A flea is a small insect that can cause allergies, skin problems, and infections. Knowing what does a flea look like will help you to determine if you are dealing with fleas. Through this article, learn how to identify the signs of fleas on the skin or in the home. You will also be able to tell what they look like and how they act when they bite an animal or person.
After reading this article, you should know what to do about the flea problem and what does a flea look like. You will also know what to do if you see a flea on an animal or person as well as how to treat a dog for fleas.
Table of Contents
What Does a Flea Look Like?
Fleas are small insects, with adults measuring from 0.08 to 0.25 inches long. They breathe air and have threadlike legs.
Fleas do not have wings and cannot fly. However, they can jump long distances.
They are oval in shape and brown or black in color. Fleas usually lay flat on the skin of the dog or cat. They latch onto the animal with their mouthparts, inject saliva that contains anesthetics and prevent blood from clotting. This weakens the host and stops it from writhing when bitten.
What Do Fleas Look Like? (On dog):
Fleas that are on the dog jump from one area of the skin to another in search of a blood meal. Adult fleas must feed on blood several times each week to survive. The fleas pierce the skin and suck blood for about five minutes until full. Afterwards, they fall off the dog and lay eggs.
Flea eggs are about 1/12 to 3/16 inch long and have a white, sticky shell. They hatch in about 24 hours as larvae. The larvae live for about 10 days before changing into pupae. The pupae stage is where the fleas go after they have become sexually mature and ready to lay their own eggs.
Flea does not have wings or other flying abilities. Image source: Pest Control Information Network.
How Do Fleas Repel Other Insects?
Fleas are found on almost all animals. They live in their host’s fur and do not bite it or the animal itself, rather they latch onto the skin of the host and feed on its blood. Fleas cannot fly or jump very far but can jump up to 20 times longer than their own body lengths. They are also able to jump higher than their own height.
It is thought that they can jump so high because they store energy in a muscle group similar to a human leg muscle. They are also able to use air in order to help them jump and they have been known to jump many times their own height.
Fleas do not like the light and prefer dark, moist areas where it is warm and humid. They also do not like to be exposed to heavy rains or wind.
Are Fleas Poisonous?
Fleas are not poisonous, but they can cause allergic reactions in humans. The bites of fleas have the potential to cause anaphylactic shock in a person with a severe allergy and can increase the chances for an infection. When possible, it is best to avoid direct contact with fleas on your animal. If you are bitten by a flea, you should immediately begin scratching the spot where it bit you. This will help to remove the flea’s contents and prevent the possible spread of flea eggs.
What If a Flea Spends Every Night on My Dog or Cat?
If a flea spends every night on your dog or cat, you should spray all areas where they are found with insecticide. You can also bathe your pet with a product that kills fleas and try to discourage them from spending time in these areas during the day.
How Do You Treat Fleas on a Dog?
To treat fleas on a dog, there are many products available that work well. You should start by giving the dog a bath and washing out its hair. While this is not necessary, it is something you can choose to do at this point if you want. If you are bathing your dog, be sure to use an insecticidal soap to kill the fleas.
After the dog is dry, you should give it a shampoo that kills fleas. You should also brush your dog regularly because this helps to remove flea eggs from the hair. You can also give your dog a flea collar and use it in conjunction with a product that will stun and kill the fleas on your animal.
You should have your dog’s ears checked for flea bites. Take them out, wash them and apply some insecticides so you don’t have a problem in the future.
Summary
In addition to what does flea look like, you should vacuum the house and wash all the bedding. You should also wash your clothing in hot water and dry it in a hot dryer. It is best to place your dog outside because exposing it to fleas can be very dangerous for its health.
Fleas can cause a variety of health problems for your pet. They are common parasites that are transmitted from dog to dog, from cat to cat and from animal to animal. You can find fleas on most animals. Many people worry about getting flea bites on themselves or their pets, but these bites are usually not dangerous.
