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Flea Allergy Dermatitis sgns & symptoms · Flea Allergy Dermatitis diagnosis · Flea Allergy Dermatitis treatment · Flea Allergy Dermatitis related articles
Flea Allergy Dermatitis Medical terms: Dermatitis, Miliary dermatitis, Hot spots, Atopy, Pyodermatitis, Alopecia, Eosinophilic plaque.
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Flea allergy dermatitis (Hot Spots) is a skin disease (dermatitis) caused by your pet's allergic reaction to fleas. Derm means skin, and "itis" means inflammation, so your pet will have itchy, inflamed skin. Inflamed skin is hot, red, and itchy. Often the skin becomes smelly because yeast and bacteria grow well on unhealthy, inflamed skin. When your pet scratches the bacteria are rubbed deep into the skin and hot spots develop. Hot spots are just infected sores.
Pets with flea allergic dermatitis are so sensitive they can develop hot spots if bitten just twice a month by fleas. Your pet is having an allergic reaction to flea saliva, feces and exoskeleton.
How Common is Flea Allergy Dermatitis (Hot Spots)?
About one in five visits to a veterinary office is for skin problems, and flea allergy dermatitis is often the culprit. In fact, fleas cause more dermatitis than any other insect. While food allergies are the most common cause of year-round itching, fleas are the most common cause of seasonal itching.
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Any pet can develop allergies to fleas, and pets with the genetic inclination to develop allergies-a condition called atopy-have the biggest problem. Between 3-15% of dogs have atopy; and the breeds with the biggest problems vary country to country, so you'll find a different list of British dogs with atopy than of American dogs with atopy.
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American dogs with atopy include Golden Retrievers, Boston Terriers, Dalmatians, English Bulldogs, English Setters, Irish Setters, Lhasa Apsos, Miniature Schnauzers, and Pugs. Many terriers also have atopy: Cairn Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, and Wire-haired Fox Terriers.
Cats can develop flea allergy dermatitis (Hot Spots), but there is no clear breed predisposition.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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Dogs:
Compulsive biting
Licking
Chewing that looks like corncob nibbling
Cats:
Compulsive biting
Scratching around the head & neck
Miliary dermatitis
Bald areas
Lip ulcers
Eosinophilic plaque |
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Fleas are the number one cause of seasonal allergies
Being bitten twice a month is enough to cause continual hot spots |
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Golden Retrievers
Boston Terriers
Dalmatians
English Bulldogs
English Setters
Irish Setters
Lhasa Apsos
Miniature Schnauzers
Cairn Terriers
Sealyham Terriers
Scottish Terriers
West Highland White Terriers
Wire-haired Fox Terriers
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