If you have a pet dog, you must be worrying or wondering how to know if they have fleas and if so, how to get rid of them.It is a very common question by most pet keepers because many times they see their dog struggling with flea bites issues or flea dirt. Let’s find out how to get rid of them!There are some signs that show your dog has fleas, as per a vet, and it is important to get rid of fleas on dogs for their well-being. Fleas on your dog can be identified if you find your dog scratching around their body, shaking the head, biting themselves, a lot more than usual. Dogs will have several symptoms when suffering from flea bites, they will be found scratching and licking themselves, some black specks will be seen around the tail, ears, paws, and head, and sometimes a reddish-brown skin rash is also spotted which is very irritating for the dogs.Fleas on your dog are tiny, dirty, scary bloodthirsty bugs that drink a large amount of blood from your dog’s skin which is even more than their weight and therefore considered as a life threat to your pet dogs and even the puppies and they also affect those dogs who are sick. These fleas will bite on your dog’s skin which will cause irritation, restlessness, itchiness and even allergic reactions to the dog and they are hard to find and are not easily visible on the body of the dog because of the fur, coat, soft skin.If you wish to learn more about similar contents, you can also check out these how do flea eggs look like and how to get rid of sugar ants.What to do if your dog has fleas?There are many ways to get rid of fleas on dogs as they look like tiny creatures but cause a lot of irritation and a flea infestation is found mostly in summer seasons which causes allergies and an itchy feeling.The adult fleas need a temperature of 65-80 F (18.3-26.6 C) and humidity levels of 75-85 % for the flea bites so if in summer season you feel like your dog is showing symptoms like scratching, biting, or an itchy feeling than you may tell if your dog is suffering from the flea bites. There are four major ways through which your dog can get rid of fleas and flea bites look. The very first step is to understand the flea’s life cycle which is divided into four stages that are egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The adult fleas suck much of the blood from the dog’s body and a female adult flea can lay up to 2000 eggs and at a time within 1-10 days the flea eggs can hatch and sign like scratching, the itching will be caused.Then they turn into larvae and feed on the thing called flea dirt and when turned into the pupa stage they form cocoons and tend to stay not only on the host but also their surrounding areas like warm carpets, sofa, and hidden places. One should know about the life cycle because while the treatment the veterinarian should know the stage and treat accordingly. The second way is flea prevention and treatment and you should contact your vet at the very first stage so that your dog doesn’t suffer much. If this tiny flea has already entered your dog’s skin (pet) then you may use these alternatives other than the preventions like flea comb, flea shampoos, and flea pill by which the flea dirt can be removed. One must also follow the prescriptions of the vet.The next step is to try to keep the fleas out of your home and this can be done by washing the dog bed in a bowl of hot soapy water and also washing your bedding, vacuuming all the hardware and belongings in which the dog has come into contact, apply environmental flea control spray for treating the flea dirt. A nontoxic flea treatment for your yard and house and could also be used for the dog’s house, treating your pet with preventative measures, and the last step which is very important that is talking to your veterinarian who can lead you to take proper alternatives and treatments for the flea bites and infestation. The flea bite looks like small bloodthirsty parasites reddish-brown in color on their coat and fur.What are the signs of fleas on dogs?There are several symptoms and signs that show fleas have affected your dog’s skin or body. Some basic signs like scratching, reddish-brown specks, biting, hair loss may reveal that your dog has fleas or just dry skin.The fleas in your pet cause allergies related to flea saliva. Fleas in your dog or pets can cause secondary bacterial infections that could turn fatal but in some dogs, it is seen that they show no signs of misbehaving like scratching, biting, or maybe hair loss it means the flea parasites have already entered your pet’s body or skin. Dogs also come in the trap of some other diseases like cat flea rickettsiosis and flea-borne typhus or develop tapeworms, and sometimes a dog may also have chewing problems. Restlessness, skin color becoming pale, pale gums, and itching are some other signs of fleas attacking a dog’s body. They are least visible in light as the flea eggs or the flea spots or droppings easily fall on the ground because they look like tiny ovals with a very small structure.Set a trap and try to figure out whether your dog is suffering from fleas or something else. These fleas feed on a dog’s blood and leave dark specks which can be differentiated from flea dirt with the help of a paper towel and a water sprayer. The gums are pale in color indicating flea infestation. Sometimes it gets difficult to find or locate in dogs’ skin because many dogs are of light color. Some companies or pet care provider offers proper pest management to prevent fleas from affecting one’s dog.How do dogs get fleas?Fleas are dirty and unpleasant insects or we can say pest who mostly feeds on cats and dogs and enter their skin or fur and make them irritate and this mostly happens in the summer season but in some countries, this issue goes year around.They are also of brown color which is not so easily visible on the dog’s fur and are very dirty and slippery. The main reason for a dog getting fleas is of the dog or cat going at that place where there are fleas or if they come in contact with some other dogs then also there is a chance of getting fleas. If you are taking the dog or cat to a veterinarian then be careful because that place may also be affected with the same flea issue, cats may give dogs a plea but fleas are not picky pests but the most common flea in a dog is the domestic cat flea. Fleas are parasites and are not at all like tapeworms. When they enter the dog’s body, it immensely irritates the dog and their skin, which causes them stress and pain.How to get rid of fleas on a dog?There are several ways to get rid of fleas on a dog, as discussed earlier it can be treated naturally at home or you may also consult a vet for the same issue.Props like a flea comb, soapy water for cleaning the dog’s bed and your own bedding, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, brewer’s yeast, apple cider vinegar, flea spray, and citrus are some basic home remedies that are used for treating fleas. Hair loss and skin becoming dry due to itching and scratching are caused by fleas and ticks and not tapeworms. If a person understands the life cycle of fleas then it becomes very easy to get rid of fleas as the four stages include the fleas’ eggs and hatching of these eggs which become larvae and produce cocoons.A very simple way to detect that whether there are fleas in your home or not is to set a trap and they may be identified through their droppings, usually known as flea dirt, which could be identified with a white paper towel. While brushing your pet check the comb and brush very carefully for the presence of fleas. The very last method to determine the presence of fleas is to take your pet to the vet for better recommendations and proper prevention and treatment. Flea control products are also available at pet stores for treating this issue of dirty and irritating fleas.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to know if your dog has fleas then why not take a look at how to clean a dog, or how long do betta fish live.
If you have a pet dog, you must be worrying or wondering how to know if they have fleas and if so, how to get rid of them.
