Fleas are parasites that dogs often choose as hosts. Fleas in dogs are therefore one of the most common skin diseases in our four-legged friends. You can find out here what causes fleas in dogs and how you can quickly remedy your four-legged friend in the event of a flea infestation!
What are the characteristics of fleas on dogs?
Fleas in dogs are wingless parasites that can jump up to 50 centimeters using their strong and powerful hind legs. The fleas live on warm-blooded hosts and move quickly between the hairs. Protected by a strong chitinous shell, fleas on dogs are difficult to crush. The fleas use the combined suction and proboscis to pierce the dog’s skin and suck blood. Her position resembles a headstand. There are over 2400 species of fleas known worldwide.
The dog flea: Ctenocephalides canis
The dog flea can grow up to four millimeters in size. Due to the laterally flattened body, it can move quickly in the dog’s fur. Bristles on the legs act like barbs and help the fleas anchor themselves in the hair of the fur. Since fleas are very shy of light, they don’t stay around the dog all the time, preferring dark cracks in the home. The host is only visited for food.
The development of fleas in the dog
The dog flea develops via eggs, larvae, and pupae. The individual stages of development are not found on the dog’s skin, but in dark corners of the home. The optimum temperature for fleas to reproduce is normal room temperature. Below 10 °C, the developmental stages fall into a dormant state. Further development only starts again at higher temperatures. The average development time for fleas on dogs is between three and five weeks.
Are there different types of fleas that infest dogs?
Dogs are primarily infested by cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis. A flea infestation with dog fleas is rather rare. The human flea, Pulex irritans, can also parasitize a dog if no other hosts are available. In Europe, human flea infestations in dogs are rare.
What do fleas look like on dogs?
The fleas, up to four millimeters in size, have a brown, laterally compressed body and strong hind legs. Wings are absent.
What is the cause of flea infestation in dogs?
Fleas on dogs can be transmitted in a number of ways. One possibility is direct contact with conspecifics. Even when entering an apartment in which fleas are staying, the dog can be attacked by the parasites. This danger also exists in winter. The fleas and larvae stay in the warm dwellings, waiting for a host to begin their next blood meal.
In the garden, dog fleas and cat fleas can also be transmitted to dogs by hedgehogs and free-living rodents.
What diseases are transmitted by fleas in dogs?
Fleas are capable of transmitting various diseases to dogs.
Tapeworms: Dipylidium caninum
Fleas are intermediate hosts of tapeworms. If the dog bites a flea that is between its hair, the fins enter the dog’s digestive tract, where they can develop into adult tapeworms.
Flea saliva allergy
Once the flea has bitten the dog, it secretes a substance with its saliva that prevents the blood from clotting. Many dogs are allergic to flea saliva. Severe itching occurs. The dogs are constantly scratching and gnawing their fur. A purulent skin inflammation develops, especially in the area of the base of the tail. With a flea saliva allergy, the skin is reddened and covered with bloody scabs – also due to the itching. If bacteria also settle, a purulent skin inflammation develops. Hair breaks off in this area or falls out completely. If the flea infestation persists for a long period of time, the skin thickens and becomes barky and cracked.
Where do fleas come from on dogs?
Fleas are transmitted through direct contact with fellow dogs or by being in a flea-infested home. Fleas can also be transmitted to dogs by cats.
Anemia
The anemia is not a disease transmitted by the flea bite, but a consequence of the flea infestation. A heavy flea infestation draws a large amount of blood from the dog. Anemia develops.
Diseases such as typhus, swine fever and Lyme disease
In southern European countries, dog fleas and cat fleas transmit rickettsia, the causative agent of typhus, swine fever and Lyme disease. In third world countries, there is also a risk of enteroviruses, which cause polio, being transmitted to humans by fleas.
Lyme disease can be transmitted not only by tick bites, but also by fleas. The bacteria spread along the nerves in the dog’s body, causing joint swelling, fever and neurological deficits such as intermittent lameness.
Is it transmitted from dog to dog or also from dog to human?
Fleas prefer dogs as hosts. They are therefore more frequently transmitted from dog to dog. If there is no dog host available nearby, transmission to humans is also possible. The fleas jump straight onto humans to suck blood.
How to recognize fleas on dogs
Fleas cause severe itching. The dog is constantly scratching itself, rubbing itself against objects or nibbling on its fur. Scratching causes his skin to become scaly and inflamed. If the dog is only infested with individual fleas, these are difficult to see between the hair with the naked eye. It is easier to prove the flea excrement.
