SYMPTOMS: HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE FLEAS
Ordinary household fleas do not transmit diseases to humans and pets. They are mostly an annoyance that can cause itching and scratching. You can observe general signs that your pet has fleas by looking at your pet’s behavior. If you become aware that your pet has been acting uncomfortable lately, biting or scratching around its tail and back, or if you notice the presence of small scabs or bumps on your pet's neck or back, weakness or lethargy, your pet may have fleas. Fleas can also cause discomfort due to an allergic reaction to the flea bite. Itching, another symptom caused by fleas, is not solely due to the biting but also to the sensation created as they crawl over the skin.

To see if your pet has fleas, you can always start by searching for flea dirt—tiny black flecks, or poppy-seed like excrement, found on your pet’s skin or on the places your pet likes to ‘hang out’. Flea dirt essentially consists of feces from adult fleas, which contain blood sucked from its host or hosts. To properly determine that the specks you find are in fact flea dirt, wet them with a drop of water. If these specks turn red, then your pet has, without doubt, been infected with fleas.

Using a flea comb is another helpful method to check your pet for fleas. Flea combs are available at any pet store for a very low price. Run the comb through your pet's fur and if you observe or find either flea dirt or the fleas on the comb, then your pet is positively infected. If you discover that your pet has fleas, you will need to follow a treatment for both your pet and your home. Fleas can be eliminated by wiping out the adult fleas and by making their ‘home’ as inadequate as possible for the larvae to develop. Washing your pet's bedding thoroughly and frequently will also help to keep the presence of fleas under control.

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