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I have a Corgi/Border Collie mix who turned one on July 24th. For almost two months he has been itchy itchy itchy! I thought it might be his food, even though he has been on a rotation program with super premium foods and some raw since he was a pup specifically to prevent food intolerance, so we switched foods. No change. I tried kiddie Benadryl- one tab in peanut butter in the morning- no change or very little change. I know he has some environmental allergies in the spring which make him sneeze, but Benadryl fixes that very easily. I'm getting a HEPA filter for the bedroom where he likes to sleep to get pollen and allergens out of the air, but I don't think it's airborne allergens since it is just itching and butt-chewing, not sneezing like he does in the spring.
I did notice that the development of the itching coincided with the arrival of our latest batch of foster kittens, who have been with us almost seven weeks (and who just might not be leaving... *stands up and says 'My name is Shahrazade and I'm a foster failure*). They were from a crowded municipal animal shelter where they were neglected after being orphaned at three weeks old (mom died IN the shelter) and were quite unwell. It was a long ordeal getting them healthy- all but one cat of the rest of the litter in another foster home died- but they are okay now. They took fenbendazole for 14 days as part of our guesswork about what might be wrong- it is still up in the air what sickened them and killed most of the other kittens, but the dewormer did help even though both tested negative for all worms and Giardia. Anyway, with all the care they needed, the last thing on my mind was fleas or ear mites. I don't see any now and the cats are only as itchy as normal playful kittens, but I wonder if they had them when I got them, and when their immune systems improved they were kind enough to offer improved living accomodations on one mid-sized dog to their buggies?
The thing is, I'm in Colorado and our altitude usually kills fleas, especially this time of year. I've never had a critter with fleas! I see nothing, but he's very hairy and it takes a heck of an effort even to see his skin under all that fur- border collie length with the coat thickness of a corgi. The cats are shorthaired, but again I've seen nothing on them. I see nothing in his ears. He scratches his neck, ears, ribs, and chews his rump. How do I tell if he has fleas or ear mites? What do I do? I don't want to use chemicals, especially with the fragile kitties who may have lifelong trouble with their immune systems depending upon what exactly the mystery illness they recovered from was.
I did notice that the development of the itching coincided with the arrival of our latest batch of foster kittens, who have been with us almost seven weeks (and who just might not be leaving... *stands up and says 'My name is Shahrazade and I'm a foster failure*). They were from a crowded municipal animal shelter where they were neglected after being orphaned at three weeks old (mom died IN the shelter) and were quite unwell. It was a long ordeal getting them healthy- all but one cat of the rest of the litter in another foster home died- but they are okay now. They took fenbendazole for 14 days as part of our guesswork about what might be wrong- it is still up in the air what sickened them and killed most of the other kittens, but the dewormer did help even though both tested negative for all worms and Giardia. Anyway, with all the care they needed, the last thing on my mind was fleas or ear mites. I don't see any now and the cats are only as itchy as normal playful kittens, but I wonder if they had them when I got them, and when their immune systems improved they were kind enough to offer improved living accomodations on one mid-sized dog to their buggies?
The thing is, I'm in Colorado and our altitude usually kills fleas, especially this time of year. I've never had a critter with fleas! I see nothing, but he's very hairy and it takes a heck of an effort even to see his skin under all that fur- border collie length with the coat thickness of a corgi. The cats are shorthaired, but again I've seen nothing on them. I see nothing in his ears. He scratches his neck, ears, ribs, and chews his rump. How do I tell if he has fleas or ear mites? What do I do? I don't want to use chemicals, especially with the fragile kitties who may have lifelong trouble with their immune systems depending upon what exactly the mystery illness they recovered from was.