My dog had a bug, but I lost it. What if it was a flea or tick?

Yes, unfortunately that looks like fleas. Usually flea and tick shampoos do not do a good job of eradicating a flea issue because they only kill the adult fleas on the dog but don't do anything for the larvae and eggs that represent the main problem. I'd suggest getting a quality flea preventative for Star like Bravecto, Advantix, Vectra, or Nexguard. These are all prescription flea meds so you will need to get them from your veterinarian. The flea preventative needs to be used for at least 4 months to fully get rid of the issue. All pets in the household should use a flea preventative during this time period. I'm hopeful that you are catching the problem early before it becomes a bigger issue. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

If Kiko isn't on a good quality monthly flea preventative, then he may have fleas! If he is suddenly itchy, if you see tiny little bugs (kind of like black sesame seeds running around), or small black spots on the skin (if you wipe with a damp paper towel it will be brownish red), then he probably has fleas.

If you don’t see a bunch of fleas and you just have her the preventative, I wouldn’t worry too much. The times when people get into trouble with fleas is when there are a lot crawling on the pet, which means there are a ton in the house.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It’s hard to see the bug in your picture. It is likely fleas. I would start a flea medication. I like the oral ones like Nexgard, Simparica or Bravecto and I also like the Setesto collar which lasts 8 months. With these you can bathe him as well. With the topical medications you can’t bathe until 2 days after application. And personally I do not think they work as well. I hope this helps!

What a cute puppy! Without seeing the bug, it is very difficult to say. Both ticks and fleas can have this coloration. You can see an image of a flea at http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/fleas/ and an image of a tick at http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/ticks/ . I would recommend talking to your vet about starting a flea/tick preventative such as Nexgard for your puppy!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Bambi I can't tell you sure sure. Fleas a very small, black in color, and very fast. They leave behind brown flecks that when rubbed under water turn reddish-brown. If you see these flecks, he has fleas, even if you can't see the fleas. Ticks are much larger and slower. They have several legs and they typically stay attached to the skin. If you are concerned, talk to your vet about a flea and tick prevention that you give every 30 days. Good luck and kisses to Bambi!

The best way to determine if the dark specs are 'dirt' versus 'flea dirt' is to collect the specs on a clean white paper towel and apply hydrogen peroxide. If it turns rusty colored, it likely flea dirt. Flea eggs are very small and you are not likely to see those with the naked eye. Also, the best place to look for fleas is on the lower back and between the hind legs on your dog. If you determine that you are seeing fleas or evidence of fleas, I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about switching flea products. Hope this helps.