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FLEAS, FLEAS, EVERYWHERE
The problem begins with some scratching here and there. Maybe you spot some tiny specks around the house that you might’ve missed before. Maybe that beautiful hair that was so thick is looking a tad thin these days. Before you know it … yep. It’s confirmed.
Fido has fleas. And you’d better check Fluffy the Cat, too.
More than 2,500 different species of fleas exist throughout the world, yet one is the most common among American dogs and cats. It’s called Ctenocephalides felis, or the cat flea. That’s right. If your dog has fleas, they’re most likely cat fleas.
Every pet owner should be aware of the signs of a possible flea infestation.
They include:
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Your dog (or cat) is scratching. Even if you don’t catch fleas red-handed, if you see your pet scratching or biting at its fur, fleas may well be the culprit. That’s because not only can fleas cause a sharp pain when they bite, their salivary glands give off a substance that's irritating to many dogs and cats.
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You can see them. Adult fleas are about an eighth of an inch long. They’re reddish-brown and very thin. It’s hard to really see what they look like without a microscope (though it’s easier on a light-colored fur), but they do have big back legs. They can jump, by some measurements, upward and outward at least 12 inches in a single leap. And one estimation finds that for every adult flea found on your pet, there are at least 100 immature ones hanging around.
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You can see what they leave behind. It’s called “flea dirt,” and it looks a little like pepper. You can spot it on your pet’s skin, or your pet could leave it someplace, like:
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Its bedding
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The carpet
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That favorite chair he’s been sleeping on even though you’ve ushered him off it a thousand times
The specks are actually bits of dried blood that will turn from black, to brown, and finally back to red if you re-hydrate them on a wet paper towel.
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