Very Good Sassy, Nana of Nicholas!
I'd just like to add a couple of things, if you don't mind. First, I'd like to reiterate that in a lot of dogs it takes only 1 (one) flea bite to start off a cycle of itching and chewing that can last for two weeks. And don't be surprised if you never see a flea on your dog. Fleas spend 95 to 98% of their time not on your dog so if you are seeing several on your dog (or cat) you already have a pretty bad infestation.
Another thing I'd like to remind everyone is that a dog can start scratching and chewing until it has a "hot spot". One of my dogs once chewed her rear end until it was bleeding in less than two hours. Once the hot spot has developed a trip to the vet is usually required to get rid of it. The spot will have to be shaved, cleaned really well, and usually an injection given along with some pills to break the itch cycle and stop the problem.
Also, if you notice a bad odor coming from your dog (worse than normal dog smell!) it is usually a sign of an infection in the skin. Antibiotics will usually clear it right up, but you will both be miserable until it is gone!
Good luck to anyone who has these problems with their dogs. I have two that scratch constantly and drive me crazy. I don't want to start them on prednisone at an early age so now we are doing diphenhydramine with pretty good results. Talk to your vet before you try it!
Critter
Nana of Zoe (we have almost the same name!)
