Very sensitive skin after fleas, please help.

Hi,

My griffon has very sensitive skin and despite our best efforts his coat has never been great.

He recently started to nibble a himself (at the base of his tail and lower back) and the vet confirmed he had fleas. We had just got back from holiday and think that he must have picked them up during his stay in the kennels.

Anyway, we have treated for the fleas, which are now gone, but he is still nibbling and has caused a lot of bald raw patches.

If anyone has any advice on food supplements or something to help try and ease the itchy sensation that he obviously has I would be very greatful.

Thankyou.

Evening primrose oil and starflower oil are good for skin conditions

Its possible he has developed flea allergy which means nibbling after the fleas have gone and it can strike any time even without a flea within 1000 mile range

If that`s the case he will need to go back to the vet who will likely give him a long acting steroid jab which will break the itch = nibble cycle, [ otherwise he will end up probably shredding himself ], but the good news is that even if it flares up again you will know what to look for and can get him a steroid jab straight away which will nip it in the bud each time, and often subsequent flares get further and further apart and may even stop altogether

Also as Carole says there are things you can use to give extra soothing to the skin which will help until a steroid jab kicks in - the steroid is usually needed though, to heal from within which is where the itch is, in the tissues beneath the surface, otherwise you would be treating the symptom but not the cause, [ that`s if he has developed the actual allergy but the vet will be able to confirm or rule it out ].

HTH :smt001

Thankyou so much for your replies and your advice.

Our vet has prescribed a course of steroid tablets and antibiotics (as he has also picked up a light infection). We will be keeping a close eye on him for the coming weeks and I shall definitely give the oils a try too.

Thanks again.

Em.

Hello, slightly off topic but you describe him as a Fox Griffon, what is one of them please Just being nosey lol!
Becky

Hi Mahooli,

To be honest I am not totally sure. We found him at the SPA (french equivalent of the RSCPA) after he had been found abandoned tied to a lamp post. The staff there told us he was a fox griffon. To me he just looks like a mutt ( see my avatar) but we love him just the same.

Em.