Flea bites are extremely itchy, so the first sign of a flea infestation is usually seeing your dog scratching or chewing itself more than usual. Other behavioral signs of fleas might include head shaking, hair loss, scabs, or hot spots. Flea bites are usually smaller than other insect bites. This means they can be hard to spot, so you’ll have to look carefully.  Some dogs may have a stronger reaction to a flea’s saliva, causing a larger red area and more severe irritation.  You may notice small red dots on your own skin, which could also be flea bites. Use your fingers to part your dog's fur so that you can see its skin, looking for signs of adult fleas. Fleas tend to prefer the base of the tail, the abdomen, and behind the ears, but they can be found anywhere on the dog.  Adult fleas are about the size of a pencil lead. They are small, flat-bodied insects, and they range in color from reddish-brown to black. Keep in mind that fleas will move away from your fingers as you search your dog's fur, making them hard to spot. Most fleas live in the environment around the dog, so they may be hard to find in your dog's fur if it only has a mild infestation. Brushing your dog may agitate any fleas which might be present. If they jump off of your dog, you should be able to easily spot them on the white towel. Place the flea comb on your dog's coat, then apply slight pressure until the comb comes in contact with your dog's skin. Carefully brush through your dog's coat, making sure the comb stays in contact with its skin through the entire stroke.  After each pass, examine the comb for fleas and flea dirt, then dip the comb into a bowl of warm soapy water to clean the comb. Flea dirt, or flea droppings, look like small black flecks, but they actually contain dried blood. If you dip the flea comb into a bowl of soapy water, you should see the flecks slowly change back to red. If the flecks remain black after being added to water, it’s probably regular dirt. You can also place the flecks on a damp cotton pad and monitor them to see if they change color. If a rusty red halo forms around the flecks, it's a sign that the flecks are flea dirt. Pale gums could be a sign of anemia, which can indicate blood loss due to fleas.  Other signs of anemia include low body temperature and listlessness.  Anemia from flea bites is especially dangerous in young puppies and small dogs.
انتبه للعض أو الحكة المفرطة لدى كلبك. تفحص جلد الكلب بحثًا عن حبوب بارزة حمراء صغيرة. تفقد شعر الكلب لإيجاد البراغيث البالغة. اجعل كلبك يقف على منشفة بيضاء ومشط شعره. استخدم مشط براغيث وماء مصبن للتحقق من وجود فضلات البراغيث في شعر الكلب. انظر في فم الكلب للتحقق من شحوب لثته.