What Causes Flea Allergy In Dogs
Flea allergies occur once an animal has been exposed to fleas. As a flea feeds, it releases saliva rich in enzymes, peptides, amino acids and histamines. The body recognizes these compounds as antigens, triggering an immune response.
Some dogs may show signs of itching within minutes of a bite, while others may experience a more delayed reaction 24 to 48 hours later. A single flea bite can make a sensitive pet itchy for up to two weeks.
In many cases of flea allergy dermatitis, dog owners are confused about their pets symptoms because they have not seen a flea on their pet. However, it is important to acknowledge that fleas are tiny, about the size of a sesame seed, and very fast. Fleas can discreetly hop on and off your pet while they are on a walk or playing in the park. Fleas also do not need to live on your dog. These tiny, mighty bugs can live in your home, hiding in the cracks between cushions or in your dogs bed after biting your dog. Another reason owners may not always find fleas on their pet is that they may be biting and scratching so vigorously that the fleas are removed before they are spotted.
How Do You Treat Severe Dermatitis In Dogs
Supplement your dog’s skin health with supplements, like Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids. Bathing your dog with soothing medicated foam shampoo helps heal dermal ailments and relieve itching. Immunotherapy in the form of a hypo-sensitizing injection can help target the offending allergens, once and for all.
Managing Flea Allergy Dermatitis
A veterinarian should formally diagnose any allergy in your cat or dog. That way, they can prescribe a custom treatment plan. At-home treatments can address the symptoms, but your doctor has more effective targeted options with prescription medication. Medications can block the release of inflammatory chemicals and prevent itching.
Cortisone, for example, is a steroid that can kill the itch and help your pets’ adrenal glands kick into action. Antihistamines are usually prescribed to treat or prevent allergies, as they also relieve itching. Antibiotics can help treat any infections and inflammation that might pop up from incessant scratching.
Getting rid of the irritant causing FAD â the fleas â is the first step in treating it. Moderate to severe infestations may take several months to get under control. The cure won’t come overnight. It takes up to two weeks for itching to resolve once you banish the fleas.
You can relieve your pet’s discomfort with home care.
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How Long Does It Take For A Dog To Stop Itching After Flea Treatment
It’s fairly typical after you’ve applied Itch Flea for there to be a period of hyperactivity amongst the fleas as the product takes effect, and this can cause an increase in itching. It should settle down though after 24 hours. If after 24 hours your pet still continues to scratch, there could be other things going on.
How Does The Vet Diagnose A Flea Allergy In Dogs
It is important to get a true diagnosis when a dog is itching severely.
Your vet will first look for any evidence of fleas or flea dirt , sometimes using a fine-tooth comb.
It is common that a pet parent may not see the fleas at home on the pet, but veterinary staff are trained flea detectives who work hard to find them.
Tests can also be done to determine the underlying cause of the allergic reaction. Vets use blood tests and skin tests for flea allergies.
Skin testing, called intradermal testing, is usually performed by a veterinary dermatologist. A wheal forms on the skin, usually within 15-20 minutes of injected a small amount of an allergen into the skin.3
Blood testing can also be done in most general veterinary practices to test the IgE directed against the flea-specific salivary antigens.
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What Is The Best Flea Treatment For Dogs
Best flea treatments for dogs and cats
- Finding the right treatment.
- Frontline® Flea Spray for Dogs and Cats.
- Frontline® Plus for Dogs and Cats.
- Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs and Cats.
- Capstar® Flea Control for Dogs and Cats.
- Advantage® II for Dogs and Cats.
- Sentry Fiproguard for Cats.
Dog Flea Allergy Symptoms
Dogs suffering from flea allergy dermatitis often display the following symptoms:
- Itching, redness, and crusting primarily on their back from just behind the rib cage to the base of the tail
- Biting or chewing their skin excessively
- Dragging themselves along the carpet
- Hair loss secondary to biting, chewing, or scratching
- Red bumps on the skin similar to pimples
- Oily appearance to the skin and coat
- Small black dots, called flea debris, in the coat
- Loss of sleep/scratching through the night
Some of these symptoms occur because dogs are itching so severely that they traumatize their skin barrier and allow secondary infections to form. These infections compound a pets itch and irritation, making the situation even more uncomfortable for affected dogs.
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Sentinel Spectrum Chew For Dogs
This chewable tablet will protect your pet for a full 35 days and it also kills fleas before they lay eggs. Given the flea life cycle it is very important every adult dog is on a monthly flea control prevention medication and pet owners on Chewy.com give this option 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Ingredients: 80 mg sarolaner, hydrolyzed soy protein, starch, corn, wheat germ, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, corn syrup, gelatin.
