Final answer:
Flea allergic dermatitis is an allergic reaction to flea saliva, resulting in skin inflammation and severe itching for animals sensitive to flea bites. It is treated through flea control and medications to relieve inflammation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Flea allergic dermatitis is A) An allergy to fleas' saliva. This condition is a type of allergic reaction where an animal's immune system is hypersensitive to the saliva of fleas. When a flea bites an animal, it injects saliva into the skin, and for sensitive animals, this can result in severe itching and discomfort, leading to skin inflammation, hair loss, and secondary infections due to scratching. It is one of various types of allergies that animals can suffer from, alongside food allergies, contact allergies, and atopic dermatitis, which is an allergic reaction often associated with antigens like dust mites.
Although eczema is another form of allergic dermatitis characterized by itchy patches of skin and can sometimes be linked to allergies, such as those to dust mites, flea allergic dermatitis specifically relates to a reaction to flea bites. The condition is treated by eliminating fleas from the animal's environment, using flea control products, and treating the inflamed skin with medications like corticosteroids or immunosuppressants to relieve symptoms.