How To Check Your Pet For Fleas
Fleas are one of the most common pests that can make their way into your household, as they usually latch onto your pets when outside so that they can come indoors. Fleas can move from your pets' fur to your furniture and clothing. They also can carry a number of diseases that they spread through painful bites. The best way to eliminate a flea infestation is to prevent one from occurring in the first place, and the most effective way of doing that is regularly checking your pet for signs of fleas. Understanding how to do so can help you identify when there is a flea presence in your home straight away, so you can get in touch with your vet to treat your pet and a pest control specialist to treat your home before the problem grows worse.
Scratching
The first sign that indicates that your pet likely has fleas is if you notice that they are scratching and biting at their fur constantly after coming in from outside. While rashes and irritation can also cause the same sort of constant scratching, you should check your pet's fur for signs of fleas: you should be able to see fleas biting into the skin of your pet, and may also be able to see their droppings, which are small black dots.
Rubbing with a Towel
Of course, if your pet has dark fur, it can be extremely hard to see if they have fleas on them. Instead, you should wash your pet and rub them with a light colored towel. This should transfer some of the fleas and the droppings from your pet onto the towel, making it much easier for you to spot them. Keep in mind that flea droppings will smear and turn a brown or red hue, whereas fleas should remain relatively intact.
Flea Brushes
Another way to determine if your pet has fleas is to brush them regularly with a flea comb. These combs have their teeth closely grouped, so they will trap fleas and other insects which may be burrowed into your pet's fur. This can be an effective way to find fleas in a concentrated area when washing your pet with a towel and visually inspecting yourself simply prove to be ineffective. If you can't find any fleas after using a flea brush and the other methods, you likely do not have a flea or pest problem and your pet likely simply has a rash.
Contact a service, like Alliance Pest Management, Inc., for more help.
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