Allergic to flea bites

[urangel4life2006]

I have an 11 month old JRT that is allergic to flea bites. Is there anything i can do for her at home without her needing the steroids? I have been giving her the brewers yeast pills for 2 months now hoping that would help but it has made no difference at all.

[AireScottie]

To quote from the Revolution box insert: "In controlled laboratory studies >98% of fleas were killed within 36 hours."  If you pick up 10-50 fleas walking through the woods and they take 36 hours to die, that's a lot of bites for a dog with allergic dermatitis.  Hence, the Benadryl.

[AireScottie]

If you read my post, you'll see my dog was already on vet administered flea and tick medication.  The flea still bites before it dies, and if you spend a lot of time in woods or beach, that's a lot of one time bites.  I'm glad you don't have trouble, but MANY people do.  Hence the vet's suggestion.

[Katzie]

I raise JRTs and it makes no sense to not have your dog protected by using a safe and dependable product like Advantage or Frontline.  This is the only way to keep fleas off your dog.  I have worked in a Vet. Clinic and have seen dogs literally crawling with fleas, and yet the owner swears that Brewer's Yeast gets rid of them.
Why give your dog Benadryl when a topical flea killer will eliminate the problem.
Even when a flea jumps on your dog, when it is treated with one of the above products,
the flea will die.
Please.... do your dog a favor.  There is absolutely no need for him to be so miserable.

[AireScottie]

I had a Scottie allergic to flea bites.  He was (of course!) already on flea and tick med from vet, but we spent a lot of time in long grass and the woods, and with those short legs and long hair, he picked up a lot!  Wearing a flea collar when out in "the wild" helped somewhat.  I also kept him trimmed very short in summer in order to get at the affected areas easily.  Of course, if your JRT has a smooth coat, that doesn't matter.  My vet suggested Benadryl gel topically and when it was really bad, Benadryl orally.  You should discuss this with your vet first though to make sure you get the right dose.  Also, just FYI, many flea medications do not work on sand fleas.  We has a terrible infestation on the beach one summer and simply had to keep our dog away.

[Ghilly]

One of my cats suffers TERRIBLY from a flea bite allergy, and all I have to do to control it is use FrontLine TopSpot on him and he's just fine!  All it takes for Eugene to become a biting, chewing, scratching, scabby mess is ONE FLEA, so if that one flea happens to find its way into the house, I dose him with the FrontLine TopSpot as soon as I notice him constantly scratching and grooming himself and within a couple of weeks the scabs are gone and the hair is coming back.  Maybe it would work for your JRT?

Ghilly

[Totoro]

If your love one is suffering from flea bites, please get rid of fur animals.  My parents had a cat in the house when I was younger and I got flea bite marks all over my body!  I looked like a ZOMBI!!!  I still have scars from it.
I still attract a flea at stores and restaurant once in a while.  (Some animal lovers have to bring their animals with them to go places!  Those fleas always find me and suck my blood!!!  I have to deal with sleepless nights because of itchy feelings...  Amazingly, my husband and mo oldest son do not react to any flea bites.  (They are both blood A type).
I am type O blood and sure enough my other sons, who are also O type, get those itchy bumps.  

[Fourpaws]

Have you tried using something topical like advantage or frontline? That will kill off the fleas and soon your flea problem should be gone.