Can cat antihistamines stop allergic reactions to flea bites?

I can understand being nervous about steroids, but that is what helps with allergies, especially flea allergies. If you clear up all the fleas both on Cody and in your home, then likely only a short course of steroids is needed. I would speak with your vet about your concerns, and discuss trying a course of steroids, which would likely really help him.

I'm sorry your cats (and you!) are dealing with you. Unfortunately, once a cat has a flea dermatitis, the itching and skin problems can continue even once you get rid of the fleas. The degree of which really depends on the severity of their sensitivity to flea bites. Often, we have to use antihistamines or steroids to resolve the inflammation. Sometimes we also have to incorporate antibiotics if there is an infection. For dogs, there are topical shampoos we can use, but those are often not a good option for cats. So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine your cats' skin to determine if there is a secondary skin infection or just inflammation in order to help you determine the best treatment. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry you are dealing with this with Loca. Flea bites can be very irritating to cats, so I'm glad you have treated the house and Loca. Unfortunately, antihistamines can be very difficult to give to cats because they are very bitter tasting. Most often I have found that when cats have a number of crusts from flea bites, that I need to give them an antibiotic to resolve the crusting, so I would have your vet evaluate her and prescribe an antibiotic to get the crusts to resolve. Sometimes you even need a steroid if the crusts are severe. Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I have a flea-allergic cat too and it is very frustrating. Ask your vet about giving her an over-the-counter allergy medication to help relieve the itching. Chlorpheniramine and cetirizine (Zyrtec) are commonly used to help cats with itching. Something else to consider is that your cat may have other allergies that are contributing to the problem. A common allergy is to the protein source in the food. Ask your vet about a limited diet or about getting Boris started on a product like Prescription Diet z/d. This diet is formulated with hydrolyzed proteins, a process that changes the protein in the food in such a way that the body doesn't recognize it as an allergen, and it still provides the nutrition your cat needs to be healthy. Also, consider asking for a recommendation to a veterinary dermatologist. They have more and better testing available to them as well as specialty education in skin problems that may make them better able to help you and your cat.

If Bugs responded to steroids and antihistamines it may be an allergic reaction. You may talk to your vet about allergies caused by flea bites, food allergies, or environmental allergies. In some pets, 1 flea bite can cause a body-wide allergic reaction. He may also need a hypoallergenic cat food for a few months. Common causes of increased eosinophils are allergies, parasites (external and intestinal parasites), and fungal infection.

Although not the typical affected areas, make sure flea are controlled as this can contribute to ther allergies. A food change may make a bit different as this can be a food allergy. You want to switch to a hypoallergenic diet; royal canin, Purina and science diet all have good diets for this. From there you may need a low dose of cortisone intermittently to help but cats can build a resistance to long term use and have side effects. There is another immunosuppressive drug known as atopica that is helping some cats now. There is another drug called Apoquel that is not labeled for cats but is showing good relief in several

Unfortunately, coconut oil really doesn't help at all, and cats typically just lick it off away. Cats can develop flea allergies as a result of a severe infestation of fleas, and that could be causing Charlie's continuing skin problems. Make sure to give him his flea treatments monthly and disinfect the environment. Yes you can give Benadryl to cats with allergies, but I would only give it if your vet prescribed it. They will know if it's safe to give Charlie or not. You may want to have him seen by a vet though. Flea allergies can be treated with medications such as steroids, and you can speak to the vet to see if that's an option for him. If it is, the vet can prescribe them for him.