Fleas and sore elbow

[moss]

Good morning, I really need some tips :-(
My older Collie, has a really sore elbow.  He suffered problems with his elbows last year when he was on steroids for IMPA but they were healed.  He is quite a skinny dog who likes to lie on the floor and ignore all the nice beds!
Last week he started licking one elbow so much that he's made it sore and at times bloody, there are small itchy spots from about half way up one leg towards his shoulder too.  I have found no evidence of fleas despite flea combing and using a blaster to check right down to the skin.  He is on garlic powder daily, I have a flea trap which hasn't trapped any fleas and I've been spritzing him with a lavender and lemon homemade spray.  He is still worrying this area and I've run out of ideas, I'm going to have to take him to the vets tomorrow. But I know that they will just say fleas and try to make me use frontline which I'm assuming isn't good for a dog who has had IMPA
As I'm typing this he's just scratched his ears so maybe he does have fleas but I can't see any!
I'd be really grateful for any thoughts or tips on how to deal with these problems without having to cover him in chemicals
Thanks
Jacqui

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi Jacqui

Elbows can be a problem, especially when the dog gets older they seem to develop a bald patch and it becomes crusty.  You could try something like Sudacrem, that soothes and heals babies bottoms and it is very good on dogs. There is another baby product on the supermarket shelves called, something like, Bepathan (sp).  Aloe Vera gel is another one I like for skin problems.  If you use this then put it on several times a day if possible.   Homoeopathic remedy Sulphur is good for itchy skin as it cools the blood.  You could try putting a T-shirt on him to stop him from chewing it and making it worse.

I would really put off using veterinary flea preparations if you can.  I don't think you could do much more other than add tea tree oil, and eucalyptus oil to your flea spray. How about bathing him with a gentle, soothing shampoo.

Good luck with this.

Jo

[Catherine]

If you have not found any fleas or even flea dirt on Migo then I certainly would not be using Frontline etc. (Personally I would not be doing that even if I did find a flea!) Flea bites should be quite distinguishable, especially to a vet. How long has he been having garlic powder and you using the lavender etc. spray? Even natural products can cause allergies. In that respect it might be best from using them for a while. Also he could have come into  contact with other things that could be causing an allergy. Are his ears clean? He could have mites in them. I am afraid a lot of vets just want to assume "fleas" and sell some chemicals. The priority at the moment is to stop him licking his elbow.

Any chance of putting a photo on the site?

[moss]

Thank you for your replys, a t shirt, why didn't I think of that!
With regards to the lavender spray I only started using it at the end of last week when he started to worry that elbow and was concerned about allergies too. 
Has anyone used Mark Pooley (The Natural Medicine Man) with regards to hair testing for allergies or am I better off getting the vet to allergy test?
I bathed his elbow in green tea this morning and again at lunch time and put some Bag Balm on the sore and he hasn't worried the area since which is good news but has scratched his ear a few times so will definitely make an appointment with the vet tomorrow to get him checked out.
Thanks again, I will certainly try everything possible before resorting to Frontline!

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi Jacqui

I think a tell-tale sign for fleas is when the dog continually scratches its ribs whilst standing. I haven't heard of Mark Pooley tests but if you want to do an allergy test then I would recommend Sensitest but perhaps that is a bit premature.   Perhaps a shampoo like Malaseb would calm everything down.  Be careful with how much garlic you give to him because it is from the onion family and this can cause problems.  Hope you get something for him tomorrow.

Jo