07/Mar/2008
Your Pet’s Health: Part III: Treating Flea Allergies Is Vital to Pet’s Health
By Dr. Tony LoBue
Crossroads Animal Hospital
Editor’s Note: In our previous issues, Dr. LoBue covered pet inhalant and food allergies. Here, he discusses flea allergies and how to protect your pet from them.
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common canine skin disease and is a major cause of the feline skin problem miliary dermatitis. Some studies have shown up to 40 percent of dogs in any given area will test positive for flea bite allergies. Other studies show that many dogs with flea allergies also have inhalant allergies compounding the problem. There does not appear to be a breed or sex preference for this allergy.
Flea bite allergy is characterized by being a seasonal allergy. Summer and fall are peak flea seasons. Even in temperate areas or in cases with home infestations, the symptoms of flea bite allergies appear to worsen during these times.
Dogs that have flea allergies will bite at the base of their tail and scratch frequently. The bite of a single flea can cause hours and days of intense itching. Many dogs have a characteristic loss or thinning of hair above the base of the tail.
In addition, fleas or flea dirt (feces) can be found on the dog the majority of the time. The feces or flea dirt will dissolve into a red color when moistened. This is because it is primarily digested blood. However, if the dog is bathed or treated regularly, very little evidence of fleas may be found. Severely affected dogs may itch over their entire bodies, have generalized hair loss, and red inflamed skin. Hot spots are often a result of flea bite allergies. Sixty one percent of flea allergic dogs develop clinical signs between 1 and 3 years old.
With chronic itching the areas become hairless with dark pigmentation, and the dog will develop an odor related to secondary infections such as Staphylococcus intermedius (bacteria) and Malassezia pachydermatis (fungal). Cats with flea allergy dermatitis can have a wide spectrum of symptoms including miliary dermatitis, which is characterized by crusty papules (small, red, raised skin lesions) and symmetrical hair loss (alopecia).
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of FAD is based on the age of the dog at onset of the scratching and the distribution of hair loss, clinical signs, and the observation of fleas and/or flea feces.
Many dogs who are allergic to the bite of a flea have very few fleas on them at any time because their excessive grooming activity removes the fleas. Some of those patients will have recurrent tapeworm infestations from ingestion of the fleas. The diagnosis of FAD can be confirmed with an intradermal skin test with flea antigen.
Treatment
Treatment primarily involves preventing fleas from coming into contact with the dog or cat. There are many flea products on the market. Some are good and some are not so good. Here are the recommendations that I feel will give the pet owner the best results.
The two products that I use with dogs are the following:
• K-9 Advantix, for dogs only, is a topical flea, tick and mosquito product that controls these parasites for 30 days. Must not be used on cats.
• Sentinel, for dogs only, is a chewable pill that you give every 30 days. This palatable once a month prescription tablet prevents heartworm disease, flea populations, and intestinal parasites (whips, hooks, rounds). Sentinel does not kill the adult flea but, inhibits the eggs from hatching. One female flea can produce 30 eggs a day. This product is very good in cleaning up the environment around the house. Sentinel must be given with a meal for the product to be absorbed into the dog’s system.
The product that I use for cats is Revolution. Revolution is a topical product that is used every 30 days. Revolution not only controls fleas, but ear mites, hooks, rounds, and heartworms too. If the flea problem is out of control, I will discuss the following products for the environment. Environment treatment for fleas involves treating the house, yard, and sleeping area of the dog.
For the house and sleeping area Fleabuster Powder is recommended. This product is very safe for humans and pets. The powder is put into carpet and bedding fabric. The outside environment is treated with a yard spray at three, two week interval treatments. Spraying only shady and sandy type areas around the house.
Hyposensitization
Hyposensitization of dogs is a series of injections that does not appear to be very effective. There are several of these commercially available products available for veterinary use, but most dermatologists do not use them.
By Dr. Tony LoBue
Crossroads Animal Hospital
Editor’s Note: In our previous issues, Dr. LoBue covered pet inhalant and food allergies. Here, he discusses flea allergies and how to protect your pet from them.
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common canine skin disease and is a major cause of the feline skin problem miliary dermatitis. Some studies have shown up to 40 percent of dogs in any given area will test positive for flea bite allergies. Other studies show that many dogs with flea allergies also have inhalant allergies compounding the problem. There does not appear to be a breed or sex preference for this allergy.
Flea bite allergy is characterized by being a seasonal allergy. Summer and fall are peak flea seasons. Even in temperate areas or in cases with home infestations, the symptoms of flea bite allergies appear to worsen during these times.
Dogs that have flea allergies will bite at the base of their tail and scratch frequently. The bite of a single flea can cause hours and days of intense itching. Many dogs have a characteristic loss or thinning of hair above the base of the tail.
In addition, fleas or flea dirt (feces) can be found on the dog the majority of the time. The feces or flea dirt will dissolve into a red color when moistened. This is because it is primarily digested blood. However, if the dog is bathed or treated regularly, very little evidence of fleas may be found. Severely affected dogs may itch over their entire bodies, have generalized hair loss, and red inflamed skin. Hot spots are often a result of flea bite allergies. Sixty one percent of flea allergic dogs develop clinical signs between 1 and 3 years old.
With chronic itching the areas become hairless with dark pigmentation, and the dog will develop an odor related to secondary infections such as Staphylococcus intermedius (bacteria) and Malassezia pachydermatis (fungal). Cats with flea allergy dermatitis can have a wide spectrum of symptoms including miliary dermatitis, which is characterized by crusty papules (small, red, raised skin lesions) and symmetrical hair loss (alopecia).
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of FAD is based on the age of the dog at onset of the scratching and the distribution of hair loss, clinical signs, and the observation of fleas and/or flea feces.
Many dogs who are allergic to the bite of a flea have very few fleas on them at any time because their excessive grooming activity removes the fleas. Some of those patients will have recurrent tapeworm infestations from ingestion of the fleas. The diagnosis of FAD can be confirmed with an intradermal skin test with flea antigen.
Treatment
Treatment primarily involves preventing fleas from coming into contact with the dog or cat. There are many flea products on the market. Some are good and some are not so good. Here are the recommendations that I feel will give the pet owner the best results.
The two products that I use with dogs are the following:
• K-9 Advantix, for dogs only, is a topical flea, tick and mosquito product that controls these parasites for 30 days. Must not be used on cats.
• Sentinel, for dogs only, is a chewable pill that you give every 30 days. This palatable once a month prescription tablet prevents heartworm disease, flea populations, and intestinal parasites (whips, hooks, rounds). Sentinel does not kill the adult flea but, inhibits the eggs from hatching. One female flea can produce 30 eggs a day. This product is very good in cleaning up the environment around the house. Sentinel must be given with a meal for the product to be absorbed into the dog’s system.
The product that I use for cats is Revolution. Revolution is a topical product that is used every 30 days. Revolution not only controls fleas, but ear mites, hooks, rounds, and heartworms too. If the flea problem is out of control, I will discuss the following products for the environment. Environment treatment for fleas involves treating the house, yard, and sleeping area of the dog.
For the house and sleeping area Fleabuster Powder is recommended. This product is very safe for humans and pets. The powder is put into carpet and bedding fabric. The outside environment is treated with a yard spray at three, two week interval treatments. Spraying only shady and sandy type areas around the house.
Hyposensitization
Hyposensitization of dogs is a series of injections that does not appear to be very effective. There are several of these commercially available products available for veterinary use, but most dermatologists do not use them.
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