Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Dogs and Cats
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), or flea bite hypersensitivity, is a hypersensitivity disease caused by the injection of antigens from the salivary glands of fleas as they feed on a host animal. In dogs, the primary clinical signs of FAD are pruritis and papulocrustous lesions distributed on the lower back, tailhead, and caudal and inner thighs.
Although flea allergy dermatitis is the most common skin disease of dogs and cats, it can be difficult for some pet owners to suspect fleas as a cause of their pet's skin problems because they have not seen fleas on their pet. Most flea -allergic pets lick, groom, and chew after being bitten by a flea .
Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Flea allergy in dogs and cats is common. Flea allergy dermatitis affects both cats and dogs. Your dog or cat may scratch so much that noticeable amounts of hair falls out, especially at the base of their tail, where fleas like to bite. A secondary bacterial infection may also develop in areas of broken skin, aggravating the problem.
The presence of fleas on an animal can cause problems including itching, scratching, hair loss, secondary skin infections and in young or very small animals may result in anemia due to blood loss. Some animals may develop an allergic reaction to the bite of fleas , referred to as flea allergy or flea allergy dermatitis.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Dogs
Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergy , more specifically, a hypersensitivity reaction against the proteins in the flea's saliva. The dog's immune system causes an inflammatory reaction, leading to intense itching and scratching. Because it is an allergy , not all dogs are affected, and even in multi-pet homes, some dogs may react more severely to fleas than others. Any age, breed, and sex ...
Cat fleas cause severe irritation in animals and humans and are responsible for flea allergy dermatitis. They also serve as the vector of typhuslike rickettsioses and bartonellosis and are the intermediate hosts for filarid and cestode parasites. Cat fleas have been found to infest > 50 different mammalian and avian hosts throughout the world.
Flea Control for Dogs and Cats
Fleas are the most common external parasite of companion animals. Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common skin disease of dogs and cats! In order to help select the most appropriate products to achieve a flea -free existence for an allergic pet, learn about the life cycle of the flea .
Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for flea allergy dermatitis in dogs on vcahospitals.com -- your trusted resource for pet health info.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Dogs
Learn about flea allergies in dogs, symptoms, prevention tips, and treatment options to keep your dog itch-free. Discover what dog flea allergy dermatitis is.
Flea allergy dermatitis in dogs occurs when saliva from a flea bite sets off an allergic reaction that leads to intense itching. Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) to help you recognize and manage this common condition.