Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Summer is approaching! While this is great news to our pets and us as we get to enjoy the outdoors, this also means that summer heralds a pest we all hate - fleas!

Dogs and cats commonly get a skin condition known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). This means that our pets get an allergic reaction to the saliva that is produced by fleas when it feeds on their blood.

What are the signs that my pet has FAD?

Our pets have an allergic reaction to flea saliva because their immune system reacts with an inflammatory response - this can cause our pets intense itchiness and discomfort. Dogs tend to bite and scratch excessively, and this can lead to redness, hair loss, secondary bacterial infections, and a scaly coat. Most dogs tend to be affected along the back near their tail base, but signs can still occur all over their bodies. Cats tend to be more agile and so can bite and scratch all over the body as well.

I don't see fleas on my pets...does this mean I don't have them?

Definitely not! Adult fleas do not breed on our pets - they instead deposit their eggs in the environment like on our pets' bedding and carpeted floors. This means that while you may not actually see adult fleas on your pet, they may still be in your house and your pet may still have FAD. Up to 95% of fleas exist as larval and pupal stages in the environment, while only 5% are adults. While you may not see flea adults in your pet's coat, this does not mean that fleas aren't bugging them!

What can I do to get rid of fleas?

If you suspect your pet has FAD, seek veterinary attention appropriately. Depending on the severity of lesions, our veterinarians may prescribe medicated shampoos, antibiotics, steroids, or antihistamines, and advise you on the use of flea preventatives for your pets.

The only real long term 'treatment' however, is to keep our pets flea-free as much as possible. This requires attacking fleas at all stages of their life cycle.

 

We first need to pick flea-killing agents which work directly on our pets. Products such as Frontline, Advocate, Advantage, Comfortis, Capstar, and Advantix are examples of these. Using these regularly all throughout the year will ensure our pets are covered. Our veterinarians and nurses can assist you in choosing a product which will best suit your needs.

We then also need to treat the environment. Regular vacuuming of carpets, washing and replacing pet bedding, yard sprays and house fogging can all help keep the flea population in check. The use of insecticide sprays which say 'egg stoppers' on them will also work on eliminating flea eggs - remember to spray under furniture and in quiet, dark corners of the house.

And remember...

Follow all manufacturers' instructions properly! Avoid using permethrin-based flea preventative products on cats, or on dogs which co-habit with cats, as permethrin is highly toxic to them. These products will often say 'Not for use on cats'. When in doubt - please call us and our nurses will be happy to help you!