It’s natural for animals to scratch themselves occasionally under normal circumstances. Animals with fleas, though, will scratch frequently, for long periods of time.
On animals with heavy coats, you’ll need to manually part the hairs so you can see down to their skin. If you do part the hairs, be sure to wash your hands immediately afterwards.
It’s best to wear a pair of gloves (e. g. latex gloves) when you inspect your pet and handle their fut. Fleas can transfer from dogs to humans, so take precaution to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Fleas are tremendous jumpers—they can leap fast and high, and you may spot them jumping from one part of your pet to another.
When combing your pet, make sure to comb deep enough to catch any fleas hiding near the pet’s skin. You can purchase a flea comb at your veterinarian’s office, at a pet-supply store, or in the pet section of a supermarket.
Take an extra lap or two through carpeted areas that flea are likely to inhabit. You can also shuffle your feet across carpets and rugs. This will build up friction, and the warmth will draw the fleas out.
A clump of flea dirt often resembles a pile of fine-ground black pepper.
You may need to use a magnifying glass to look for flea eggs in the carpet and on your hands.
Unlike mosquito bites, flea bites cause very little swelling. Unlike spider bites, flea bites only have one small puncture hole, not two.
