How Many Fleas Can a Dog Have?

If you are worried that your pet may have fleas, you can begin by looking for flea dirt. Flea dirt looks like ordinary dirt, but when blotted with a wet tissue, it turns red. Fleas are tiny, hardy creatures that are often picked up by your dog in many ways.

Fleas live for around a month to a year and are capable of living on your dog for several months. A single adult flea can lay around 40 eggs in a single day. These eggs will roll off of the host and into the surrounding environment. The larvae will feed for up to two weeks and then pupate. After they are mature, the adult fleas will need a blood meal to survive.

If you think you have a flea infestation, you should treat your dog immediately. Fleas have a 120-day lifespan, and you should start a flea treatment as soon as you notice the infestation. However, you should keep in mind that the pupa stage of fleas is the most difficult to kill.

Fleas can be hard to notice on a dog, and you might not notice them on your dog until you notice it itch or scratching. However, some pets are hypersensitive to flea saliva and are highly allergic to it. This can cause severe itching and even secondary skin infections. Fortunately, it’s possible to treat fleas and flea allergy dermatitis in dogs.