The Causes of Flea Dermatitis in Dogs
Fleas are only observed on a dog when they feed. Just like a mosquito, fleas will bite your pet and draw in blood for nourishment. When fleas do this, they inject a wee amount of saliva under the animal's skin which could be comprised of roughly 15 different allergy causing substances. If the canine is sensitive to any one of the allergens that have been injected by the flea, it will cause an allergic response which causes the dog scratching and itching. About 50% of all dogs will come down with flea allergies, and even though it is more often found in older dogs, puppies could likewise become afflicted with flea dermatitis.
Diagnosing Flea Dermatitis in Dogs and Recognizing Its Signs
Dog owners generally do not realize that their dog has fleas because of their relatively tiny size and considering how hard fleas can be to control. Making the task of diagnosing flea allergies a lot more difficult is the fact that it merely takes one individual flea to induce a flea allergy and signs might not be seen for nearly a week later than when the bite of the flea occurred. It doesn't take an infestation of fleas to bring about flea allergies in your pet. Signs of flea bites in dogs frequently include continuous scratching and itching or biting of the coat and skin, inflaming of the skin, rashes, and reddening of the skin. As a consequence of the continual scratching, hair loss across the animal's posterior, primarily in the region from the middle section along the backbone to the start of the tail and in their hind legs region, is also a pretty sound indication of dermatitis. A veterinarian can also detect flea allergies employing modern blood and skin tests to look for specific allergy causing substances and to eliminate other possibilities including fungal, yeast and bacterial infections.
Flea Treatment Starts With a Sound Flea Control Program
The initial step to any successful sort of flea treatment involves getting rid of dog fleas both on your pet and in his local environment. Even with a perfect flea extermination program established, it is not unusual for canine's to still experience an occasional bite from a flea. Dogs that spend a lot of time outside could be a harder challenge.
Steroids and Desensitization as Flea Dermatitis Treatments
A veterinarian might advise using desensitization as a technique of canine flea dermatitis treatment. It necessitates giving the dog a shot with limited measures of flea antigen over a certain period of time, maybe for the remainder of the dog's lifetime. This method of treatment is generally a success in about half of the cases, and might become really expensive over the long term. Antihistamines and traditional medication, such as corticosteroids, are also usually used by the vet to alleviate flea dermatitis. These drugs can often provide relief for flea allergies; but, it's been proven that there are significant side effects associated with taking corticosteroids. In the end, this variety of treatment may be more harmful than beneficial.
Holistic Relief for Flea Dermatitis in Dogs
Attributable to the side effects associated with the use of steroids, an increasing number of dog owners are turning to natural remedies for flea allergies in dogs. There are many all natural ingredients utilized in these holistic remedies that are not only safe for your pet, but effective. German Chamomile has been utilized to soothe and cleanse the skin for many centuries. A few other herbs have also been proven to contribute to enhancing total skin health and contribute restoration and soothing qualities to the skin, and include Witchhazel, Cleavers and Marigold.
Post Resources
- Warning Signs and Help for Treating Flea Bite Allergies in Canines
- Warning Signs and Treatment Options For Flea Allergies in Dogs
- Signs and Effective Methods to Avoid Flea Bite Allergies in Dogs
- Clinical Symptoms and Effective Methods to Stop Flea Allergies in Dogs
- Signs and Information for Treating Flea Bite Dermatitis in Dogs
