Fleas on Dogs
Fleas are the most common external parasite of dogs in North America and a nuisance for dog owners almost everywhere. They make dogs itchy, can trigger skin allergies, and can spread other problems, including tapeworm. The good news is that they are very treatable once you understand how they live.
How to Spot Fleas
Look for scratching, nibbling at the skin, or small dark specks in the coat. To check, run a fine-toothed flea comb through your dog's coat, then tip what you collect onto a damp white paper towel. Flea droppings, often called flea dirt, are dried blood, so they dissolve into reddish smears.
Why the Home Matters
The fleas you see on your dog are only part of the problem. Female fleas can lay 40 to 50 eggs a day. The eggs soon fall off your dog into the home, where they develop into larvae and then cocoons in sheltered spots such as carpets, under furniture and in pet bedding. New adult fleas then jump back onto your dog.
Because of this life cycle, an established flea problem can take several months to clear, even with good treatment. To get on top of it:
- Treat every dog and cat in the home, not just the one that's scratching.
- Keep treating for as long as the product label and your vet advise, even after you stop seeing fleas.
- Ask your vet whether the home also needs treating.
Treatment and Prevention
There are many flea products for dogs, including spot-ons, tablets, chews, collars and sprays. They work in different ways, and some also cover other parasites. Your vet can recommend one that suits your dog and local parasites. Product availability differs from country to country.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends treating dogs with flea control all year round and throughout their life, to stop fleas settling in the home in the first place.
Use products safely:
- Use a product made for dogs, matched to your dog's life stage and weight. For puppies, check the label covers their age and minimum weight.
- Read the label every time, even for a product you've used before, and follow the directions exactly.
- Wash your hands after applying a product.
Dog Flea Products Can Kill Cats
Never use a dog flea product on a cat. Some dog products contain permethrin, which cats cannot clear from their bodies. Even a few drops of a concentrated spot-on, on the skin or licked off, can cause tremors, seizures and death in a sensitive cat.
If you have dogs and cats, apply spot-ons and sprays to one pet at a time and keep a treated dog away from cats until the product has dried, so the cat can't groom or lick the treated area. If a cat is exposed to a dog flea product, contact a vet straight away, even if the cat seems fine.
Fleas and People
Fleas from an infested home will bite people too, which can cause itchy reactions. Treating your pets and your home protects your household as well as your dog.
See also Vaccinations, Dog Care and Finding a Puppy.
Sources
- Companion Animal Parasite Council, Fleas
- US Food and Drug Administration, Safe Use of Flea and Tick Products in Pets
- ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety), Do Not Treat Your Cat With Antiparasitics for Dogs
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