shop


The Furry Critter Network

Flea Bite Hypersensitivity - Issue Description

Back to Canine Health Issues Menu


thm-img


Issue Name

Flea Bite Hypersensitivity

Other Names
FAD, Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Issue Description

Affected animals develop allergic reactions to chemicals in flea saliva. Dogs with flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) often show hair loss and eczematous skin rash on the lower back, upper tail, neck and down the back of the legs.

Symptoms

The first sign of the flea allergy dermatitis is itching. The areas most affected are abdomen, tail, and thighs. With chronic itching, the skin becomes red, scaly, and crusty. If the inflammation is left untreated, there may be a severe hair loss (alopecia), the skin becomes hardened and leathery with pigmented patches. Your pet may develop odor due to skin secondary bacterial infections.


Diagnosis

A diagnosis of FAD is based on the age of onset of the pruritus, the distribution of the pruritus and clinical signs, and the observation of fleas and/or flea feces. Many dogs who are allergic to the bite of a flea have very few fleas on them at any time because their excessive grooming activity removes the fleas. Some of those patients will have recurrent tapeworm (Diplydium caninum) infestations from ingestion of the fleas. The diagnosis of FAD can be confirmed with an intradermal skin test with flea antigen.

Causes

With flea allergies, the number of fleas is not important, since your dog or cat is allergic to the flea's saliva, that could be just one bite that triggers the allergic reaction. Most allergic dogs develop signs of FAD between 1 and 3 years of age.

Treatment

The goals of treatment are to alleviate the animal's allergic reaction to fleas by preventing the flea from biting the animal and eliminating the fleas from the environment. It is very important that owners completely remove the fleas and their eggs from the animal's environment. This involves the treatment of all household animals for fleas to prevent the allergic pet from becoming reinfested. There are many commercially available products that kill fleas both indoors and outdoors. Additional products have been designed for use on the animal. Professional pest extermination companies, which usually carry a satisfaction guarantee, are also an option. A veterinarian can customize a flea control program to meet an allergic pet's individual needs.

Therapy for the allergic reaction is based on the severity and history of the symptoms. Following an evaluation of the dog, the veterinarian may prescribe any of the following medications: topical treatments, medicated shampoos, steroids, antihistamines, antibiotics, and fatty acid supplements such as skin oil replacement. The examining veterinarian often will recommend a commercially available product that kills fleas on contact, before they have a chance to bite. These products are ideal in helping prevent further flea allergic reactions.

The effectiveness of allergy shots, or hyposensitization, for treating FAD remains controversial. This method of treatment, prescribed by a veterinary dermatologist, usually is reserved as a final therapeutic step for severely afflicted animals not responding to strict flea control.

Prevention

Prevent fleas from entering the household. If evidence of fleas is noted on the dog or on any other pets in the household, early intervention can stop the problem before the symptoms become severe.


Back to Canine Health Issues Menu

Featured Rescues

"Don't Shop ... Please Adopt"

laptop pro

ASPCA

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world.

Our organization was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization. We are a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and are proud to boast more than 2 million supporters across the country.

The ASPCA’s mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh in 1866, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”


laptop pro

Petfinder

If you can’t find the pet you’re looking for on Petfinder, don’t give up. Some shelters maintain waiting lists for specific breeds, so don’t be afraid to ask! There are also breed-specific rescues for just about every breed, and most of them post their pets on Petfinder. (Petfinder can even e-mail you when a pet that fits your criteria is posted — just click “Save this Search” at the top of your search results page.)


laptop pro

Rescue Me

Jeff Gold, Founder, Rescue Me! Animal Rescue Network

Jeff Gold lives in Watkinsville, Georgia on the same property as Rescue Me's Animal Rehabilitation Center, with 18 rescue animals. Shown with him in the photo to the left are Maggie, Izzie and Cortez. In 2003, after learning there was nobody doing boxer rescue work in Georgia, Gold founded Boxertown, an organization which helped find homes for over 500 boxers during its first two years. Based upon this success, Gold came up with the vision for Rescue Me! ― a network which helps all breeds of dogs, cats and other animals find good homes, anywhere in the world. RescueShelter.com is also a free service of Rescue Me! and provides the world's largest and most up-to-date directory of animal rescue organizations for all breeds of dogs, cats and other animals, including a comprehensive directory of wildlife rehabilitators in over 150 countries.



Top