My puppy is scratching. What are the signs of fleas or ticks?

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! Sorry to hear about Hunny and your other dog. Fleas can be difficult to find but the easiest way is to get them to roll onto their backs and look in the thinner haired areas of the body. You can also purchase a flea comb which can trap flea dirt (small pieces of flea poop/digested blood) that looks like pepper or it traps adult fleas and other stages if present. Another method is brushing or petting the hair in the opposite direction of hair growth and look right down onto the skin level. Fleas like to hang out around the rear part of the dog near the tail and rump. Examine those areas closely. If you find some black pepper looking objects, place those on a paper towel and wet it. If the spots turn reddish than that is flea dirt. I haven't seen cases of lice in dogs but cats tend to have more lice especially ones that are wild or community cats. Dogs can also get ticks and mites which your veterinarian can help to identify. I would go to your vet and let them evaluate Hunny and make recommendations based on the physical exam. Flea/tick products vary widely depending on what the owner likes, geography, what your veterinarian likes, etc. They can direct you to the best products. Also, we are in a high allergy season in late summer with weed pollens. Dogs like people can be allergic but if both dogs are itching, they leads one to assume external parasites like you mentioned and I discussed. Good luck with Hunny.

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.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear Bam Bam is having some skin problems. Shouldn't be flea or tick related since you have that covered. Skin problems can of course be caused by external parasites including mites, bacteria, fungus, allergies, irritants, etc. Best thing to do is to have Bam Bam evaluated by your vet unless these spots resolve on their own. Your vet can do a physical exam and perform skin tests if necessary (skin scrape, fungal exam, fungal culture, tape prep, cytology, etc) or any other tests to determine what is going on with her skin. Once that is determined, a treatment course can be developed. I hope Bam Bam gets well soon.

Scratching is one of the most common signs of fleas for many pets but can also be caused by a variety of other conditions. Fleas are tiny black insects that walk through a dog’s fur. Adult female fleas lay 40 to 50 eggs per day, which can fall off of the dog into the surrounding environment. So many eggs can contaminate the environment, to the point where the majority of fleas present are living in the environment with only five percent of the fleas living on the dog. Sometimes fleas can be identified easily with the naked eye or with the help of a flea comb. Fleas provide telltale evidence of their presence by leaving flea dirt behind, which resembles specks of pepper. In order to differentiate between flea dirt and run-of-the mill dirt, some of this debris can be smashed on a damp white paper towel and will turn a reddish-brown as a result of digested blood. Fortunately, fleas can be treated and prevented at home with a number of different high-quality products, such as Credelio, Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica, Comfortis, Trifexis, AdvantageMulti or Revolution, which are available with a prescription from your veterinarian. Other good quality options include Advantix II or Capstar, which are available over the counter. Regular, consistent use of these products is the most important aspect of treating an existing flea problem, as well as preventing future issues. Consult with your veterinarian about the best choice for your individual dog. ### Capstar is a trademark of Elanco or its affiliates.

Hello. Fleas would be moving, & moving very quickly, so no apparent fleas in either picture. To tell if you have flea dirt ( which is actually flea feces ), drop some of the debris on a damp paper towel. If it is flea dirt, then a reddish brown to rust color will leach from each spot. If the debris just sits there with nothing happening for several minutes, then it is just run of the mill dirt. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is no need to take him to the vet due to the ticks. Be sure to get him in to the vet soon though for vaccines, start heart worm and flea/tick medications and to have him dewormed. Bring a stool sample. If he hasn’t had any vaccines yet he should be seen next week. If he has received his first vaccines (DHPP) the he needs it boosted 3-4weeks later. Good luck!