Flea Allergy Dermatitis

There are 2500 different kinds of fleas that may suck blood from your pet, and of these 90% of the damage is caused by the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis). The animal health channel at: comments, Flea allergy dermatitis, an allergic reaction to the flea's saliva, is one of the most common causes of skin disease in dogs and cats. Flea allergy dermatitis causes severe itching that leads to chewing, compulsive biting, licking, and scratching. Flea allergy dermatitis isn't necessarily caused by an infestation; sensitive pets may react to a single fleabite. Flea infestations on small or weak pets can cause life-threatening anemia (iron-deficiency anemia, decreased red blood cells circulating through the blood, which means a decreased oxygen level in the blood).

Treatment of flea allergy in your pet includes treating the environment as along with the animal. Depending on where you live, flea infestations can occur all the time in a hot country like Florida or mostly in September with cooler countries. As a treatment for flea allergy dermatitis, your vet may prescribe special shampoos, steroids, antihistamines, antibiotics, or supplements to replace the lost skin oil. Other more natural methods of treating flea dermatitis include giving your pet garlic and brewers yeast in his or her food to give the fleas a bad taste in their mouths; grooming with a fine tooth flea comb, using a flea collar containing the hormone methoprene; or in the most extreme cases using a house fogger containing methoprene or fenoxycarb. If you have a docile pet, you can bathe your cat or dog in shampoo mixed with pennyroyal or eucalyptus oil, however if the pet is particularly feisty a dry shampoo that foams without water may be necessary. Above all the pets bedding should be washed frequently while flea dermatitis is a problem. If not treated, flea dermatitis can lead to permanent hair loss and in rare cases death from anaemia. Get your pet treated today!