![]() ![]() This is typically to the protein in the diet such as beef, chicken, pork, or fish. This can be a problem even if there are no fleas found on the pet, as it takes only the bite of the flea to trigger the allergy.Īnother cause of itchiness is a food allergy. This is an allergy to flea saliva, so that when a pet receives a flea bite, it incites a systemic inflammatory reaction. As described above, the first is flea allergy dermatitis. There are several underlying causes of skin allergy in dogs and cats, and often pets can have components of each that contribute to their disease. The second goal of therapy is to address the underlying cause of the allergy, and reduce the resultant inflammation and pruritis (itch). It is important to treat secondary infection, as it will contribute to the itchiness and inflammation that your pet experiences. Pets that chew, scratch and lick also disturb the top layer of the skin that helps to resist infection and exacerbate the problem. ![]() ![]() This occurs because of the underlying inflammation which alters the skin’s immune system “barrier function” and makes the skin more susceptible to infection. Depending on the severity of disease, topical and systemic products are used to target the bacterial and fungal species that commonly overgrow on the skin of allergic patients. A sampling of your pet’s skin using a tape cytology, skin scraping or cultures may be utilized to direct treatment specifically, or combination products may be utilized to treat common pathogens. The first is to diagnose and treat any secondary infection that is present. If skin allergies are suspected as the underlying cause of itchiness, red skin, bumps, or crusting there are two main goals of treatment. If the itchiness is not resolved after fleas have been addressed, it is time to come to a veterinarian for further workup. We can guide you through the best products and techniques to clean the environment of fleas safely for all family members. For this reason, treating the environment is also vitally important. The other 95% is in your environment – carpets, baseboards, rugs, furniture, where the immature larval stages will lay dormant for weeks to come. Also remember that if you do find fleas, what is seen on the pet is only 5% of the problem. We do not recommend applying over the counter flea medication to your pet, especially cats, without consulting with the veterinarian first. Give us a call if you are concerned about fleas and we can help guide you to the proper preventative medication for your pet. We see cases of fleas all year at Mercer Island Veterinary Clinic. We do recommend year round flea control for all pets in the Pacific Northwest, as it is typically not cold enough to kill fleas in the winter due to our temperate climate. These pets are allergic to flea saliva, so when a flea bites (even if it doesn’t take up residence) it can cause a systemic allergic reaction causing a pet to be itchy for days to come. This is because of flea allergy dermatitis, which can vary in severity from mild to quite severe. However, even if you don’t see fleas, remember that a single bite can cause a pet to become itchy all over. Certainly checking your pet for fleas – look toward the back half of the pet, around the tail, or on the belly – is a helpful exercise. Even if a pet is mostly indoors, humans can track in fleas on our clothing or shoes. The first step when ANY pet (cat, dog, indoor, outdoor) begins itching is to consider fleas. ![]() licking or chewing? As spring approaches, itching and allergies are a common complaint among our clients. Is your dog or cat keeping you up at night scratching. Why is my dog or cat itchy? An overview of skin allergies in dogs and cats. ![]()
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