Flea Allergies and Frontline Plus Cats

Filed in archive Did you know , Pet Allergies on January 30, 2010

© kevindooley

Like people, our furry friends can have allergies, too. Some suffer from food allergies and during the pollen season, some show similar symptoms as humans with hay fever. But what many don't know is some dogs and cats also suffer from insect allergies.

I'm not talking about bee sting allergies, which is the more common type of insect allergies in humans, but flea allergies, or flea allergy dermatitis. This condition occur in dogs and cats alike. When fleas bite a pet with flea allergies, the skin reacts to the chemicals in the saliva of the fleas, causing intense itching. The animal would bite and scratch, and "overgroom", which will eventually lead to hair loss and eczematous skin rash on the lower back, upper tail, neck and down the back of the legs. If left untreated, this could lead to secondary bacterial infections.

Although frequent bathing can indeed help reduce your pet's fleas, there are many topical and oral preparations that can be used for flea control, depending on the the severity of the flea allergy dermatitis, the severity of the flea infestation, how many cats you have, the age of your cat, etc. There are flea control solutions like frontline plus cats, for example, that can be used on kittens as young as 8 weeks.

Do consult your vet on which product is best for your cat.