I have done whatever is recommended for fleas yet my poor dog is still scratching itself to bits. What else can I do?

Are you sure it’s fleas? Are you seeing fleas?
If there are no fleas it has to be skin issues. It sounds like a trip to the vet is going to be the only way to get her diagnosed and clear up her issue.

Some dogs have allergies to fleas, and even after the fleas are gone the irritation remains. (I had such a dog). The vet put him on meds, and treated the allergy, but every time after that that there were fleas, it started all over.
Definitely talk to your vet.

Poor puppy, I hope she feels better soon!

It sounds like a flea allergy to me. Take her to the vet. He’ll give her a shot and she’ll be so much better within 24 hours. Then he always sells me an expensive-assed flea collar that he guarantees for 6 months.

It is awful to have to watch your dog going crazy like that.

Yes, sounds like flea allergy. Thanks everyone.

Look carefully throughout it’s fur for any parasites. My dog once had a bad problem like that. I had to wash him with flea and tick shampoo, then immediately soak him (with a sponge) with a solution for mange. That fixed it!

Have you checked your garden (if you have one)? Some dogs have allergies to some plants in the garden and this causes them to itch. Have you tried changing the dog’s diet too? It could be something it’s eating.

To rule out fleas you need to invest 99 cents in a fine tooth comb. The pet store usually calls it a flea comb.

Then you need to stand him on a white towel or sheet and go all over him with the comb.
Pay special attention to the areas around the neck and ears and also the base of the tail. Those are two areas where fleas love to hang out so even if there’s only a few of them, if you go through those areas thoroughly, you’ll know.

If you start seeing particles that look like coffee grounds on the white sheet, that’s likely flea feces.

To check to be sure, place a bunch of them in a few drops of water. If it turns pink or red, that’s definitely fleas.

Once you determine that, then you know what the next step is. In order to find a solution for a problem, you first have to define the problem instead of guessing about fleas.

It easy enough to know whether it’s fleas or not. With 99 cents and five minutes time you can know for sure.

As a trainer and behaviourist I see scratching as a symptom of stress quite often. Has there been any change in your dogs life (or your life that might somehow affect the dog) recently, no matter how minor?

@OpryLeigh no changes. She is a highly energetic dog though. When I covered her in coconut oil it stopped! As soon as she is washed it starts again. I will be leaving it in for a couple of days.

Try using a milder shampoo, like baby shampoo. And rinse THOUROUGHLY!!!