Flea allergy, commonly referred to as flea dermatitis, is the most frequently detected variety of allergy observed in canines and is brought on by a flea bite. It’s the principal cause of itchiness in dogs, and it just takes the bite of a single flea to induce an allergic reaction on a dog’s skin. Flea allergies in dogs may leave a pet scratching for anywhere between a couple of hours to a couple of days and may take 3 days to a week to appear after the first flea bite.

How Do Flea Allergies in Dogs Occur?

Fleas are only found on your pet when they are feeding. Analogous to a mosquito, the flea will bite a canine and take in blood for nourishment. When a flea does this, they inject a small amount of saliva under your pet’s skin that may contain roughly fifteen different allergy causing substances. If the canine is sensitive to one of the allergens which are injected by the flea, it will prompt an allergic reaction which causes the canine itching. Close to one half of all canines will have to tolerate flea allergies, and although it is more frequently diagnosed in adult dogs, puppies can likewise suffer from flea dermatitis.

Diagnosing Flea Dermatitis in Canines and Recognizing Its Signs

Dog owners usually don’t know that their pet has fleas owing to their very minute size and because of how challenging they can be to exterminate. Making the task of diagnosing flea allergies a lot more difficult is the fact that it just takes one individual flea to bring on flea allergies and signs might not be seen for up to one week after the flea bite occurred. It does not take an infestation to bring on a flea allergy in your pet. Symptoms of flea bites in dogs typically include intense itching or biting of the skin and fur, inflammation of the skin, roseolas, and reddening of the skin. As a consequence of the continuous itching, loss of hair across your pet’s posterior, primarily in the area from the middle along the backbone to the stem of their tail and also in their hind legs area, is also a very good indicator of flea allergies. A vet can also discover flea allergies utilizing advanced skin and blood testing to find specific allergens and to rule out other possibilities including bacterial, fungal and yeast infections.

Flea Treatment Should Begin With An Effective Flea Eradication Plan

The initial stage of any successful kind of flea treatment calls for flea control for dogs and in your dog’s nearby environment. Even if there is a strict flea control plan established, it is not out of the ordinary for dog’s to still encounter an occasional flea bite. Animals which spend a lot of time outside will be a tougher challenge.

Desensitization and Traditional Medications as Flea Allergy Treatments

A vet might propose using desensitization as a type of flea dermatitis treatment. This requires giving the dog a shot with minor amounts of flea antigen over a prolonged amount of time, possibly even the rest of the dog’s life. This method of treatment has been found to be successful in roughly 50% of the patients, and could become very expensive over time. Antihistamines and conventional drugs, such as steroids, are also generally prescribed by the vet to relieve flea dermatitis. These types of treatment can normally offer relief for flea allergies; but, it’s been shown that there are substantial side effects when taking steroids. As an end result, this method of treatment may be counterproductive.

Natural Relief for Flea Allergies

Because of the side effects found with the use of steroids, more of dog owners are now using holistic treatments when trying to defend against flea dermatitis. There are a number of all natural ingredients found in these herbal treatments that are both effective and safe for your dog. German Chamomile has been utilized for centuries to cleanse and soothe the skin. A few other herbs have also proven to contribute to better total skin health and contribute soothing and restoration qualities to the skin, and include Cleavers, Witchhazel and Marigold.

Bookmark to: