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My dog has fever, scratching, and tick bite. What can I do at home?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 9 years and 9 months old | 9.5 lbs

For a few weeks now (maybe a month) my Yorkie mix has been feverish and scratching all over his body until he's raw. We kept checking him for fleas, but couldn't find any, so we assumed it was allergies. We found a tick on his ankle yesterday and removed it (though we think we might not have gotten the head out). We have no money for a vet this month. What should we do now, besides keeping him from scratching?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Daniel Fonza, DVM

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 5, 2017

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. If Cooper is still running a fever then I would suggest having a veterinarian take a look at him. If money is a concern, then i would recommend starting with a shampoo such as Douxo PS calm shampoo and malacetic conditioning spray for the rash. I would also consider using benadryl. The typical dose most veterinarians recommend for benadryl that is safe is 1mg per 1lb of body weight every 12 hours. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.
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