How Will You Know If Your Pet Has FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS? Flea Allergy Dermatitis, or FAD for short, is the number one most common illness caused by fleas. Some vets that specialize in pet allergy say that as many as 40% of all pets may suffer from FAD.
Because the symptoms of FAD are not specific to FAD and could also mean that your pet has other skin problems or allergies it can be difficult to know if your pet might have FAD or if your pet has some other skin problem. Especially if you don't see any fleas you might think it couldn't possibly be FAD. If your cat or dog has FAD and not just any old skin problem you will notice your pet has these symptoms or starts to display these behaviors:
1. Severe itching - Anytime the air is dry your pet could get a little itchy. But if the itching is serious enough that it wakes your pet out of a sound sleep or if you can't seem to stroke or hold your pet without it becoming itchy and uncomfortable that is severe itching. Also if you pet seems to spend less time sleeping than usual and more time itching that's a definite sign of FAD.
2. Chewing and biting the tail, rump, back legs - Sometimes a pet with FAD will also check or lick at their front legs excessively. But most of the time it's the area just above their tail, on their sides, and their back legs. If your pet is licking these areas, pulling the fur off these areas, or scratching and biting at those areas you can be pretty sure that your pet is suffering from FAD.
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Matt Le Tutla
