|
What is
Flea Allergy Dermatitis?
Flea
allergy dermatitis (flea bite hypersensitivity) is the most common skin
allergy in cats. As the name suggests, it is caused by an allergic
reaction to a flea bite. There are 15 known allergens in flea saliva,
each one is capable of causing an allergic reaction in the cat. Just
one bite from a flea is enough to trigger an allergic reaction in your
cat. FAD is one of the major causes of miliary dermatitis in
cats.
Symptoms
of Flea Allergy Dermatitis:
Symptoms
vary depending on the degree of sensitivity. Some symptoms include:
-
Frequent
scratching & biting of the fur, especially on the back & the
base of their tail. Other symptoms of flea allergy dermatitis include
-
Raised bumps (papules) or scabs on the skin
-
Thinning fur in the affected
area.
Treatment
of Flea Allergy Dermatitis:
Your
veterinarian will be able to diagnose flea allergy dermatitis. This
can be done visually. Signs of fleas on your cat are a good indicator.
However, extremely sensitive cats will have few if any fleas on them.
This is due to excessive self grooming. In such cases, to get a definite diagnosis that your cat is
in fact allergic to flea bites & not something else then a
intradermal skin testing is required. Treatment involves several
areas:
-
Eliminating
fleas
from your cat & environment, and preventing re-infestation of
fleas.
-
Treating secondary skin infections caused by excessive biting &
scratching of the skin. This may involve a course of antibiotics,
medicated shampoo & or a topical medication.
-
Antihistamines or steroids may be prescribed
by your veterinarian to control inflammation & reduce itching.
-
Hyposensitisation
(desensitisation). This involves injecting minute amounts of flea
antigen into the cat in the hope that it will re-programme the immune
system so it's not hypersensitive to flea antigen.
Prevention
of Flea Allergy Dermatitis:
Strict
flea control is the best way to avoid/limit your cat's exposure to fleas
& therefore flea bite allergy.
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice. |
