How To Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

How To Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

You’ve just come inside from a nice afternoon of playtime in the park, and you notice that your dog has some strange bugs crawling around him. He’s scratching his back and neck, and is generally making a lot of noise about how itchy he is. You look down at his belly, but you don’t see any hair as is usually the case – it’s all short-cut blond grass. The mystery deepens. Suddenly you spot some little black bugs scurrying along the floor. Yep, those are fleas! They’re everywhere . . .

Have you ever noticed that your dog is itching and scratching more than usual? Even if you answered “yes”, I bet you haven’t thought to yourself, “Maybe my dog has fleas”. But have you seen these pesky critters on your four-legged friend in the not so distance past? If yes, no need to fear. I’m here to show you how to tell if your dog has fleas.

How To Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

If you’ve ever had a cat, you know how hard it is to tell if your cat has fleas or lice.

This is because cats are very good at keeping their little secrets and they don’t like you nosing around in their business.

But there are some tell-tale signs that can help you figure out if your cat has fleas or lice.

The first thing to look for is: does your cat have an itch? If so, then it’s most likely that your kitty has fleas.

You’ll notice that your cat will be scratching itself almost nonstop and sometimes even rubbing its face on the carpet or furniture.

If this happens, then there’s a good chance that your kitty has fleas because they love to lay eggs in the carpet and furniture where they live which causes itching for the cat when they walk over them with their paws.

Fleas are tiny insects that feed on blood. They can cause skin irritation, anemia, and flea allergy dermatitis in pets, so it’s important to get rid of them quickly. You can look for these signs:

1. Flea dirt: small black specks that look like pepper sprinkled on your cat’s fur; this is what excreted when flea bites and contains digested blood from feeding time.

2. Flea eggs: These look like small grains of sand and can be found on bedding or furniture where cats have been resting or playing during the day. Eggs hatch into larvae after about two days if they’re not killed off by pesticides (which means they’ll still be around if you don’t use one regularly).

3. Flea larvae: These are tiny white worms that move around in groups called “cocoons.” These cocoons are especially common in areas where cats sleep—like under furniture cushions

How To Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

How do you know if you have a flea infestation? The signs aren’t hard to spot. Your dog may be itching a lot more than usual. Her skin may be irritated, red, or have scabs.¹ She may bite her skin so often that she develops some hair loss. Since other things can also cause itching, it’s a good idea to look for specific signs of fleas, including the ones listed below.

Inspect Your Dog’s Skin

Carefully inspect your dog’s skin to look for fleas. Look for tiny, dark insects that are smaller than ants. Your dog’s armpit and groin areas are favorite flea hangouts because they tend to be warm and protected. Part your dog’s fur with your fingers to expose the skin. If fleas are present, you may notice the following signs:

• The skin may look red and bumpy, especially if your dog has been scratching.
• You may see tiny adult fleas that scurry away quickly or even jump.
• You might see larvae that have hatched or cocooned larvae that are pupating (developing into adults).

Look for Flea Dirt

When inspecting your dog’s skin, you might see tiny black specks that look like finely ground black pepper. This is flea “dirt” (or excrement) and can be another sign of a flea infestation.

You can distinguish flea dirt from ordinary dirt by collecting any black specks that fall off your dog on a white paper towel. Sprinkle the specks with a little water. If they turn a dark reddish-brown color, that’s a sign of flea dirt.

Use a Flea Comb

Work a flea comb through your dog’s hair, starting close to the skin. If your dog has fleas, the fine teeth of the comb should capture some. You can dispose of them in a nearby bowl of soapy water to ensure they don’t survive.

Try a Light Trap

Use a “light trap” to detect fleas in the home. At night, set a small dish of soapy water on the floor near a nightlight. Fleas will jump toward the light and fall into the bowl.

Watch for Tapeworms or Flea Eggs

Tapeworms or flea eggs can also signal that your dog has a problem. Flea eggs look like tiny white ovals that fall off in places like your bed or the carpet.

Tapeworms are internal parasites that a dog might get from swallowing a flea. If you see tiny white segments that look like small grains of rice near where your dog sleeps or sits, this could mean your dog has fleas.² You’ll also want to talk to your veterinarian about tapeworm treatment.

List Of How To Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas