You may not see any fleas on your dog or cat, but if they have suddenly begun frantically scratching, biting or licking themselves, they may have flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), an allergic reaction to flea bites.
Pets with FAD don’t have to be infested with fleas to be itchy—just a single flea bite can cause itching for days. Most pets feel minor local irritation from flea bites, but pets with FAD experience severe itching over large areas of their bodies.
Flea allergy in dogs and cats is common. Flea allergy dermatitis affects both cats and dogs.
Your dog or cat may scratch so much that noticeable amounts of hair falls out, especially at the base of their tail, where fleas like to bite. A secondary bacterial infection may also develop in areas of broken skin, aggravating the problem.
Because flea infestations can occur year-round, FAD is not seasonal, which means that your cat or dog can show signs of flea bite dermatitis at any time.
Anti-itch medication can be used for short-term relief while a flea control medication is administered and works to reduce the flea count. Prevention of flea allergy dermatitis is relatively simple and inexpensive. Monthly oral and topical flea preventives are an excellent way to keep your pet and home flea-free.
