Flea dermatitis in cats is an allergic reaction of an animal to a flea bite. As a rule, pets with an increased sensitivity of the body to antigens contained in the saliva of parasites suffer from such a disease. Flea dermatitis is not difficult to diagnose, but allergy treatment is more difficult.
Flea dermatitis symptoms
You can notice flea dermatitis in a cat almost immediately after the onset of an allergic reaction. First of all, the animal begins to show an increased interest in its tail. The cat constantly chews on it, which leads to abundant hair loss. Bleeding ulcers often occur on the affected skin.
Flea dermatitis can occur not only from the massive presence of fleas on the cat's body, but also from single bites. The animal experiences significant discomfort, accompanied by severe itching. The pet becomes irritated and aggressive.
If flea dermatitis is not noticed in time, the results of this disease can be not only the suffering of the animal, but also a significant loss of hair on its body. If you carefully examine the affected areas, you can often find the smallest reddish-brown particles - flea feces. On contact with water, they turn the liquid scarlet.
If you suspect flea dermatitis, the first thing to do is to carefully examine your pet's skin and coat. At the site of flea bites, in the presence of such a disease, irritations in the form of ulcers, abscesses and hard reddish papules necessarily remain.
If there is the slightest suspicion of flea dermatitis, the cat should be shown to a specialist as soon as possible. Otherwise, preventive and therapeutic procedures will have to be carried out until the end of the pet's life.
Treatment for flea dermatitis in cats
Only a veterinarian can prescribe the desired course of treatment for a cat with flea dermatitis. Initially, pets prone to allergic reactions have certain characteristics of the body. It is necessary to select drugs in strict accordance with individual characteristics.
The process of getting rid of a cat's flea allergy typically combines three categories of drugs. Some drugs are used externally, others imply internal use, and others are intended to accelerate the growth of hair on the affected skin.
In addition, if the cat gets sick with flea dermatitis, the owner will have to take serious measures to eliminate possible sources of fleas. A thorough disinfection of the room in which the pet lives is mandatory, and his personal belongings - toys and places to sleep - are treated with special anti-flea drugs.
