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Can a cat's flea allergy trigger an autoimmune skin condition in them?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 8 lbs

can feline flea allergy set off auto immune pemphigus foliaceus?

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1 Answer

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Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on November 9th, 2017

Good question. Auto immune diseases are still not as understood as we would like. We do know that almost anything that stimulates the immune system can trigger an episode if they are prone to developing an immune mediated disease. Such triggers include vaccinations, infection, and chronic inflammation . This can certainly include flea allergy. We believe there are genetic and environmental factors working together to cause these diseases to flare up. Best of luck and I hope Ziggy improves soon.

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