One day, you’re enjoying the warm weather with your dog or cat. The next, your pet and your home have been completely taken over by fleas. Sound familiar?

A flea infestation can seem like an ambush, but really, it’s a gradual takeover that can happen right under your pet’s nose. Learn how to tell if your pet has fleas before the issue gets out of hand and why it’s so common for these tiny insects to go undercover until they’ve completely taken over.

What Do Fleas Look Like on Pets?

An adult flea is usually black or brownish red in color. It’s about the size of a sesame seed with a small head and six long legs.

Fleas can be hard to detect because they cling to their host’s skin. In pets with dark-colored fur, as well as those with a longer coat, it can be nearly impossible to catch the tiny insects in action.

What’s more, fleas jump at incredible heights and speeds, propelling forward over 2 yards per second. You might think you’re seeing things when you see a dot crawling on your pet, only for it to disappear in the blink of an eye.

While you can sometimes spot a flea crawling on your pet, you’re much more likely to see evidence of their existence in the form of flea dirt.

What’s “Flea Dirt”?

Fleas feed off your pet’s blood, and what goes in must come out. Flea dirt is actually flea poop consisting of digested blood. It can look sort of like used coffee grounds. If you notice small clumps of dark “dirt” in your pet’s fur, chances are it’s actually flea poop.

You can check your pet for flea dirt with the “paper towel test.” Dampen a paper towel, then wipe it over your pet or use the towel to wipe any up “dirt” that you find when you brush your pet. Regular dirt will remain brown when it comes in contact with water. Flea dirt will leave blood-red streaks when you wipe it up with a wet paper towel.

Where Do Fleas Hide on Pets?

Fleas tend to lurk in longer, thicker fur. While you can sometimes find them on any part of the body, especially when they crawl over thinly furred areas like your pet’s face or belly, they’re actually more likely to hunker down on or around your pet’s neck, at the base of their tail, on their hindquarters, and between their toes.

Pay special attention to these areas when checking your pet for fleas, especially when looking for newly attached hitchhikers they may pick up after an outdoor excursion.

Do Fleas Always Make Pets Itch?

A protein found in flea saliva triggers one of the most common allergies in dogs and cats. Some pets experience unbearable itch from even just one flea bite.

For pets that do not suffer from flea bite dermatitis, though, one flea may not cause much of an itch. However, that one flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day. That means by the time you notice serious itching and scratching, the buggers will have already taken over your pet’s environment.

That’s why it’s vitally important to check your pet regularly for fleas before you notice any signs of scratching.

Can My Pet Get Fleas While on a Flea and Tick Preventative?

Flea and tick preventatives are highly effective at killing fleas before they can lay eggs and infest your home. However, it’s still possible for your pet to pick up fleas, even if you use a flea and tick preventative.

If your home or garden is heavily infested with fleas, your pet’s flea and tick preventative may not be able to kill them fast enough to stop your pet from getting bitten. That’s why it’s so important to treat your pet’s environment, including carpets, bedding, lawns, and wood piles.

Keep in mind that all pets in your home should be on a flea and tick preventative year-round, even if they do not go outside, as fleas can be carried in by other pets and even by human family members.

What To Do If Your Pet Has Fleas

If you discover your pet has fleas, brace yourself for at least a few weeks of consistent treatment. Adult fleas make up less than 5% of the flea population, the remaining 95% consisting of eggs, pupae, and larvae that can lay dormant in your pet’s environment for a long time. You’ll need to target all fleas, not just the ones currently feeding off your pet, to get rid of the buggers for good.

A flea and tick preventative is your pet’s first line of defense against fleas. Your pet should be protected year-round, as fleas and their offspring can survive indoors in all seasons. Then, take a multi-faceted approach to treating your pet’s environment to get rid of fleas in all stages of their life cycle. By using premise sprays for your home and garden, daily vacuuming, and by laundering washable surfaces, you can expect to get rid of fleas in a matter of weeks.

Continue to check your pet daily for fleas and signs of skin irritation associated with flea bites. If fleas or skin issues persist, see your veterinarian or make an online televet appointment today.

VISION

Every pet deserves to live a long, happy, healthy life.