Flea allergy, commonly referred to as flea dermatitis, is the most common form of allergy diagnosed in dogs and is brought on by a flea bite. It is the primary cause of itchiness in dogs, and it merely takes the bite of a single flea to induce an allergic reaction on the pet's skin. Flea bite allergies could cause a pet to scratch for anywhere between a few hours to a few days and can take up to three days to a week to appear after the initial bite of a flea.

How Do Flea Allergies in Dogs Occur?

Fleas are only found on an animal when they are feeding. Just like the mosquito, the flea will bite a canine and draw out blood for nutrition. When fleas do this, they will inject a tiny measure of saliva under the animal's skin which could have nearly fifteen individual allergy inducing substances. If the canine is sensitive to any one of the allergens that were injected by the flea, it will prompt an allergic response that leads to the canine scratching. Roughly one half of all canines will have to endure flea allergies, and while the allergies are more often diagnosed in mature canines, pups could likewise suffer from flea dermatitis.

Diagnosing Flea Dermatitis and Recognition of Its Signs

Dog owners normally are not aware that their pet has fleas because of their relatively tiny size and because of how challenging they often are to get rid of. Making diagnosis of flea allergies especially difficult is the fact that it just takes one solitary flea to cause flea allergies and symptoms may not be evident for up to seven days after the bite of the flea occurred. It does not take an infestation of fleas to bring on allergies in canines. The signs of flea dermatitis in canines frequently include ceaseless itching or biting of the coat and skin, inflammation of the skin, roseolas, and reddening of the skin. As a result of the ceaseless itching, loss of fur across the dog's posterior, primarily in the region beginning in the center section along the spine to the start of the tail and also in their back legs area, may also be a pretty good indication of flea allergies in your pet. A veterinarian can also find dermatitis employing innovative blood and skin tests to look for particular allergy causing substances and to eliminate other conditions including fungal, yeast and bacterial infections.

Flea Treatment Should Start With a Sound Flea Extermination Program

The first stage to any successful kind of flea treatment takes into consideration getting rid of fleas on your dog as well as in your pet's nearby surroundings. Even with an impeccable flea eradication plan instituted, it isn't unusual for canine's to still experience an occasional bite from a flea. Canines which are often outside may pose an even harder challenge.

Traditional Drugs and Desensitization as Dermatitis Treatments

A vet may propose using desensitization as a technique of flea allergy treatment. This involves giving the dog a shot with minor measures of flea antigen over an extended amount of time, possibly even the remainder of the dog's life. This type of treatment is usually a success in approximately one half of the cases, and could become very costly over the long term. Antihistamines and conventional medicines, like cortisone, are also ordinarily prescribed by the vet to alleviate flea dermatitis in dogs. These medicines can usually provide relief for flea dermatitis; but, it has been proven that there are adverse side effects associated with taking corticosteroids. As an end result, this method of treatment might be counterproductive.

All Natural Relief for Flea Allergies

Due to the side effects associated with taking steroids, a lot of dog owners are turning to holistic remedies when trying to defend against flea dermatitis in dogs. There are numerous all-natural ingredients in these herbal remedies that are both effective and safe for your dog. German Chamomile has been utilized to soothe and clean the skin for many centuries. A few other herbs have also been proven to help promote enhancing overall skin health and give restoration and soothing qualities to the skin, and include Witchhazel, Marigold and Cleavers.