what to do if my dog has fleas bad
Symptoms of Fleas on Dogs
By Elizabeth Xu
Fleas are tiny lilliputian pests that can cause big issues for your domestic dog. In one case fleas are on your dog they can crusade a number of problems, and afterwards they enter your dwelling house they might fifty-fifty banquet on you. The prevention of fleas is important, and flea treatment should happen in a timely manner, but these parasites are so modest that sometimes they can be tricky to spot.
Here are some symptoms of fleas on dogs that yous should lookout man out for.
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Beyond Scratching: Symptoms of Fleas
Scratching is usually one common indicator of fleas, but you tin can't assume that your dog doesn't have fleas just because in that location's no scratching. Some dogs are very sensitive to flea bites and will scratch endlessly. Others are more than tolerant and volition be nearly covered with fleas but will scratch very footling. There are other symptoms you should know about, especially since fleas are so modest that yous tin can't necessarily trust your eyes, says Danel Grimmett, DVM, of Sunset Veterinarian Clinic in Oklahoma.
"Fleas are sneaky. Then many times I bring upward the subject of fleas and see the possessor physically bristle and tell me they haven't seen whatsoever," she says. "By the time most people meet a flea, if they ever do, their pet volition most likely be covered in dozens, if non hundreds, of the creatures."
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Gnawing and Biting
If your domestic dog is gnawing or biting, specially at the top side of the base of their tail, they should definitely be evaluated for fleas.
"If you see a canis familiaris gnawing at that expanse, information technology's ever wise to just run a flea rummage through the fur at the base of the tail, running up the lower part of the spine," says John Clark, DVM, of Community Veterinary Clinic in Florida, noting that the base of the tail is a prime spot for fleas, likely due to the moisture in that area.
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Hair Loss in Dogs
Gnawing or scratching tin can often lead to another tell-tale sign of fleas, says Grimmett—hair loss or matted hair. Usually once the fleas are gone the pilus will grow dorsum, only sometimes there are more lasting effects, she says.
"Sometimes such severe trauma has occurred that the resulting scars tin exist seen over the lifetime of the dog," Grimmett says. "Deep scaring is ofttimes the result of the pet traumatizing itself because of the severe itching."
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Red Marks or Scabs
Although it'southward not a guarantee, a dog with fleas will sometimes show visible signs on their skin. Clark says "little red marks" on the base of operations of the tail are 1 symptom of flea bites, and that a more generalized redness tin can occur if the dog scratches himself a lot.
A dog with a flea allergy or numerous fleas might take scabs or wounds on their skin, says Eva Evans, DVM, a veterinarian in Tennessee.
These symptoms can get serious if not taken care of, Grimmett says, noting that bacterial infections tin also occur.
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"Coffee Grounds"
Another possible indication of fleas is the presence of what looks like stale java grounds on the peel, Grimmett says. Dog owners might just think their pet is extra dirty, but that stuff is really flea feces containing digested blood. Try putting a trivial bit on a white sheet of paper and adding a drop of water. The liquid will start to plough red.
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Stake Gums
Although fleas don't target a dog's gums, signs of fleas tin can all the same be nowadays there. Clark says dogs with a astringent flea trouble may lose and then much blood that they get anemia, which tin can cause a dog'due south gums to become white or pale pink. Evans says severe anemia can be fatal, especially in puppies.
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Behavioral Signs
Non all symptoms of fleas on dogs are concrete—a flea infestation tin can make dogs act differently, too. Sometimes dogs tin can be cranky, restless or just plain acting odd, Grimmett says.
"Imagine having small-scale bugs crawling all over you, biting you, making you lot terribly itchy day and night and non having any way to communicate your misery? Wouldn't you be tired and cranky?" she says.
It'south important to keep in mind that pets in the same household who take fleas might react differently, Clark says. "For some reason, some dogs are super sensitive to fleas and other dogs aren't." If 1 pet in the house has fleas, it's safe to assume they all do, even if they aren't all showing the same symptoms.
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Prevention and Treatment of Fleas
Flea prevention is much easier than eradicating many tiny fleas and their offspring from your dog and your home. In that location are several things you tin do to forestall fleas, Evans says.
"The all-time, safest and about effective way is to utilize a prescription product from your veterinarian," she says. "The over-the-counter medications can cause serious reactions and rarely ever actually piece of work well. The prescription products are much safer and are fully effective. Yous tin also prevent fleas by keeping your pet abroad from flea infested areas, just this is difficult because you lot tin can't ever know what areas are infested with fleas."
If your domestic dog already has fleas, Evans recommends, putting all the dogs and cats in your dwelling house on an effective flea prevention production from your veterinarian, vacuuming your whole business firm (including upholstered furniture), laundering all pet and human bedding, and consulting with outdoor professionals to see what should exist done to minimize fleas in your 1000.
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Source: https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/symptoms-fleas-dogs
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