Answer

Thanks for the information. 95% of skin problems in the rear end are actually caused by fleas. Hartz is a very ineffective flea preventative. I am not aware of any product made by Hartz that control heartworms. You might want to read the label closer. If I am wrong, I would like to know about it, but to my knowledge, Hartz does not make a heartworm preventative. Their flea preventatives control about 60-65% of the fleas in the environment. Not a good percentage. Plus, they cause more toxicity problems any other preventatives. Other potential issues include skin mites, bacterial infection (usually secondary to something else), yeast infection, ringworm, environmental allergies or food allergies. I would lean towards flea allergies based on his distribution pattern. You don't have to see fleas in order for them to be a problem. In fact, in flea allergy dermatitis, that most often the case. I would have your vet check out the lesions. They may want to check for skin mites, ringworm or infection. They may even prescribe an antibiotic and medication to stop the itching. At the very least, I would get a good flea preventative from them and treat your yard and house for fleas. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope this helps.