Whenever you give something new to your dog, watch them closely for 24-48 hours. Call your vet if you notice any hives, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Symptoms Of Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Dogs and cats with FAD develop obvious symptoms. It only takes one or two bites for a reaction that can last two weeks. Flea bites get larger, and they turn into sores when your cat or dog scratches.
Once your dog or cat has scratched for a long period, the rash sometimes looks like other skin conditions. Therefore, your veterinarian must diagnose FAD, or any skin ailment, to prescribe proper treatment. You should watch for these common signs and alert your vet if necessary.
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Can My Dog Develop Atopic Dermatitis Through Food Allergy
Dogs can often develop allergies and itchiness after having some particular food. Unfortunately, pet owners often neglect the food as a cause of the allergy. As their dogs have been used to having it for a long time or simply because they are being fed premium quality food. Their thought process is wrong because dogs can get allergies over time, and the price or quality of food does not matter. After all, it is in the ingredients that act as an allergen. You can opt for best dog food for atopic dermatitis to avoid high risk.
Talk To Your Vet About Fad Management
As well as using a fast-acting, effective flea control to minimise flea bites, your vet may also advise the following treatments to help heal your pets damaged skin, eliminate bacteria and alleviate the itching:
- Topical or systemic antibiotics
- Topical or systemic anti-inflammatories
- Medicated shampoos and conditioners
Always consult your vet when using a medicated shampoo and/or conditioner with products from The Advantage Family. Only apply The Advantage Family products to a completely dry coat.^
^ See product label for details.
- 1Noli, C, Foster, A and Rosenkrantz, W, Veterinary Allergy, 2013 1st edn, Wiley Blackwell, New Jersey.
- 2Miller, WH, Griffin, CE and Campbell, KL, Muller and Kirks Small Animal Dermatology, 2013 7th edn, Elsevier Mosby, Missouri.
- 3Mehlhorn, H, Hansen, O and Mencke, N, Comparative study on the effects of three insecticides on developmental stages of the cat flea : a light and electron microscopic analysis of in vivo and in vitro experiments, Parasitology Research, 2001 87: 198-207.
- 4Seresto Technical Manual.
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Determining The Cause Of The Reaction
Watch Your Dog’s Behavior: Dogs with allergic dermatitis may show other signs of distress, such as difficulty sleeping or eating, over-grooming, or changes in normal habits.
Clinical Findings Of Flea Allergy Dermatitis In Dogs And Cats
Clinical signs associated with FAD are variable and depend on frequency of flea exposure, duration of disease, presence of secondary or other concurrent skin disease, extent of hypersensitivity, and effects of previous or current treatment. Nonallergic animals may have few clinical signs other than occasional scratching due to annoyance caused by flea bites. Those patients that are allergic will typically have a dermatitis characterized by pruritus.
In dogs, the pruritus associated with FAD can be intense and may manifest over the entire body. Classic clinical signs are papulocrustous lesions distributed on the lower back, tailhead, and caudal and inner thighs. Dogs may be particularly sensitive in the flanks, caudal and medial thighs, ventral abdomen, lower back, neck, and ears. Affected dogs are likely to be restless and uncomfortable, spending much time scratching, licking, rubbing, chewing, and even nibbling at the skin. Hair may be stained brown from the licking and is often broken off. Common secondary lesions include areas of alopecia, erythema, hyperpigmented skin, scaling, papules, and broken papules covered with reddish brown crusts. The rump and tailhead areas are typically the first, most evident, areas affected. As FAD progresses and becomes chronic, the areas become alopecic, lichenified, and hyperpigmented, and secondary bacterial and yeast infections occur.
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Not Treating All Household Pets
Another mistake is not treating all the pets in the household. For example, if you see fleas on your dogs and you also have cats, youll need to treat both your dogs and your seemingly-safe cats to prevent fleas from coming back.
If you suspect your dog is allergic to fleas, dont worry too much about it. After a visit to your vet and a product , your pup will be healthy in no time.
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The Importance Of Flea Prevention
Fleas arent picky when it comes to the age or type of dog they infest. They also hitch rides on pets year-round, though warmer, humid times of year are when they are most prevalent. Keeping your dog and other pets in your home on an effective flea preventive year-round can reduce the incidence of flea allergy dermatitis.
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Can I Use Hydrocortisone Cream On My Dog
This steroid cream is a corticosteroid that is used for topical applications in humans in order to address skin issues caused by infections, allergies, and other problems. It is not an approved medication for canines, but it can be used in small quantities on dogs if they have inflammation and itching of the skin.
