Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Pets

Part 4 on pet allergies will cover flea allergy dermatitis . It is the most common allergy in cats and dogs, caused by the cat or dog's skin having a severe reaction to flea saliva. Some dog breeds are more prone to flea bite allergies, while others have little to no reaction to the bite. Most cats can be bitten dozens of times and have no problem. In dogs and cats that have the reaction, just one bite can cause them to itch all of the time, and because they groom constantly, you probably won't see any fleas on them. Care must be taken to treat the skin irritation so a secondary bacterial infection doesn't develop, which would require antibiotics to treat.

Symptoms of flea allergy dermatitis are:
* extreme itching, licking and scratching
* hot spots on the face or hips, caused by the itching
* chewing and biting back legs, rear end, and tail
* loss of hair from intense scratching and chewing
* open sores or scabs on the skin
It can be diagnosed using an intradermal skin test with flea antigen. Some cats and dogs will also develop tapeworm from ingesting the fleas while grooming.

Treatment is the removal of fleas from your pet's world as much as possible. Since the dog or cat's skin is already irritated and broken, don't apply chemical flea products to kill the fleas. Follow these steps:
* Vacuum carpeting, pet bedding and anywhere the pet lays. Pitch the bag from the vacuum when done.
* Wash pet bedding
* clear away any outside vegetation where the pet lays; shaded areas with organic matter should be treated, as well as the lawn.
* This process will need to be repeated every 14 to 21 days to eliminate any new emerging fleas.
* Sooth the pet's skin so it can heal.
There are several products that can be used to sooth the flea bites and irritated skin. Some I recommend are: bathing with oatmeal shampoo and using a calendula skin spray on the affected areas. These products can be purchased at Only Natural Pet Store (link at the top right of this page). Diatamaceious Earth (pet grade not garden grade) is very good at killing fleas without chemicals both on the pet and in your home.