These pieces, which look like grains of white rice, are packets of tapeworm eggs. If you look closely, you might even see them moving.
Once the outer casing of these packets dries out, the eggs are released into the environment where the cycle can be repeated. Because of their rapid reproductive rate, one flea on your dog can quickly turn into hundreds. If a large number of fleas bite and feed, your dog can develop anemia, or low red blood cells.
This serious medical condition must be promptly addressed through veterinary care, especially in puppies. Symptoms of anemia include weakness, lethargy, rapid breathing and potentially death if the fleas are not killed.
With severe infestations , treat the home and surrounding outdoor areas for fleas as well as the pet to eliminate the fleas in your entire environment.
While the source of infection is not as clear in dogs as in cats, bartonella bacteria infections in dogs have been linked to fleas. Bartonellosis can cause a number of symptoms in dogs, including fever, nausea or loss of appetite, an irregular heartbeat, vomiting and diarrhea, joint pain or altered brain functions. However, affected dogs typically do not show any clinical signs. Fleas can be found almost anywhere, which makes it difficult to avoid them. Routinely treating your dog with an effective flea preventive can help protect them from fleas before an infestation has the chance to begin.
At night, set a small dish of soapy water on the floor near a nightlight. Fleas will jump toward the light and fall into the bowl. Tapeworms or flea eggs can also signal that your dog has a problem.
Flea eggs look like tiny white ovals that fall off in places like your bed or the carpet. Tapeworms are internal parasites that a dog might get from swallowing a flea. If you see tiny white segments that look like small grains of rice near where your dog sleeps or sits, this could mean your dog has fleas. Fleas are just as happy to bite humans as they are other animals.
If you have flea bites, you might see a small cluster of little red bites or a series of itchy bites in a line. If you find fleas on your dog, you want to get rid of them as fast as you can. Let the lather remain in your dog's coat for five minutes, then rinse with clean water. The fleas should start falling off your dog. This will kill adult fleas and prevent eggs from hatching for 30 days. This treatment is quick and easy to apply, preventing fleas and ticks from "re-infesting" your dog for up to 30 days.
Your dog can pick up fleas all over again if you don't treat your yard too. Don't forget to treat your home as well, since fleas can live in the carpet and other parts of your house. You have many options to choose from, like indoor foggers , carpet spray or carpet powder , and home spray. If you want to invest in flea treatment now, here's a look at where Adams products are sold. Aside from making your dog feel pretty miserable, fleas can also pose a health hazard.
Your dog's constant scratching can irritate the skin, which can lead to infection. Since dogs can get fleas any time of the year, you need to be on your guard no matter what the season.
You can sign up for alerts to learn when there's a flea outbreak in your region. Flea and tick preventatives kill fleas that come in contact with your dog, preventing your pup from bringing them home in the first place. There are several options out there, from flea collars to topical liquid applicants and pills. Talk to your vet about the flea preventative that is safest and right for your puppy or dog. If your dog already has fleas, these preventatives will still kill them, but you may need to take more aggressive action, like a prescription preventative.
You can also use a flea shampoo or a fast-acting chemical treatment, such as a flea pill that kills the fleas on your dog within hours. Killing the fleas on your dog is just one part of the problem. You also need to determine how to get rid of fleas in your home. This requires patience. It can take as long as three-to-four months to get rid of an infestation, as it takes this long for all of the fleas in your home to go through their life stages.
When in doubt, call in the experts. Ask your veterinarian about how to get rid of fleas on dogs, as vets are up-to-date on the latest flea treatments and preventatives and can help you find the best and safest treatment option for you and your dog. AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.
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