Other symptoms include:
- severe itching
- frequent scratching and biting
- restlessness
- Dark, red-brownish globules on the dog’s skin or fur
- Redness on thighs, croup and abdomen with pustules
- skin inflammation
- Crusting and thickening of the skin from severe scratching
- Dull fur
- Local hair loss
- Anemia (This is common in puppies, who can lose up to 10% of their blood due to a heavy flea infestation.)
Detection of fleas in dogs
This is how you can easily recognize a flea infestation: The dog is placed on spread out white paper, for example kitchen roll. The flea droppings are then combed out with a flea comb. In particular, the stomach, the hair on the inside of the thighs and the armpits should be combed thoroughly with the flea comb. Brown and black chunks fall onto the underlying paper. To distinguish flea droppings from dirt, water is dripped onto the dots. Dirt chunks remain unchanged. Flea feces are digested blood. The fallen chunks dissolve and form red streaks on the paper.
The flea test can also be purchased in stores. This test involves a sheet of blotting paper fixed in a plastic frame. If there is a very heavy flea infestation, individual dead fleas can be combed out of the fur with a flea comb.
Get rid of fleas on dogs step by step
Once fleas get into the home, they begin to multiply quickly. Only about five percent of fleas reside directly on the dog’s body. The remaining 95 percent, made up of adult fleas, eggs, pupae and larvae, lie in dark corners and crevices of the home. Fighting fleas on dogs must therefore be done step by step and always include the dog’s entire environment. The adult fleas on the dog are always killed first. After that, the destruction of the remaining fleas and the stages of development in the apartment occurs.
There are different treatment options:
Bathing with a flea shampoo
A flea shampoo contains substances that kill adult fleas that are on the dog. Since only 5 percent of fleas live on the dog’s fur, that’s a small part of the flea population.
What helps against fleas on dogs?
Fleas on dogs can be treated with spot-ons, tablets, flea shampoo, flea powder, or flea spray. Alternatively, coconut oil, essential oils, or amber necklaces can be used.
Flea spray and flea powder
Flea spray or flea powder will kill adult fleas in the dog’s coat. The dog fur is lightly brushed against the grain and then dusted with flea powder. After an exposure time of ten to 15 minutes, the powder residue is combed out with a flea comb. Flea spray is sprayed against the grain of the dog’s coat. Washing out is not necessary. The application must be repeated at regular intervals.
Fighting Fleas on Dogs with Spot-Ons
Spot-ons are available from veterinarians, pharmacies or pet shops. After parting the hair between the shoulder blades, the spot-on is dripped on. In large dogs, the ampoule can be placed partly on the back of the neck and partly on the base of the tail. The agent is distributed throughout the dog’s coat via the hair fat. It is deposited in the hair follicles and is released continuously over a long period of time. Normally, the spot-on does not penetrate the body through the basal layer of the skin. An exception are spot-ons, which ensure that the dog is dewormed at the same time.
Since the spot-on is distributed over the hair sebum, the dog should not be bathed in shampoo before use.
Most spot-ons are effective against fleas and ticks. The dog is protected against infestation with these parasites on the walk. Some spot-ons are also effective against the spawn of fleas. The female fleas only lay unfertilized eggs. The reproductive cycle of the fleas is interrupted.
Fighting fleas on dogs with pills
Tablets are available from the veterinarian that are effective against fleas, ticks, worms or other parasites for three months. The dosage of the tablets depends on the size and weight of the dog.
Fighting fleas around the dog
Since most fleas live indoors, the dog’s surroundings must be cleaned thoroughly. In order to destroy all the eggs and larvae, it is not enough to clean the apartment with a steam cleaner. Even flea spray for the environment usually does not lead to the desired success, since not all cracks are reached.
Another possibility is the detonation of a flea bomb. The apartment must not be entered while the agent is taking effect. Flea control must be repeated several times to kill all stages of development.
If there is a severe flea infestation, the help of an exterminator should be enlisted.
Is the help of a veterinarian required?
If there is severe itching, the fleas-scratching cycle should be interrupted by the veterinarian. If a flea saliva allergy or a purulent inflammation of the skin already exists, the dog should be treated by a veterinarian so that the bacteria do not spread further.
What preventive measures can be taken in the future?
Dogs can be protected against infestations by fleas and other ectoparasites. Preventatively applied spot-ons will kill fleas as soon as they bite. The parasites can no longer multiply or transmit pathogens.
Alternative means of prevention
A spray with coconut oil, which is applied to the fur, prevents flea infestation due to the lauric acid contained in the oil.
Amber chains charge the fur electrostatically and make the dog uninteresting for the fleas.
Essential oils, lavender oil, citrus oil, or black apple oil, will help prevent flea infestations. When applying the essential oils, care should be taken not to impair the dog’s sense of smell.
