If she has to have more serious flea treatment long term I'd rather it be a pill than a spot on as they do not like having it done. When you say you'd tried a lot of things and still ended up the chemical route, did you try a product called Billy No Mates? I don't know much about it but have heard it's a natural flea treatment. I've been considering trying it but not sure if it's worth it
Judy, you mentioned you give Jasper tablets? What are they? If she has to have more serious flea treatment long term I'd rather it be a pill than a spot on as they do not like having it done. When you say you'd tried a lot of things and still ended up the chemical route, did you try a product called Billy No Mates? I don't know much about it but have heard it's a natural flea treatment. I've been considering trying it but not sure if it's worth it
Re: Losing top coat
No, I haven't tried that one, Della - quite a few of the reviews were negative, in that the dogs still got fleas. I tried garlic & fenugreek, but that didn't work. The tablets I use now are Comfortis. Jasper's had absolutely no side effects that I've seen, but of course I can't vouch for its long-term safety.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Re: Losing top coat
I attempted the garlic, Laufey wouldn't eat I've not tried the fenugreek and have mixed reviews on BNM. Obviously we don't want fleas, especially if either or both of them are particularly sensitive, but do not want to do the spot on long term because it's needless stress (Laufey hates it) and I find it messy. The vet also commented on it's possible ineffectiveness as well with the longer coats meaning it doesn't get to the skin... Overall I just don't think it's the way to go. I'll check out the Comfortis possibly give it a go when I've finished with the current saga at the vets.
Re: Losing top coat
We have poop! Promising start at least