Flea Allergy in Dogs
A flea allergy is one of the most common allergies in dogs. A flea allergy is not so much an allergy to the flea itself, but rather a reaction to the flea's saliva. When a flea bites a dog to take a blood meal, it injects some saliva to prevent the blood from clotting. You can compare this to a mosquito bite. This saliva contains allergens/proteins to which dogs can react with an allergic inflammatory response; this can lead to intense itching and skin problems such as hot spots, often on the rear half of the body. If your dog has a flea allergy, strict and thorough flea control is an absolute must.
Symptoms of a flea allergy
Dogs allergic to fleas can react very strongly to just one flea bite. A dog does not need to be covered in fleas to have an allergic reaction. Most dogs suffer from their flea allergy especially in summer and autumn, as that is when there are the most fleas.
Symptoms of a flea allergy can include:
- Persistent itching on the hindquarters, belly, and back
- The dog will roll a lot to relieve the itching.
- The itching is accompanied by inflammation, crusts, and hair loss, especially on the hindquarters.
- The dog licks a lot.
- The itching is present in many animals (almost) all year round.
An allergic reaction can sometimes last weeks to months. It is therefore possible for a dog to have an allergic reaction to a flea bite even when no fleas are present on the animal.
