When Flea Bites On Dogs: How to Identify and Address Dog Flea Allergy

The most common cause of allergies in dogs is dog flea bite. Just as humans are susceptible to lice, dogs are similarly susceptible to fleas which cause serious allergies. This type of allergy is called flea allergy dermatitis and it’s known to cause severe itching discomfort in dogs.

One bite is all that is needed to trigger a dog flea allergy. This happens when a dog comes into contact with a flea which bites it. The flea’s saliva contains allergic compounds which react with the dog’s blood causing severe itching. Apart from cases of flea infestation, fleas will bite their host and move on, making it difficult to physically find them on the dog’s body.

Fortunately, not all dogs are allergic to flea allergy dermatitis. This condition can develop at any point in time during a dog’s life. If you have noticed that your dog is always scratching or biting parts of its body, the likely culprit here is dog fleas. The itching is oftentimes severe and would draw your attention if you’re someone who’s attentive to your pet’s needs. Do not conclude that it might not be dog fleas because your other pets aren’t reacting the same way.

As already mentioned, not all dogs are affected by fleas. You might want to take a detailed look at your dog to see if you’d noticed anything. If you observe any hair loss around the itchy region or see open scabs of wounds from scratching and biting, just have it at the back of your minds that you have a case of flea allergy dermatitis in dogs.

There might also be secondary infections from bacterial or fungal growth in the wounds. Treatment is necessary to give your dog some relief.

Visit a League City veterinarian for treatment as soon as possible.

Flea Allergy Dermatitis Symptoms

What do you check for to be certain your dog has flea allergy dermatitis? That’s the thing, you don’t need to be 100% sure but when you notice the following symptoms, then it’s time for a visit to Safarivet.

• Crazy itching
• Redness of itchy site
• Loss of fur on affected area
• Restlessness
• Wounds or healing scabs
• Increased body temperature

Any combination of these symptoms is a tell-tale sign of what’s wrong with your pup. Visit a League City veterinarian right away. Detecting flea bite allergy in dog is easy if you know what to look for. An obvious sign to note is the excessive itching that most dogs are plagued with after a dog flea biting episode.

Diagnosis of Flea Allergy Dermatitis

This condition isn’t rocket science, nor does it come close to it. Diagnosing it is easy and straightforward. Typical signs are easy to notice; it includes fur loss around the neck and back regions, and severe itching.

There is usually no need for testing as the signs are enough. If testing is required, either one of these two tests are effective to detect flea infestation or allergy.

Intradermal Skin Tests

These tests check for the presence of flea wastes on your dog. These parasites feed on blood, digest it and leave wastes on the dog’s body. Detecting these wastes is a confirmation of flea biting.

Blood Tests

Testing the dog’s blood for flea allergies if positive means there’s a flea allergy dermatitis

Preventative Measures Against Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Preventing flea allergy dermatitis is as simple as not allowing fleas to breed in your space. Several steps can be taken to make this happen.

• Use a long-lasting anti-flea treatment on your dog all year long
• Treat your environment with fumigation agents that specifically tackle fleas.
• Clean thoroughly to keep your space clean. Check corners, cracks and crevices. Or anywhere that is hidden. Fleas can burrow in such places and start disturbing other living things.

Preventing fleas from infesting your dog is about taking preemptive action rather than responsive ones. To be on the safe side while taking preventative measures, check with a League City veterinarian on the most effective deterrent solutions.

Resolving Flea Allergy in Dogs

Dealing with dog flea allergy starts with preventing dog fleas from getting on your lawn right from the beginning. As much as possible, follow a preventative approach when dealing with fleas because if this parasite can be kept at bay completely, then your dog is unlikely to get affected by it. The only exception could be if the fleas are gotten from outside your residential space or from another dog.

Preventatives

Preventatives refer to the different methods known to be effective for dealing with fleas. For prevention, several steps can be taken to make it possible.

Here are some preventative steps to avoid flea bites on dogs entirely:

1. Keep the environment free of fleas by fumigating periodically with an active anti-flea agent designed for this purpose. Consult with a professional animal hospital in your area on ideal options.

2. Clean the environment, especially areas or spots that have crevices or cracks. Such places can easily harbor fleas in them.

3. Treat your dog with an anti-flea solution or tag. Some flea products can last a whole year which makes them a good fit to keep your dog flea-free.

It’s important to seek professional counsel from your pet specialist before deciding on a flea preventative treatment. Different preventatives have several levels of potency, advantages and disadvantages.

Flea Treatment – Getting Started

Once fleas have infested your dog, the next action for you to take is treatment. At this time, it’s beyond preventative action. Treatment will eliminate fleas’ allergies completely.

Below are some flea allergy dermatitis treatments to consider:

• Oral Itch Treatment

  Oral flea treatment will kill off fleas within 30 – 60 minutes. However, the dog’s skin will still be affected by the dog flea bites. To relieve the condition even more, your League City veterinarian can recommend itch relief solutions. Secondary infections from bacterial or fungal growth on the wounds still require treatment.

• Allergy Shots

  Leveraging on your pet’s tested allergy response, allergy shots specific to your pet can be used to treat the flea allergy dermatitis condition. These injection shots are specific to a dog’s unique condition so dosage and composition might vary between dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

While looking to treat flea allergy dermatitis, consult with a vet specialist to be certain of what approach will work perfect for your pet. Safarivet offers a world-class veterinary care service dedicated to helping your pets get relief from difficult conditions like flea allergy dermatitis.