Thanks, Ana. I'm surprised that you haven't seen him annoy that area. Our dermatologists tell us that any rash such as you've described that appears caudal (toward the tail) to the rib cage should be considered to be a flea saliva allergy unless proven otherwise. Our dogs need only one flea that bites them twice for quite a pruritic (itchy) allergic dermatitis to develop. The "saddle" area of our dogs and cats is the primary area for flea saliva allergies to manifest themselves.

I'm pleased that you're going to institute Frontline. You'll find it far more effective than a flea shampoo (fleas have developed resistance to the pyrethroids in flea shampoos) and collars. Remember not to bathe Funky within two days of applying the Frontline - either before or after application. Frontline needs the oils of the skin to sink into the skin. Please note, too, that there are a number of generic Frontlines now. You can find PetArmor, Fiproguard and Certifect over the counter in pet and feed stores for half the price of Frontline.

Finally, when you need more than a good flea product to control these allergies, we institute a potent antiallergenic corticosteroid such as the prescription prednisone. Used at the smallest dose possible that controls these allergies, steroids can be invaluable.

Please continue our conversation if you wish.