When you notice your dog is not behaving as himself and catch him constantly scratching himself, it could be that your dog is suffering from fleas. These tiny insects are common to ambush both cats and dogs who carry them around in their fur. With their incredible jumping ability, fleas can easily jump from the ground on your pet or from pet to pet. As a pet owner, you must check your dog for fleas regularly as they can make your pet not only miserable but also seriously ill if left untreated. Depending on the age and wellbeing of your furry friend, fleas can pose a serious health threat.
In addition to the itching they cause, fleas can also transmit severe infections and can cause flea allergy dermatitis and anemia. It is therefore extremely important as a dog owner to recognize a flea infestation and how to properly treat the ambush. Fleas are annoying tiny creatures and when your dog is ambushed, they can jump through your house and even jump to humans or other pets. Do you suspect your dog is suffering from fleas, but are you not entirely sure? Continue reading and learn about the key symptoms to determine whether your dog is suffering from fleas or not. You will also learn how to treat the infestation properly, so your dog can be his happy self again.
What are fleas?
Fleas are very tiny insects that mostly live in the fur of your cat or dog. Though they are tiny, the discomfort they cause to your dog can be huge. When it is time for fleas to reproduce, they rely on a blood meal and start looking for pets to ambush. Your pet and its fur make the perfect place for a flea to reproduce. The blood from your pet serves as fuel for the fleas to lay eggs, and your pet’s fur makes a safe environment for the eggs to come out.
An adult flea can produce as much as 50 eggs a day and to be able to do this, they need to consume big amounts of fuel. A flea is more than capable of doing so, as it can eat as much as 15 times its own body weight, which is a huge amount for such a tiny insect. Fleas have a rapid reproduction rate and can multiply themselves in a matter of seconds. The average amount of fleas a dog can carry in its fur when being infested is between 200 and 300 fleas.
