biting and chewing

Question
Hi Karen- I have a 3 yr old Scotty male that I take pretty much everywhere with me and he has a good sized yard to run around in.  With quite a few neighborhood cats and other dogs that walk our same route, I suspect my Mac Dougal has picked up a flea or two.  He will bite at his knees and base of his tail and his neutered spot until he gets scabs.  We have used Advantage for the past couple of years and it had worked in the past but I am now switching to frontline.  I have not actually seen a flea but there is what looks like some "flea dirt" - small black bits on his belly in the crevice between his penis and belly so thats why I suspect a flea.  He must be allergic to them because he has been biting and scratching off and on for a few days.  I also have him on Science Diet skin formula and add a skin and coat oil formula called "Nutricoat" to his diet and I try not to bathe him too much to keep his skin from getting dry.  Am I on the right track here?  The additive has BHT, cod liver oil, and wheat germ oil - he really likes it.  As I said, I have not actually seen a flea I just suspect.  My friend thought he might have "hot spots" -  what is that and what would it look like?  I have seen a couple very small pimple sized spots on him that looked more like a bite or a teenage zit..is that what a flea bite would look like? He is driving me crazy at night .  What would you suggest - thanks!


Answer
First take some of that suspected "flea dirt", put it on a paper towel, and put a few drops of water on it. If it turns red, BINGO... you have fleas (or your dog does). Advantage has always worked for me if we have gotten fleas here, and Frontline would probably work as well. These products don't work overnight, however, because new fleas will be hatching out all the time. You also need to vacuum everything (put a bit of flea collar in the vacuum bag). Here is the ultimate flea information site: http://www.fleascontrol.com/ Do be careful that you do not overdose your dog with chemicals!

Believe me.... if your dog had a hot spot you would KNOW it! http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hotspots.html Mac Dougal does not have hot spots.

Part of your problem might be his diet. You are not feeding a very good food. The first three ingredients are GRAINS, and it doesn't even contain REAL MEAT (which should be the first ingredient listed on the label)... just by-products, which can be any part of the critter, in this case chicken, so could include beaks, nails, and feathers. BHT causes liver toxicity, among other things, in rats and mice, by the way. http://www.feingold.org/bht.html

Put your guy on Eagle Pet Products, Solid Gold, Flint River Ranch, Wellness, Natural Balance, or Canidae. I feed Eagle myself.

So change Mac Dougal's diet, determine if you really do have fleas (and eliminate them if you do), and you should see some improvment.

Karen