Fleas are a parasite that lives on the skin and sucks the blood of our favorite pets, they will feed on mammals like dogs and cats, and on birds.
Fleas are skin parasites that can cause a lot of discomfort for pets that are infested with them. We primarily see fleas on dogs and cats but other animals can carry them as well. Fleas bite their victims and suck their blood, the bite can produce skin rashes and irritations and make the animal very itchy. Dogs and Cats can become infested with fleas very quickly and the fleas are carriers for disease and tapeworms.
Diagnosing fleas on dogs and cats –
- The animal will be very itchy, all over. The dog or cat will scratch and bite at their skin, some will whine in discomfort.
- While examining the skin you may see some fleas running around and you may find dry curly pieces of dirt. This curly dirt is known as “flea dirt” and is a definite sign of flea infestation.
- Use a very fine tooth comb, or purchase a flea comb at a pet store, to comb through the pets fur, this will comb some fleas off the pet and some of this “curly dirt”. Place this “curly dirt” on a white piece of paper and wet it with water or alcohol, if it turn red or bleeds then it's not really dirt, it's flea poop. If you find flea dirt then your pet definitely has fleas.
- Animals with severe flea infestation will have bites at the tail head and inside the back legs. Some dogs have severe reactions to flea bites and their skin will become red and angry looking and scabbed. Hair loss is also common in flea allergy dogs. These severe cases may need to be seen by a veterinarian and given treatment to bring down the inflammation and make the animal more comfortable while the flea infestation is being treated. Cats with severe flea reactions will have scabs down their back. In some cases where a pet has severe allergies to fleas, just one flea bite will cause a severe reaction and make the animal miserable with itchy skin. These cases will need year round protection from fleas by using a flea preventative.
- While the dog or cat is scratching at their skin because of the flea bites they can do a lot of damage to the skin, opening up the opportunity for other diseases and skin issues to develop.
Related articles: Flea and Tick Control and House and Yard Flea Treatment and Flea Treatments That Work.
The copyright of the article Dog Flea and Cat Flea in Pet Care is owned by Charla Dawson. Permission to republish Dog Flea and Cat Flea must be granted by the author in writing.
