How Do I Treat My Dog For Chigger Bites?

My dog has been itching like crazy the past 2 days. Our grass is pretty tall right now because of all the rain we have had, and i know there are chiggers in it.

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Mikehat

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First, use hot water and soap to wash the area. Try to apply rubbing alcohol also to the infected area. Use a wash rag if possible to try and do the final removal of the chiggers. Remember these are tiny bugs.

For relief, you can apply some hydrocortisone cream. If your dog's hair is long, consider trimming the hair to make things easier.

It will take a week or so for the bites to heal.

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Jbaize

I have had my dog staying at my finace's mother's house in the country for a few months unfortunately because someone in the apartment building told that we had a dog and she's a sweet well behaved and very well trained and manored Sheltie. Anyways, his mother calls me last week to tell me she thinks they got into chiggers outside and she thought she took care of it, my guess is not on my dog she didn't take care of it, just on herself and this last week she calls me telling me my dog has chewed off her hair in 4 inch strips on each side of her tail area, but on her bottom, when I went to pick her up from her house she actually had about 8 inch strips on each side instead of the 4 inches she told me about. I took her to my apartment and straight to the vet the next day. The vet told me to buy some dog oatmeal shampoo, "Hot Spot" itching spray, and give her 25 mg of benadryl every 8 hrs. (for her size: smaller dogs only need one pill a day she's about 20 lbs). If your dog or anyone's dog has chiggers and you don't know about it until they have chewed off their hair please remember to give them an oatmeal bath, spray Hot Spot itching spray directly on the sores, and give them a 25mg benadryl pill every 8 hrs if the dog is over 20 lbs. only once a day if smaller put in in a piece of hot dog or cheese. The benadryl makes my dog sleep, which is good she spends less time itching, and she's a little timid before I spray her sores, but it doesn't hurt her as soon as I'm done spraying, her tail is wagging and she's jumping around like a goober. Also, in case you do ever give your dog benadryl be ware that they may not eat that much to very very little, I'm hand feeding my baby so that I know she is eating something!! Keep on the dog from the ithcing and DO NOT let them itch or the sores will continue to bleed. Mine snuck and itched while I was in the shower this morning. The spray still does NOT hurt or bother her. IT ONLY COSTS AROUND $20 FOR ALL THE ITEMS TO CARE FOR YOUR DOG!!!!!

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Missyandy

You cant be sure if the problem is chiggers or sarcoptic manage. It is best advised to have a Vet determine the source of the itching. Both chiggers and mites will cause intense itching. Treatment may be very similar. Bathing the dog ( or cat) would be my first recommendation.
There are several treatments which are readily available for mites. Inexpensive and will cure the problem. Dont try to guess what the problem is..in the long run it could end up costing you much more money.
In locating an affordable Vet,I have found that city Vets are usually much more expensive than country vets. If you live in an area where Vet care is extraordinarily expensive, find a distant vet, usually an older Vet who is toward the end of his career will be more experienced and less apt to overcharge for what should be a minor medical visit. Look in the paper and find one of those breeders who adverstise heavily ( puppy mills breeders) and they usually know the most reasonable vets in the area.