Flea bites are frustrating for any dog to deal with but can become a serious issue for a dog with flea bite allergies. Fleas are wingless insects that feed on the blood of mammals and birds, and flea allergy dermatitis is a hypersensitivity to proteins in flea saliva that causes a dog to react each time they are bitten.
In response to a flea bite, dogs with this type of hypersensitivity may chew, lick and scratch at the area and remove or ingest the flea. Because of this, it is common to never actually spot a flea on a dog with a severe flea allergy. Dogs with other allergies are more likely to also have flea allergy dermatitis.
What Are Signs of Flea Bite Allergies in Dogs? Signs of a flea allergy include chewing, licking or scratching, especially near the lower back, hind legs and belly. Dogs with flea allergies may chew at their backends so much that it can be difficult to distract them. This leads to hair loss and sometimes skin infections. These skin infections may require antibiotics and/or topical treatment to resolve.
Cats can also have flea allergies. Signs and treatment are generally the same as for dogs, but you should consult your veterinarian if you think your cat may be suffering from flea allergy.
How Do I Treat Flea Allergies? Year-round flea treatment is especially important for dogs with flea allergies. Even in the winter, fleas can survive and thrive indoors in garages, barns, cars and even rugs and carpeting. The best treatment for flea allergies is to prevent flea bites. Accomplishing this requires a multi-modal approach, as even the most effective flea medications are not 100 percent effective 100 percent of the time.
Most flea medications work by killing fleas once they bite. While this prevents the fleas from continuing to bite, it doesn’t prevent an allergic dog from becoming itchy and uncomfortable. Some flea preventions also contain an ingredient to prevent eggs and larvae from hatching, disrupting the cycle and preventing infestation of your home. A third type of flea medication repels the insects so that they do not bite your pet at all. For dogs with flea allergies, choosing two of these methods will provide the best protection. Your veterinarian will help you choose the best combination and may also recommend re-dosing your dog more frequently than the package label.
Most over-the-counter flea medication has lost efficacy recently due to inappropriate use which creates resistance to the medication. Flea medication should be used year-round on flea-allergic dogs for best efficacy and to prevent development of resistance.
Unfortunately, home remedies for flea allergies are either not powerful enough to kill fleas or else so powerful that they put your dog’s life at risk. Washing your dog with a flea shampoo or Dawn dish soap will remove the live fleas but do nothing for prevention, while tea tree oil and other essential oils can be very dangerous to pets and are not recommended.
Treating the environment is just as important as treating a pet with flea allergy. Luckily, natural remedies are much safer for this purpose. Boric acid is non-toxic and effective for use indoors. Diatomaceous earth is another effective product to use outdoors and is safe to be used around children and pets. Though pesticides are effective at eliminating fleas in your yard, they can be dangerous and should only be applied by a professional.