Things You'll Need
- Dog brush
- Paper towel
- Water
Instructions
Notice if your dog begins to shake its head or scratch its ears vigorously. If you spot debris that resembles coffee grounds within your dog's ears, this could indicate an ear mite infection, according to Pet Education. Foul odors and tenderness when you touch your dog's ears are other ear mite symptoms.
Brush your dog's fur and inspect for lice. Lice nits look like dandruff, but unlike dandruff, lice will adhere to your dog's fur, notes Vetinfo. If your dog has a lice infestation, it will scratch and bite frequently at its skin. You may also notice bald patches on your dog.
Dampen a piece of paper towel with water. Brush your dog and transfer the debris accumulated on the brush to the paper towel. If the debris dissolves into reddish blobs, you could have a flea infestation, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council. The dissolved debris is a flea's fecal waste containing the blood contents eaten from your dog.
Look for swollen-bodied insects attached to your dog by a mouth part. Ticks become larger after attaching and feeding on your dog.