Fleas can be a significant burden for dogs because the parasites cause severe itching. In addition, more and more dogs are showing an allergy to flea saliva, which causes additional health problems for the affected animals. But how does a flea saliva allergy manifest itself in dogs and what can the dog owner do about it?
What causes flea saliva allergy in dogs?
A flea saliva allergy in dogs occurs when the animals react allergically to certain ingredients in the saliva of fleas. Since fleas feed on the blood of their host and therefore bite them, the flea saliva got into the dog’s skin. There it is interpreted by the immune system as a dangerous foreign organism and as a result, the dog’s immune system starts various defense mechanisms, which manifest themselves in the form of allergic reactions. Flea saliva allergy is usually manifested by severe itching and the affected animal scratches and licks the respective regions, which in turn can lead to skin lesions and bacterial infections. Due to the flea saliva allergy, dogs often lose their fur in the areas where the allergic reactions occur more intensely, which causes severe redness and lesions on the skin to become visible.
What can you do against flea saliva allergy?
First and foremost, the dog owner must of course do something about the fleas, for which special flea treatments and dog shampoos against fleas are available. Flea combs can also provide a very good service to a certain extent, but combing them out alone will not remove the fleas’ eggs! If the flea saliva allergy becomes more severe and the dog shows various symptoms of the disease, it is of course absolutely advisable to consult the veterinarian. If bacterial infections of the dog’s skin occur due to flea saliva allergy, veterinarians often recommend using something to strengthen the animal’s immune system, e.g. with DOG FIT by PreThis VITAL immun, to do.
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