How to Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas

As a dog owner, it is important to know how to tell if your dog has fleas. There are simple procedures to determine the presence of fleas on your pet. Fleas are more then a nuisance, as they also pose a serious health hazard to both you and your pet.

Things You'll Need

  • Flea comb
  • Wet paper towel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pay attention to your dog's behavior. If he's scratching himself frequently, most likely he's got fleas. This is a signal to examine your dog for the presence of fleas.

    • 2

      Look at your dog's belly to see if there are any fleas or flea droppings, which look like tiny black dots. Fleas like the warmth of this area of a dog's body.

    • 3

      Comb a section of your dog's coat slowly using a flea comb.

    • 4

      See if there are any black specks or live fleas caught in the teeth of the flea comb.

    • 5

      Repeat the process using the flea comb on several different areas of your dog's body.

    • 6

      Check any black dots that you find on your dog to see if they are flea droppings by knocking them out of the comb onto a wet paper towel. If they are flea droppings, they will turn a reddish brown color.