Dogs that have flea allergy dermatitis are hypersensitive to the saliva a flea passes into the dog’s skin when it bites.
If your dog is flea allergic, he always will be, and the severity of this allergy typically worsens as he ages.
The problem can only be resolved by ridding the fleas, but there are medications available, that will alleviate the itching and discomfort until you have completed to get rid of the fleas .
Symptoms of a flea allergy dermatitis are:
- Scratching, itching, chewing and biting of the tail, rump, back legs and occasionally front legs
- Loss of hair, reddish dyed, thickened, broken hair
- Crusts and erosions of the skin, pimples, bumps
- Hot spots sometimes can be seen along the dog’s back and tail base, hips, or groin area, with usually circular, red, oozing, and very painful sores , often requiring medical attention
- Fleas, or just flea feces
Note that:
Your dog with a flea allergy may have very few fleas – because they are so itchy,he grooms himself excessively, eliminating any evidence of fleas. However, a couple of flea bites every two weeks are sufficient to make him itch all the time.