Flea bites are a major problem in many areas of the world. Your dog can be infested with fleas and they can infest your home and even bite you if the problem is left untreated. Some dogs are actually allergic to the flea bite, so this can cause them extreme misery such as scratching till they bleed, skin inflammation, and hair loss, which is often referred to as hot spots.

First Step – Get the Flea Problem Under Control

Before you can treat a flea bite, you must get the flea problem under control, otherwise you will have hundreds of flea bites to treat. You will want to treat your house and your dog with safe flea killing products. If you are unsure which ones to use, ask your veterinarian and they can recommend the right kind or sell you a flea treatment you place on the dog’s shoulder blades one each week.

Bathe the Dog in Soothing Shampoo

Once you have treated the flea problem and you visibly are seeing the fleas falling off the dog or no longer crawling, you need to shampoo your dog with an oatmeal based product. Do not use a flea shampoo as this can really sting if the flea bites have caused sores on your dogs body.

If your dog is really infested with fleas, as your shampoo him or her, you may notice the shampoo turning red, this is the left over blood that dried when the fleas bit your dog. You may need to shampoo a couple of times, depending on the severity.

Use an oatmeal based conditioner as well, this is very soothing to the dog’s skin, especially when they have open wounds from scratching themselves. Allow your dog to dry thoroughly and vacuum your home very well, if you have no carpet, sweep your hardwoods very well, because once you treat the home and the dog, your going to have a lot of dead fleas, depending on how bad the infestations was.

If There is Inflammation and Redness

If your dog’s skin is red and inflamed and you can see where they scratched themselves raw. Go to your local pharmacy and get an over the counter hydrocortisone cream that normally sells with 1 percent. You will want to apply this to the affected areas several times each day. This will not burn at all and will actually be very soothing.

Seeking Medical Intervention

If your dog was severely attacked by fleas from head to toe, you will want to seek veterinarian assistance because several flea bites can lead to anemia in some dogs. Most of the times the veterinarian will give the dog a single shot of steroids and have you continue with the hydrocortisone cream.

Final Thoughts

A flea problem can make you miserable but it can be especially difficult for your dog, make sure you check him or her regularly for any signs of fleas. Check the tummy area as fleas love to run across the tummy, and check at the base of the tail for any signs of flea dirt, which will look like black specs. If your dog is prone to flea bites, it is best to prevent it at the beginning of summer each year.

Source by Nancy Cope