Flea Allergy – Dealing with the Itchy Skin Disorder
Flea species that cause common diseases are Ctenocephalides felis felis in cats and Ctenocephalides canis in dogs. They can bring about itchiness, allergies and sometimes anemia when they thrive in large amounts.
Flea Allergy – Signs and Symptoms
Flea allergy dermatitis, the most common veterinary dermatological condition, begins with a flea bite. Clinical signs of this condition, including scratching, biting, licking and chewing parts of the body, manifest between ages 1 and 3. However, dogs’ hypersensivity declines as they age and are continuously exposed to fleas. Chronic itching from flea allergy results in an odor related to secondary bacterial and fungal infections with Staphylococcus intermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis. In worse cases, the allergy leads to alopecia. To detect FAD, veterinarians usually conduct intradermal skin tests with a flea antigen, factoring in the age of onset of severe itching or pruritus.
Flea Remedies – What You Should Do
Immature and adult fleas can be eliminated from the household by regularly vacuuming carpets, pet bedding and pets’ resting areas. The bedding should be washed and dead vegetation surrounding animal resting places should be cleaned away. Chemicals such as botanical products pyrethrin, pyrethroid and rotenone are good flea remedies. Another kind of botanical chemical are carbamates, but they are very toxic to pets. Bayer’s imidacloprid is a topical adult flea killer that claims to eliminate most fleas within 24 hours before they lay eggs. Rhone Merieux has its own version, launched under the brand name Frontline, which comes in spray and spot treatment formulations. Other flea remedies are powdered sodium polyborate and insect growth regulators.
Natural Flea Remedies – Additional Information
Garlic and sulphur have been known to ward off fleas when added to dog’s meals. Herbal supplement stores sell capsules of black walnut hulls, which have been found to repel fleas as well as ticks and mosquitoes with long-term usage. More popular natural flea remedies come in the form of shampoo. Herbal shampoos that contain mixtures of any of pine cedar, geranium, juniper, bergamot, rosemary, eucalyptus and lavender are highly recommended solutions. To address flea infestation in the household, a combination of diatomaceous earth, natural borax and salt can be sprinkled onto carpets and harder to reach areas, letting the solution settle for a couple of days before vacuuming.