What Doctors Don’t Tell You Australia-NZ – July 22, 2019

66 WDDTY | ISSUE 01 | AUG/SEP 2019 FACEBOOK.COM/WDDTYAUNZ

NATURAL VET

No biting

Fight dog and cat fleas naturally with holistic vet Rohini Sathish’s tried-and-tested solutions

Q

Our cat, Frodo, has been scratching

a lot and was diagnosed with

miliary dermatitis as a result of fleas.

We also have two dogs. Can you

suggest some natural remedies? We are

concerned about using pharmaceutical

and chemical preparations all the time.

T.S., via email

A

Fleas, particularly the dog and cat

flea (Ctenocephalides canis and C.

felis), are a common annoyance for pets

and their owners. These dark brown

‘ectoparasites’—parasites that live on the

skin of their host—produce droppings

resembling charcoal dust (‘flea dirt’)that

can be seen when you part your pet’s fur.

Like Frodo, almost all cats diagnosed

with miliary dermatitis—a general term

used to describe a skin condition caused

by an allergic reaction—actually have

flea-induced allergic dermatitis.

Warm, humid weather is ideal for fleas.

Because of modern central heating, fleas

can survive year-round, but they tend to

peak in spring and autumn. Even indoor

cats can get fleas, as they can be carried

inside on shoes or clothes.

The flea life cycle

Understanding the flea life cycle (right)

is crucial to preventing recurrent

infestations. A single adult female flea

can lay up to 50 eggs a day, which hatch

when the air is warm and humid. Blind

larvae emerge next, which eat the flea dirt,

and eventually spin a cocoon and form

pupae. These pupae have a sticky outer

coating so they can hide deep in bedding

and carpets. Only when a pupa senses a

host nearby—triggered by movement

and body heat—will it hatch into an

adult, starting the cycle again.

Symptoms

A tell-tale sign of fleas is your pet biting or

scratching itself compulsively on various

parts of its body, especially its rump or

back. The base of the tail is a favorite

location. Some pets tend to demonstrate

‘corn cob’ nibbling (when they chew

their fur like they are eating corn on

the cob). Excessive licking and skin

infections may also suggest fleas.

Flea saliva contains a

histamine-like compound

that irritates the skin. If your

pet is allergic to flea saliva,

then just one flea bite can

cause severe flea allergic

dermatitis, one of the most

common causes of itchiness

in dogs and cats.

Young puppies and kittens

may become pale, ill and debilitated

if the flea infestation is severe, because

too much blood loss can

cause anemia.

Diagnosis

Flea dirt on the

back and neck, hair

loss from chewing

and finding

actual fleas when

combing your pet

can confirm a flea

infestation.However,

fleas are not always visible

on your pet since they

tend to groom them

off quickly—so not

finding any doesn’t

mean you don’t have

a flea issue.

You can try the wet paper test to confirm

flea dirt (see ‘top tip’, below).

As fleas are the hosts for both dog and

cat tapeworm, tapeworms in the feces

also suggest a flea infestation.

If a dog suffers from allergic

dermatitis, antibody testing

may be needed to confirm a

flea allergy.

Conventional treatment

Your vet will treat flea

allergic dermatitis with

steroids, antihistamines and

washes and may even prescribe

antibiotics if there is a secondary

bacterial infection. You will then be

advised to put flea control measures in

place. Flea treatments sold exclusively by

vets tend to be more effective and have

better safety profiles. Over-the-counter

products are potentially dangerous, so I

recommend avoiding them.

TOP TIP

You can easily determine

whether your pet has fleas by

using the wet paper test. Place your

pet on or near a damp, white paper

towel and brush or comb the fur so

that any dirt falls onto the paper.

If the dirt is flea dirt, the little

black specs will turn red,

confirming fleas.

Life cycle

of a flea

Host

Flea eggs

Flea larva

Flea adult Flea pupa