How Do Dogs Get Fleas?

When keeping your pup safe and healthy each year, it’s important to be consistent with their flea and tick prevention medication and routinely check your dog for fleas. Fleas are a common nuisance for pets and pet parents and can easily lead to a flea infestation in your home.

What Are Fleas?

Fleas are tiny parasites that can live in a dog’s fur. They are typically dark brown and roughly 1/8-inch or smaller in size. They bite a dog’s skin and feed on the blood to survive.

Fleas are very common in dogs and can be found in most parts of the country. They are most prevalent in climates that are warm and humid and in areas with tall grass or woods.

Fleas can transmit tapeworms and some types of diseases, such as bartonellosis, to dogs. This is why it is essential for pet parents to regularly inspect their dog’s fur for fleas and keep their dogs up to date on flea preventives, like NexGard® PLUS, which also protects against ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms, and hookworms.

Additionally, while fleas aren’t ideal hosts for humans, they can still bite and cause itching. Tapeworm infection is another concern for pet parents, as accidentally ingesting a tapeworm-infected flea puts them at risk of getting a tapeworm.

Click here to download this medical illustration.

7 Ways Dogs Can Get Fleas

Dogs can get fleas in a variety of ways, including from:

• Grass
• Other dogs
• Other pets
• People
• Wildlife
• Exposure to new places
• A lapse in flea prevention

Grass

Fleas can be found in grassy areas, especially tall grass and wooded regions. They can easily latch onto your dog and bite them when your pup lounges or plays outside.

Other Dogs

Fleas are highly contagious and easily move between dogs who are in close contact. If one dog in a household has fleas, it’s likely that every dog in the home will get them. Likewise, if you take your dog to a friend’s home and fleas are present, you might bring home these pesky parasites.

Other Pets

Other household pets, such as ferrets or cats, can also become infected with fleas and easily spread them to your dog through close contact or just by being in the same environment. Fleas are commonly found in pet bedding, carpets, and rugs that are shared between pets.

People

People can unknowingly carry fleas into the home via their clothing and shoes. This goes for both people who live there and visitors.

Wildlife

Fleas like to feed on mammals, such as raccoons, coyotes, and foxes. If your dog encounters one of these animals or spends time in an area where they are frequently found, your pup is likely to be exposed to fleas.

Exposure to New Places

If fleas are not prevalent in your geographic area but you commonly travel to warm or humid places, your dog has an increased risk of being exposed to fleas. This is especially true if your dog spends time outdoors in grassy areas or hiking through woods when you’re traveling.

Lapse in Flea Prevention

Keeping your dog on year-round flea prevention is essential in preventing flea infestations from occurring. If you accidentally forget to give a dose, your dog is at risk of getting fleas.

How To Prevent Fleas on Dogs

Flea preventives come in a variety of forms to suit each pet parent’s preference and the dog’s needs:

• Oral (pills and chewable tablets)
• Topical
• Collar

The frequency in which you administer these preventives varies. Most need to be given monthly, while others are administered every few months.

Additionally, some protect against other parasites, like ticks, heartworms, and intestinal worms.

NexGard® PLUS, for example, is a beef-flavored chew given monthly to protect against fleas, ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms, and hookworms.

NexGard® PLUS is available by prescription for dogs and puppies at 8 weeks, weighing 4 pounds or more.

Because there are numerous options to choose from, it’s important to work with your veterinarian to determine the best flea prevention option to suit your preferences and your dog’s lifestyle. For example, multi-pet households or those with children might do better with an oral medication since topical solutions should not be touched before they have time to dry.

Even for dogs who are up to date on flea prevention, pet parents should regularly check their dog’s fur for signs of fleas, including flea dirt—small black specks of flea feces that resemble coffee grounds.

You can do this using a flea comb, which is an easy way to brush your dog’s coat and separate out fleas and flea dirt. For dogs with very thick or matted fur, running your fingers through their coat may be the easiest way to check.

What Should You Do If Your Dog Already Has Fleas?

If your dog is already infested with fleas, you’ll need to remove the parasites from both your pet and the home.

Use a flea treatment that kills fleas fast, and a flea shampoo can also help kill adult fleas quickly, but be sure to consult with your vet about flea preventives to give your dog year-round, such as NexGard® PLUS, a monthly beef-flavored chew that also protects against ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms, and hookworms. 

To remove fleas from the home, vacuum at least every other day, including all floors and upholstered furniture (couch, chairs, mattress).

Room sprays and other household products may be used in combination with medication to help eliminate fleas and flea eggs in the places your dog hangs out.

Wash pet bedding with hot water. Dry on high heat or in direct sunlight.