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Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Thee Puppypreneur
WHAT IS A FLEA ALLERGY IN DOGS
A flea allergy in dogs is called flea allergy dermatitis and this is a reaction your dog has to the flea bites. When a flea bites your furbaby it releases its saliva into the skin.1Why do flea bites itch? | FleaScience
This emits a histamine response that in turn tells your furbaby’s body “hey, something is irritating me” and then your furbaby’s body tries to push out the allergen which can lead to inflammation and a variety of different skin issues.
FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS IN DOGS SYMPTOMS
Flea allergy dermatitis in dogs can present with varying symptoms such as;
- Alopecia (hair loss typically from mid-back to tail)
- Hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin)
- Itching
- Red Skin
- Pimples (with or without pus)
Some of these symptoms can mimic other diseases such as hair loss could be caused by hypothyroidism or pustules of pimples could be cause by mange or pemphigus which is an autoimmune skin condition that can also produce pustules or redness.
HOW IS FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS IN DOGS DIAGNOSED
There could be other reasons your furbaby might have the above symptoms, such as a food allergy or an environmental allergy or another skin condition caused by parasites such as mange, scabies or ringworm.
Fleas are notorious jumpers, so they have a “dine and dash motto” unless your furbaby has an infestation and you see them crawling all over.
You may not see fleas however; this does not mean that your furbaby isn’t getting bitten by them somewhere such as your yard.
You can comb through the coat looking at your furbaby’s skin and look for signs of “flea dirt” near the skin. These appear as little dark spots that resemble crushed up chocolate cookie crumbs or dirt in your dog’s coat and this is actually the digested blood that has been pooped out by the flea.
Another way veterinarians will test to see if its a flea allergy in dogs is by doing an intradermal allergy test. This is done by giving your dog a series of 3 injections that have different solutions in them.2Inside allergy testing: a guide to canine atopic dermatitis – Veterinary Practice (veterinary-practice.com)
The first injection is done under the skin with a control like saline solution which should not cause the skin to react or raise up. Then the next injection under the skin is histamine which will cause the skin to produce a little red raised bump which signifies allergy.
So, you have one negative reaction (saline) and one positive reaction (histamine), then the third injection is a flea antigen which if the skin raises up and turns into a red bump like the histamine injection then your furbaby is allergic to fleas but as with any testing false negatives are also possible.
FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS IN DOGS TREATMENT
Flea allergy dermatitis in dogs treatment will depend on the condition of your furbaby. Your veterinarian may offer you some different options such as glucocorticoid treatments which are meant to suppress the allergy and try to control the itching.
The problem with this is that long term this is not a solution. It only suppresses the response it doesn’t actually solve the problem.
Medications like Apoquel® should not be used long term as the side effects have shown that it can cause tumors, vomiting, diarrhea and even more skin infections in dogs.3Apoquel side effects- a veterinary dermatologist’s experience (petdermatologyclinic.com)
You need to get the flea allergy under control. So how do you do you do that? The great news is now after testing you know that it is a flea allergy and not some other unknown allergy you are going to have to play guessing games trying to find out.
Your vet may recommend a shampoo that contains things like oatmeal to help soothe the skin and pramoxine which temporarily numbs the skin to relieve pain and itching like this shampoo
FLEA ALLERGY IN DOGS HOME REMEDY
If you know that your furbaby has sensitive skin or allergies to the fleas you should take preventative measures to make sure this doesn’t occur again. A common flea allergy in dogs home remedy is to take care of the inside and the outside of your home.
Typically, you will see a rise in fleas and flea bites during warm summer months. You can protect your furbaby year-round with simple topical flea medications such as
Amazon.com: K9 Advantix II Large Dog Vet-Recommended Flea, Tick & Mosquito Treatment & Prevention | Dogs 21 – 55 lbs. | 4-Mo Supply : Everything Else
which actually repels and kills not only fleas and ticks but mosquitos.
You will want to take care of your yard as well to prevent any fleas from reproducing and taking over your yard by using preventative and control methods such as
Amazon.com: Black Flag Flea and Tick Killer Concentrate Yard Treatment, 32 Ounces, Ready To Spray, Quickflip Hose End Sprayer : Patio, Lawn & Garden
which actually last up to 3 months before your need to retreat your yard.
These are some of the most common solutions however I have an in-depth article that discussed all natural and sure-fire ways to eliminate and keep fleas at bay from your life, home and yard, year-round.
Check out our article and step-by-step guide below from removing fleas from your furbaby, yard and house and keeping them away for good!
HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS ON A DOG, A HELPFUL, THOROUGH GUIDE
HERBAL FLEA PRODUCTS FOR FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS IN DOGS
Another flea allergy dermatitis in dogs home remedy, if you prefer a more all-natural approach you can try this yard spray which contains essential oils.
contains essential oils which are proven to repel, prevent and kills fleas, ticks and mosquitos.
Wondercide also makes other all-natural products that can be used directly on your dog to keep away fleas and mosquitos such as this flea collar
which comes with the scent of peppermint and their essential oil says it lasts for up to 4 months.
If you prefer not to put a collar around your dog then you can try this combo pack which actually come with the repellant in both lemongrass and rosemary and a skin tonic for itch and allergy relief as well.
HERBS FOR FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS IN DOGS
CALENDULA
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) carries with it many wonderful qualities such as being antiseptic, astringent and anti-inflammatory. This helps with skin irritations and inflammations and has been proven effective in healing wounds in animals.
In a study on animals’ calendula was shown to actually speed up the process of wound healing.4Givol, O., Kornhaber, R., Visentin, D., Cleary, M., Haik, J., & Harats, M. (2019). A systematic review of Calendula officinalis extract for wound healing. Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society, 27(5), 548–561. https://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12737
GERMAN CHAMOMILE
German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Matricaria chamomilla) also contains healing properties and is anti-inflammatory.
“Studies have demonstrated that topical chamomile is comparable with 0.25% hydrocortisone”.5Shenefelt PD. Herbal Treatment for Dermatologic Disorders. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, editors. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011. Chapter 18. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92761/
I have done this in the past to soothe my little girls mild skin irritations by taking
and using 2-3 teaspoons per cup of water and steeping it for about 15 minutes then I strained the flower from the tea and allowed it to cool.
After it was cool, I then grabbed these wonderful things
and soaked them in the cooled tea and applied it to her skin as a compress to the specific area.
If her area that needed the compress would have been larger then I would have opted for a wash cloth but I use these cotton rounds for everything like wiping her underbelly, applying ointments or salves, cleaning her paw pad and her ears, they come with a laundry bag and I just put the used ones in there a wash them and reuse.
Keep in mind that these are just some of the ways that a flea allergy in dogs can be handled. Again, depending on the state of your furbaby and the condition of your finances and the lengths you are willing to go through will determine the most appropriate course of action.
