Our dog has been panting and scratching but I can’t find any fleas. What should our next steps be?
Original Question: For the past few days Bella has been panting and scratching. I've looked her over for fleas but she has none on her and I'm not sure if it is a heat rash irritation and I don't know how to treat it. - Tamara
Jul 24, 2018
Hi Tamara,
If you can’t find a skin lesion, I wouldn’t be so quick to jump to a diagnosis. Panting and scratching can each be due to a multitude of causes – hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease), allergies, pain, and skin infection to name a few. It would be beneficial to have a complete exam and some baseline diagnostics done based on those exam findings.
I hope this gives you some direction,
Dr. Ryan Llera
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