# FLEAS! how to get rid of scabs??



## Ananda (Jan 9, 2010)

Hi All!

I had a quick look around for this subject so apologies if I have missed a thread. We had an attack of fleas so I treated the cats with Spot On. However, two of my cats have terrible scabs left and I just don't know how to get rid of them. Strange thing being that Number 3 cat doesn't seem to have any particular signs of scabs. 

The problem is that a bath is totally out of the question - for them, for my sanity and for the state of my arms! - and they won't let me scratch them off. Yesterday I tried dabbing a bit of sweet almond oil on both cats but they seriously didn't like it. I thought almond oil wouldn't smell too strong but apparently, it does. These cats aren't used to be being groomed or anything like that, and the eldest, Maggie, is a difficult old lady of 14. At the vets, they had to make her sleep so they could just take a blood sample...

It also seems like there are still fleas but I can't give them another treatment until 3 weeks or so. They are both still scratching. 

All in all, the scabs are disgusting and I am at a loss. Of course, if they keep scratching, they will keep making scabs. These cats have always been very clean naturally so I don't know what to do now.

Any advice and tips would be very very welcome!

Many thanks!


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## jaycee05 (Sep 24, 2012)

I would have suggested using vinegar diluted, in a bath but no good if you cant bathe
All I can suggest is contact your vet asap, please don't try to scratch the scabs off, are these scabs from the spot on? or before you applied spot on?
Someone else might help,better than I can


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## cookiemom (Jun 23, 2011)

Leave the scabs be! They have a purpose to protect the underlying skin as it heals, they will fall off when they are ready and the new skin is formed. 

You may need to treat the house and / or use a different vet approved flea treatment on the cats, bearing in mind that fleas do have to bite in order to get poisoned by the spot on, so you may well continue to see scratching as any fleas in the environment hatch and get on the cats.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

If the cats had flea allergy they can be left with skin problems that often need steroids & antibiotics to clear up.

Are you SURE all the fleas are gone? The way to check a cat is to comb it with a flea comb over white paper. If you get dark specks out of it's coat you can put a tiny drop of water on them and if they are flea dirt they will stain it pink.

You also need to treat the house with something safe & effective like Indorex. Wash all their bedding hot (60C or more) or discard it.

Fleas on cats are the tip of the iceberg. Most of the fleas in your house are eggs, larvae and pupae.

Suggest you get some Indorex on-line, read the instructions carefully and follow them. Also take your cats to the vets as it sounds like they have flea allergy.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Which Spot-on treatment did you use? The only effective ones are Advantage, Advocate (same thing with a round wormer included) and Activyl. If you used anything different that is one reason you still have fleas.

As has been said, you need to treat the house too, and vacuum every day to get the larvae up as they burrow into carpets and cracks in hardwood floors. 
Buy a flea collar, cut up and put in the vacuum bag - the insecticide will kill the larvae.

I am adding my voice to the others regarding the scabs - please leave them alone, they will fall off of their own accord when the skin has healed.

It does sound like a flea allergy, which as has been said may need a steroid injection and antibiotics. To manage a flea allergy it is necessary to treat with anti flea spot on every 4 weeks in summer as a *preventative measure * (whether you see a flea or not) and 6 week intervals in the winter. If you don't there is the risk the flea allergy will come back.


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