[TilliesMom]

Hello friends!

We have had very few "problems" with Tillie and have been very blessed.
BUT that isn't the case right now... the past 2 days or so I have noticed her scratching more and more and more. I had DH look around with a flashlight last night, her hair is SO thick and cottony it is hard to look through! Anyway, he found a few "brown spots" they aren't raised up, and aren't a red color around or anything. I am wondering if these could be flea bites? She has never had flea bites nor flea treatment, but it has been unseasonably warm (supposed to be 72 degrees today!) for weeks now. We treated our 3 cats for fleas about 4 days ago hoping that if we got to them 1st we could avoid getting fleas on Tillie. BUT, I'm not sure if that worked.
My question is, COULD these brown spots be flea bites? SHould I give her a bath today to try to see her skin better or should I just give her the flea meds now? If I give her the flea meds today, when can I give her a bath??
Or, is there anything else that could be causing the itching and the spots??
I am a worried mom. Thanks!!:ear:

 

[SOPHIES-MOM]

If she has fleas, you will see "flea dirt" which is flea poop and looks like black dirt. With her being white, if it's there you will see it. If not it sounds like it could be an allergy.

 

[shimpli]

If you put the topical flea meds today I think you should wait 48 hours to give her a bath.

 

[Kathie]

You can tell if the tiny black specks are flea dirt by wetting them. They will turn red - blood. I give Abby Comfortis pills for flea control then I don't have the messy gunk on her hair.

 

[morriscsps]

Another place to check for 'flea dirt' is her bed. Lightly wet a paper towel and blot her bed. Poor Tillie...

Also, roll her onto her back. If she has fleas, you will see them scurrying up to her belly. I guess fleas don't like to be upside down. The groin area doesn't have as much hair so it is a little easier to see movement.

FLEAS! Just thinking about them wigs me out.

 

[TilliesMom]

yes, I have been combing her and looking for flea feces and eggs and don't see anything. The spots on her chest that I was refering to are more like freckles, like the pigment of her skin is brown in a few small spots... does that make sense? I am also wondering if she could be reacting to the cheap "puperoni" treats I got for her last week... I am keeping a close eye on her itching, it's not getting worse and I don't see flea dirt... the brown spots on her chest make me wonder though. What are they? maybe they are always there like freckles and I have just never noticed??

 

[dodrop82]

If you have cats and a dog going in and out in 70 degree weather and DON'T have fleas on pets with no flea treatment on...THAT would AMAZE me! Fleas wig me out too! BAD!!! I fight them with everything I got, cause I've had to deal with them in my house too many times over the years! And the house I work in! I now have my co-workers very afraid to let the cat out at work, unless they're gonna put some Frontline on her!!!

 

[Suzi]

yes, I have been combing her and looking for flea feces and eggs and don't see anything. The spots on her chest that I was refering to are more like freckles, like the pigment of her skin is brown in a few small spots... does that make sense? I am also wondering if she could be reacting to the cheap "puperoni" treats I got for her last week... I am keeping a close eye on her itching, it's not getting worse and I don't see flea dirt... the brown spots on her chest make me wonder though. What are they? maybe they are always there like freckles and I have just never noticed??

How big are the little brown specks on her chest are they as small as a freckle? Does her skin seem dry? Do you use conditioner? Also if you do not get all the soap off that can cause them to itch. Stop giving her the puperoni and see if that helps And tell Tillie she had better not have flees!

 

[TilliesMom]

I know it isn't the soap and yes I use conditioner... been using the same stuff since she was 3 1/2 months old, she gets a bath every 10-14 days...
our cats have flea meds on, but we haven't treated Tillie yet cause I am worried about her having a reaction and the meds on her hair and the effects of it on our kids. Does that make sense?? We are hoping to be more "preventative" as opposed to treating them once she already has them. Does any of this make sense?

 

[Ninja]

Ninja has very tiny brown spots on his belly but they are attached to his belly. He had them ever since he was little and I asked a vet who said its like freckles, nothing to be concerned over. If this is something you just noticed on her skin then that would concern me. I put revolution on Ninja which is for flea and heart worm preventative but the vet recently told me it's too much junk to put in his system. However, when I put it on him I made sure I parted the hair completely and had someone else run it down directly on his skin. I didn't notice a difference in his hair. I'm not sure about the effects on the kids though. I hope it's nothing to be concerned over!

 

[jenisny]

When I did the flea preventative (frontlile) on my dog, the breeder said just to wait an hour or so before the kids play. The kids should be fine.

 

[TilliesMom]

thanks! we did flea treat her yesterday, but she is still itching pretty bad, I found kind of a light brown-ish little "patch" on her chest, almost like "cradle cap" on a baby, that's what it reminds me of. She has never had any skin problems before... could this be dry skin maybe?? I am just clueless and the scratching is driving both of us crazy!!!
I will attempt to get a picture of it next time she lets me dig through her hair! :O