Dog Flea’s – If you own an enthusiastic doggo, you must know that with all the fun and cuteness also comes a lot of responsibility. Dogs love the outdoors, and no matter how often you wash and clean them up, they somehow end up outside, all covered in mud and running around like their goofy self.
While there is no harm in your dog being playful and energetic, it is a real horror when your dog comes back home with multiple tiny dark insects scurrying through their fur. If you have also seen these insects in your dog’s fur and noticed they are losing hair or aggressively scratching their skin, then unfortunately, you are in for some bad news.
All these are signs of a flea infestation in your dog and don’t get fooled by their small size. Despite being super tiny, fleas can be quite difficult to get rid of and sometimes even harm their health. However, the biggest question is how dogs even get fleas.
Most owners are concerned that despite making sure their dogs stay indoors and following a regular bath routine, their pets end up with fleas in their fur. So, what are the common ways dogs can get fleas? Well, that’s exactly what we will discuss today so if you want to know, keep reading!
As we said above, fleas are tiny dark-coloured insects that are often even smaller than the size of a rice grain. Fleas are not simple insects; they are parasites that survive on blood. They often find mammals (like dogs) as their host and suck on their blood for survival.
Fleas become more common during the warm season. They can also survive cold winters by living inside warm homes, which is why they are considered a year-round pest across the country.
While fleas are annoying for dogs and can be hard to get rid of, in most cases, they are harmless. However, eliminating fleas from your dogs is still important to relieve them of constant itching and prevent any risks, such as flea infection.
There are many ways your dog can get fleas. Here are some common ways to help you notice and avoid fleas next time.
If you have a garden or a backyard in your house that is full of grass and you keep finding fleas in your dog’s fur. Then it’s time for you to connect the dots. The prime suspect of fleas in your dog is actually your own garden grass, according to most research. Fleas like living in areas that are shady, dark and moist, just like the environment of your garden grass and soil.
When your dog is out playing in the grass. Fleas jump on and off them to get a drink of their blood. They sometimes stick to them and make their home in your dog’s fur. If you think your dog doesn’t want to play in the grass and only visits the garden or the yard to relieve itself, then there is plenty of chance for the fleas to jump on their body.
It’s not always the grass they can contact fleas from. Even if you try your best to keep your garden clean or remove soil and grass from your backyard. There are chances of your dog catching fleas from other animals using your yards. These include rabbits, squirrels and some wild birds. Moreover, if you have other pets like cats, they also attract fleas from the outdoors and can cause an increasing number of fleas in your dog.
If you love taking your dog to parks, it’s important to be careful of your surroundings. Just like the grass in your own garden, the grass at the dog park is also host to fleas, and there are chances your dog catches fleas from their visit to the dog park.
The dog park is a carnival for fleas. They get to hop from dog to dog and back in the grass, so you can imagine how many fleas your dog could be brought back from there.
We leave our dogs in public kennels and pet groomers to make sure they come back home healthy and clean. We don’t realise that sometimes they can also come back home with a bunch of fleas. Dog groomers or kennels have multiple dogs in one place, and even a single dog with a infestation is a threat to all others.
Moreover, fleas tend to survive in various environments. They can even make a home in a furry carpet. If the groomers are not taking care of the flea infestation in their facility, they are sending back dogs with fleas from their own property.
As we said, fleas survive in many different environments, and hence they are not only attracted to animals but can also try to host humans. While obviously, if the flea is on our skin, we – unlike dogs – can simply remove them.
Plus, we don’t have enough hair (or fur) on our bodies to hold them. But they can stick to our clothes and shoes. Hence, if someone visiting your house has recently crossed through a grassy outdoors or works near animals or has a pet. Chances are they are letting fleas hitchhike their way to your house.
We know how this sounds, you never want to be the reason behind your pet’s pain and irritation. But in this case, you can unknowingly be the culprit. Just like your visitor, you yourself can also be a middleman in transferring fleas from the outdoors to your dog.
As a pet parent, you have the most contact with your pet throughout the day. If you have been outdoors or with other animals and see your dog with a flea infestation. Chances are you have introduced the parasite yourself.
Now that you know how your dog can come in contact with fleas. It will be easier to avoid this situation and protect your dog from another flea infestation. However, when it comes to fleas. Given their small size and ability to jump from one surface to another without being caught. There is only so much you can do to avoid them getting your dog.
Hence, the best you can do is to keep a regular check on your dog and get rid of fleas as soon as you observe them on your furbaby. Invest in a good quality flea spray, so you are prepared at all times!
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