Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Flea allergy common in dogs across Japan including northern areas
By Ichikawa, Y & Beugnet, F·Published in Parasite (Paris, France)·2012·Merial Japan Limited, Japan·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Epidemiological survey of anti-flea IgE in dogs in Japan by using an antigen-specific IgE quantitative measurement method.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A survey in Japan found that over half of the dogs tested had a specific immune response to flea allergens, indicating they had been exposed to fleas. Out of 214 dogs from various regions, 110 were positive for flea-specific IgE, showing that flea problems are common even in areas where they are usually thought to be rare. This suggests that pet owners should be vigilant about flea prevention for their dogs, regardless of where they live. Regular flea treatments can help keep your pet comfortable and free from infestations.
People also search for: dog flea prevention · signs of fleas in dogs · best flea treatments for dogs
Abstract
In Japan, an epidemiological survey was performed in dogs from October to December 2008 by using a quantitative measurement method for antigen-specific IgE towards specific Ctenocephalides felis antigens. 214 dogs from 22 veterinary clinics were included. These clinics were located as follows, from North to South: Hokkaido, Aomori, Fukushima, Tochigi, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo (Tama-City and Ota-ku), Kanagawa, Gifu, Niigata, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hyogo, Kagawa, Ehime, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. 110 dogs (51.4%) were seropositive for flea-specific IgE. No differences were associated with gender or breed. This survey confirms that flea infestation in dogs is a common problem in Japan. It especially shows that the infestation also occurs in Northern Japan where fleas are considered uncommon by the vet.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22550629/