Crawling critters, especially Fleas and ticks are creepy and debilitating for pet’s health. Their removal is a nuisance and they can be eliminated completely only by careful prevention methods. In order to do so, we must first find out their presence on our pet. So, how to find out that your pet has fleas and ticks?

Here are the Tell-Tale Signs and Ways to Check Flea and Tick

Manual Check

Fleas and ticks are generally visible when in adult form. However, small stages are hard to find out. Run your hand under the collar, tail, under the front legs, elbows, between the toes, and inside the groin area. If you feel a bump or a lump formation in these areas, it can be a tick which is sticking to the pet’s body. Fleas in the adult stage appear like a fly whereas its eggs and larvae are very difficult to remove. Eggs of fleas are grain-like structures and must be removed with a narrow toothed Flea comb. Run the comb over the fur to check for eggs and flea dirt (black speckles that are a fecal matter of fleas). Flea dirt evidently shows that your dog is infested with fleas.

Excessive Scratching or Licking

Fleas cause abnormal itching in dogs if they are allergic to flea saliva. Therefore, if your pet seems to scratch or lick the areas of dogs body where fleas or ticks could be possibly hiding, you must alert yourself.

Hair Loss Due To Biting

Fleas generally bite the skin of dogs to suck blood which causes irritation and annoyance. To sooth that irritation and itching, dogs tend to bite the area to relieve themselves of annoyance. Continuous biting thus leads to bald patches and hair loss.

Red Scabs/Patches On Body

Some canines are allergic to flea bites. This leads to Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) – a skin infection which results in red patches on the dog’s body. The infection also induces itching which leads to lesions and abrasions when the dog scratches the affected area. Moreover, ticks cause scabs as they nip and lick the area they are attached to.

Paleness Of Gums

Healthy pets have pink gums due to sufficient quantity of blood in their body. If the gums of your pet appear pale, it means he is anemic. Anemia is a telltale sign that the dog is not well and is perhaps infested with the blood-sucking critters like fleas and ticks.

Parasites like fleas and ticks usually get attracted to the pet if the dog has high levels of blood sugar. Even a strong odor can lure fleas into biting your pet, therefore, hygiene and food habits of your pet are an important factor in keeping the parasites and other infections at bay. Thus, in order to avoid these nasty creatures – Groom your dog regularly and give him a balanced diet recommended by your vet. If you detect any flea or tick, treat them with Frontline or K9 Advantix. You can also use a spray to repel these parasites. Regular vacuuming of the house is recommended to remove flea eggs and larvae from the surroundings. In case of ticks, use tweezers to pull them out and flush them right away. It is advisable that you provide flea and tick preventives to your furry companion even if he is not infested. Reason being, fleas and ticks can occur any time of the year hence it would be better to safeguard your dog in advance.

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