What Does Treatment Involve
Since the injection of flea saliva causes the allergic response, it is important to prevent fleas from biting your dog. Strict flea control is essential. Even though you have not seen fleas on the dog, it is important to continue rigorous flea treatment and maintain environmental control. Most flea infestations occur in the warmer weather, but can occur year round . Modern monthly oral and topical flea preventives are an essential part of good pet parenting for all dogs and cats. For a dog with FAD, flea prevention is the best form of treatment.
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How Long Does Flea Rash Last
If youre not on the sensitive side, the bite will be gone in one or two days. However, if you develop some kind of reaction to the flea bite, youll have to deal with a nasty rash for up to two weeks. In rare cases, some people get infections and the healing process can become even longer.
Preventing Flea Allergy In Dogs
Thankfully, flea allergy dermatitis is easily preventable and begins with strict, year-round flea control. Monthly flea prevention comes in topical and oral forms to fit a variety of pets lifestyles and needs. Other products, such as flea control collars, are beneficial if applied correctly and changed regularly.
Unfortunately, many over-the-counter options are not reliable at eliminating fleas entirely, so a prescription flea control product is necessary for pets who are hypersensitive to flea bites.
Despite popular belief, fleas are not entirely dormant in winter months, especially if they have found their way inside our temperature-controlled homes. Therefore, flea products should be given year-round. If flea control products are discontinued in the winter months, it can be much harder to prevent an infestation in the spring and summer when flea numbers are the highest.
Unfortunately, fleas are here to stay, no matter how clean we keep our pets and our homes. By keeping our pets on a reliable and safe flea control product year-round, dog owners can avoid unnecessary veterinary visits, expensive treatments and save their dog from the discomfort that flea bites can cause.
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How Much Benadryl Can I Give My Dog
Benadryl dosage for dogs.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the safe dosage is 2-4 milligrams of medication per kilogram of weight, or 0.9 to 1.8 milligrams per pound. This amount can be administered two to three times daily, depending on your dogs symptoms.
How To Treat Dog Dermatitis
Atopy developed as a result of food reactions is curable, but the ones caused by environmental substances cannot be completely cured, at the most, it can be controlled through medication. Major dog skin irritation treatments include:
- Antifungal Medications or Antibiotics: These are helpful when a secondary complication is involved. If the infection is bacterial, then antibiotics are used, and if it is a yeast infection, Antifungal medicines work best.
- Using Medicated Shampoos: Ever wonder how to soothe flea allergy dermatitis in dogs? Many medicated flea and tick shampoos are available for dogs with the primary motive to tackle Atopy. They contain antimicrobial and antifungal properties to relieve dogs from itching. These medicated shampoos are very helpful for soothing the skin and cleaning the fur to get rid of potential allergens.
- Use of Antihistamines: Antihistamines are drugs that relieve a dog from the symptoms but cannot cure it. People choose to use antihistamines because they have proven to work and are relatively less expensive. Nevertheless, the effects of antihistamines can vary across different breeds.
- Other drugs like corticosteroids: In order to reduce inflammation, and Omega 3, Omega 6, and Fatty Acids help improve the quality of the skin, thereby reducing itchiness.
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How Can I Soothe My Dogs Flea Bites
According to Dr. Richter, dog shampoos containing oat proteins, aloe or tea tree oil can also be helpful for itching. Vet’s Best flea itch relief shampoo and TropiClean flea and tick bite natural after bath treatment are good examples, as they contain ultra-soothing medicated ingredients that can provide relief.
Signs Of Flea Allergy Dermatitis
If your pup has flea allergy dermatitis, he might show the following signs:
- Increased licking, scratching and chewing on the skin
- Infected sore on the legs, hind or tail
Most dogs with FAD itch along their back or base of their tail and, in turn, they often lose hair in those areas and develop secondary skin infections, which make matters significantly worse, Dr. Oberkirchner said.
If you notice your dog showing these signs, you should take him to the vet immediately. Theyll be able to prescribe medications that can help him feel better fast.
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What To Know About Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Your dogs scratching way more than normal, and youre starting to notice some hotspots on his skin.
Hes behind on his flea medication but you dont see any fleas on him. So that cant be it, right?
If this scenario sounds familiar, its actually very possible your poor pup has flea allergy dermatitis.
The Dodo reached out to Dr. Ursula Oberkirchner, a veterinary dermatologist and owner of Advanced Veterinary Dermatology in Florida, Dr. Michelle Hall, a veterinarian at Dutch, and Dr. Brian Evans, a veterinarian and medical director at Dutch, to find out what flea allergy dermatitis is and how it can affect your dog.
