A flea infestation is every dog owner's worst nightmare because, once they get onto your dog, they will invade your entire home and they can be very difficult to deal with. If you notice that your dog is scratching themselves a lot and chewing at their skin, you may automatically assume that they have fleas. However, there are other potential causes, like skin conditions, so before you start panicking about fleas, you need to work out what is causing the irritation. The easiest way to do that is to look for the signs of flea bites on your dog.
What Do Flea Bites Look Like On Dogs?
Flea bites on humans are very easy to spot because we aren’t covered in fur. If there are fleas in the home and you have been bitten, you’ll know about it because it will be incredibly itchy, and you will have a small raised red bump. Unfortunately, they can be harder to spot on dogs because they are hidden in the fur.
Flea bites on dogs also appear as small red bumps and they are usually much smaller than other insect bites, so if you notice large bites, it may not necessarily be fleas. However, some dogs have a more aggressive reaction to flea bites so the red area will be larger. If your dog has been scratching and biting at their flea bites, this will also make it appear redder.
Other Symptoms Of Fleas
As well as the bites themselves, there are some other symptoms of fleas that you should watch out for. Flea bites are very uncomfortable, so your dog will most likely be scratching themselves more than normal and they may even bite their skin.
Hair loss in patches is common in dogs that have fleas because they are constantly scratching and biting the same areas. In these patches, you may also notice large red areas and even scabs if they have broken the skin.
If you suspect that your dog might have fleas, it’s a good idea to check their coat and droppings for fleas. When you comb through their coat with a flea comb, you may notice the fleas themselves, and they can also be found in the droppings. Fleas also leave their own droppings in your dog’s coat, so even if you don’t catch the fleas themselves, you may still notice small black flecks in your dog’s fur. This flea dirt will also be picked up by a flea comb.
Complications Caused By Flea Bites
Flea bites can lead to serious complications in some dogs. Flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common skin issues in dogs and it affects dogs that are allergic to flea saliva. Flea bites on dogs that suffer from this condition will be much more aggressive and the normal symptoms that you notice will be far more pronounced.
Dogs with a serious flea infestation may also suffer from anemia because fleas can eat 15 times their own body weight in blood every day. That excess blood loss can lead to anemia, especially in puppies. If you notice a lack of energy, loss of appetite, weight loss or yellow gums, these could be a sign that your dog has anemia, and it may be related to flea bites
If dogs ingest the fleas that are on their fur, they may also develop a tapeworm because fleas carry these parasites. Luckily, tapeworms are not usually harmful, and they are easy to treat, but they will cause weight loss and gastrointestinal problems in your dog.
Flea prevention is so important if you want to avoid these health issues, so make sure that you follow the advice of your vet and use the right flea prevention products for your dog.
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