Flea Allergy Dermatitis - Symptoms and Treatment
Flea allergy dermatitis is basically just the medical term for animals that have a severe allergic reaction to flea bites.
It is generally due to sensitive skin, and it definitely can pose risks for your dog.
It is not only risky for them, but it is also really uncomfortable and can decrease their quality of life.
It is important to understand fully what the flea allergy dermatitis is, what causes it, and how to treat it- so that your dog can be happy, and free from fleas.
What It Looks Like We already know that it is an allergic reaction, but how can you identify it on your pet? Dermatitis is not usually something that is common in dogs, and it is usually a result of some type of irritant.
In the case of flea allergy dermatitis, it comes from an allergy of flea bites.
With this type of dermatitis, your dogs fur may actually start to dry out, and their skin may become dry.
You will probably start to see them scratching a whole lot, and they may rub themselves up against your floors and furniture.
You may also notice small red dots on their skin, that may appear to be raised.
The Causes Now, it is time to cover the causes of flea allergy dermatitis.
It seems common sense that it is caused by flea bites, but most people don't really understand why it happens in some dogs, and why it doesn't happen in others.
The truth is, some dogs are just more sensitive than others.
Dogs that don't get a lot of contact with fleas will usually be the worst when it comes to allergies.
Dry skin can also be something that will exacerbate the situation.
When the flea bites, their saliva gets into their skin, and this is what they are actually allergic to.
The Symptoms It is important for you to be aware of the symptoms of this condition, so that you can notice it right away.
One of the biggest signs that your dog may be suffering from dermatitis from fleas is itching and scratching.
If you notice them scratching a whole lot, then you might want to check out their skin.
You may even notice that they have some hair loss, blisters and red spots when looking closely at their skin under their coat.
Not all dogs will have all of the symptoms.
In fact, if your dog is itching and scratching, it is likely that they do have an allergy to fleas because flea bites in and of themselves don't really itch.
Treatment Options Now that we have covered what it is, what causes it, and the symptoms, it is now time to look into the treatment options that are available.
Generally, you will want to take your dog to the vet just to find out the severity of the situation.
They will be able to recommend something that will help to clear up their skin and get them to feeling better in just a few days.
Some of the most common treatments include:
Their skin will heal, and then they will be back to feeling great again- without the itching! Treating the dermatitis infection is important first and foremost, and then you will be able to focus on prevention.
Unfortunately, you can't just treat the condition and assume that it will go away and not return if you don't do something to prevent it.
The good news is that prevention is pretty simple.
Prevention is Key Preventing dermatitis due to flea allergies is not really that difficult.
All you really need to do is make sure that your pet stays healthy, clean and free of fleas.
You should first start by choosing an effective flea control product to give them on a monthly basis.
There are a variety of flea control products on the market for you to choose from, some of which are more effective than others.
It is important to do your research and choose a product that is going to work, rather than one that is just going to kill a few fleas and then allow them to come right back.
Aside from treating them with a flea prevention product, it is also important to keep the living environment healthy and clean.
If you have dry heat in your area, this can dry out your dog's skin and leave them itchy and irritated.
Using a humidifier can help to keep the moisture in the air and allow their skin to stay hydrated.
You should also bathe them regularly, and refrain from using a blow dryer to dry their coat.
Instead, just towel them off really well and then let it air dry.
The blow dryer heat will dry out their skin, even though it isn't your intention to do so.
The Bottom Line As you can see, flea allergy dermatitis can really be irritating for your pet.
You don't want to let it go untreated, because it is something that will just continue to get worse over time.
There are some dogs that get their skin so infected that it really starts to cause a problem with their overall health and wellness, which is why you should never just sit back and let them suffer from it.
Instead, just go ahead and get them treated effectively.
Then, make sure that you are following up with proper preventative measures to make sure that it doesn't become a problem again in the future.
It is generally due to sensitive skin, and it definitely can pose risks for your dog.
It is not only risky for them, but it is also really uncomfortable and can decrease their quality of life.
It is important to understand fully what the flea allergy dermatitis is, what causes it, and how to treat it- so that your dog can be happy, and free from fleas.
What It Looks Like We already know that it is an allergic reaction, but how can you identify it on your pet? Dermatitis is not usually something that is common in dogs, and it is usually a result of some type of irritant.
In the case of flea allergy dermatitis, it comes from an allergy of flea bites.
With this type of dermatitis, your dogs fur may actually start to dry out, and their skin may become dry.
You will probably start to see them scratching a whole lot, and they may rub themselves up against your floors and furniture.
You may also notice small red dots on their skin, that may appear to be raised.
The Causes Now, it is time to cover the causes of flea allergy dermatitis.
It seems common sense that it is caused by flea bites, but most people don't really understand why it happens in some dogs, and why it doesn't happen in others.
The truth is, some dogs are just more sensitive than others.
Dogs that don't get a lot of contact with fleas will usually be the worst when it comes to allergies.
Dry skin can also be something that will exacerbate the situation.
When the flea bites, their saliva gets into their skin, and this is what they are actually allergic to.
The Symptoms It is important for you to be aware of the symptoms of this condition, so that you can notice it right away.
One of the biggest signs that your dog may be suffering from dermatitis from fleas is itching and scratching.
If you notice them scratching a whole lot, then you might want to check out their skin.
You may even notice that they have some hair loss, blisters and red spots when looking closely at their skin under their coat.
Not all dogs will have all of the symptoms.
In fact, if your dog is itching and scratching, it is likely that they do have an allergy to fleas because flea bites in and of themselves don't really itch.
Treatment Options Now that we have covered what it is, what causes it, and the symptoms, it is now time to look into the treatment options that are available.
Generally, you will want to take your dog to the vet just to find out the severity of the situation.
They will be able to recommend something that will help to clear up their skin and get them to feeling better in just a few days.
Some of the most common treatments include:
- Medication
- Steroids
- Supplements
- Antibiotics
- Topical treatments
- Flea medication
Their skin will heal, and then they will be back to feeling great again- without the itching! Treating the dermatitis infection is important first and foremost, and then you will be able to focus on prevention.
Unfortunately, you can't just treat the condition and assume that it will go away and not return if you don't do something to prevent it.
The good news is that prevention is pretty simple.
Prevention is Key Preventing dermatitis due to flea allergies is not really that difficult.
All you really need to do is make sure that your pet stays healthy, clean and free of fleas.
You should first start by choosing an effective flea control product to give them on a monthly basis.
There are a variety of flea control products on the market for you to choose from, some of which are more effective than others.
It is important to do your research and choose a product that is going to work, rather than one that is just going to kill a few fleas and then allow them to come right back.
Aside from treating them with a flea prevention product, it is also important to keep the living environment healthy and clean.
If you have dry heat in your area, this can dry out your dog's skin and leave them itchy and irritated.
Using a humidifier can help to keep the moisture in the air and allow their skin to stay hydrated.
You should also bathe them regularly, and refrain from using a blow dryer to dry their coat.
Instead, just towel them off really well and then let it air dry.
The blow dryer heat will dry out their skin, even though it isn't your intention to do so.
The Bottom Line As you can see, flea allergy dermatitis can really be irritating for your pet.
You don't want to let it go untreated, because it is something that will just continue to get worse over time.
There are some dogs that get their skin so infected that it really starts to cause a problem with their overall health and wellness, which is why you should never just sit back and let them suffer from it.
Instead, just go ahead and get them treated effectively.
Then, make sure that you are following up with proper preventative measures to make sure that it doesn't become a problem again in the future.
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