Fleas in dogs

Fleas on dogs is a common problem. It is every dog lover’s worst nightmare, as it’s not just the dogs who are visibly annoyed by these parasites. Fleas can settle in all upholstery in your home. In order to effectively treat fleas on dogs, it is important to know what the behaviour and life cycle of fleas look like. With this knowledge, you will know why various treatment methods will or will not work and how to properly administer them.

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Symptoms of fleas on dogs

Do you suspect your dog to have fleas? You can recognise a flea infestation on your dog by looking for these characteristics and symptoms:

Your dog has a visible itch and irritation that causes him to scratch and bite its fur.
The dog’s skin shows flea excrement in the shape of small black dots.
Skin irritation
Thinning of the coat
Fleas can cause tapeworms in dogs

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There are two types of fleas to be found on dogs; the dog flea and the cat flea. Though the name might suggest otherwise, it is the cat flea that is most commonly found on dogs. The difference between both types of flea is that the cat flea becomes resistant to chemical substances more quickly.

Both types of fleas have a life cycle of about six weeks. After a flea has fed itself on the blood of the dog, it will lay dozens of eggs. A part of these eggs will stay behind in the skin and a part will be left behind in places the dog visits, such as their basket or the carpet.

The eggs can hatch as quickly as two days later and the larvae grow into adult fleas within 2 to 3 weeks. Did you know that hatched larvae can survive up to a year and a half? For that reason, flea treatment for your dog is a very meticulous task. The best treatment focuses on the entire life cycle of fleas and not just on the adult fleas.

Dogs can become infested with fleas all year. Fleas prefer warmth, and in winter our heaters will provide this to them as well.