What do Flea Bites Look Like?

Fleas. We most often commonly associate them with our furry friends, don’t we? Vets will always recommend you take extra precautions when it comes to eliminating the chances of them invading your pets’ coats – and ultimately your home – and it’s no wonder. Not only can they cause a lot of bother for your pets, but they can cause your family in the home some bother too.

One of the key ways of telling you’re having a problem with fleas – aside from the obvious itching – is their bites. But if you’re not familiar with the little critters, then you might find yourself wondering, what do flea bites actually look like?

Well, we’re going to be answering that today!

Read on for our fully inclusive guide on what you should be watching out for when it comes to flea bites.

What are Fleas?

First things first, we’re going to be covering the basics. So what really are fleas?

Fleas are very simply, tiny bugs.

•         They don’t actually grow any larger than a pen tip.
•         In colour, they range from anything between light brown to almost black.
•         They travel by jumping from place to place, and don’t have wings.
•         In order to kill them, you usually have to squeeze them between two fingernails, because they are flat with hard shells.
•         Where you find one, there is usually more.
•         They reproduce quickly, particularly if you have pets in the home.
•         Your yard can also be a host for fleas.

The honest truth?

Without a pesticide treatment, they’re nigh on impossible to get rid of. Though they may be small, they are troublesome.

What Are the Symptoms of Having a Flea Bite?

So, when it comes to identifying a flea bite, you have to be sure you know what the symptoms actually are.

They actually have several symptoms which are common to their victims. To start with, unsurprisingly, flea bites are very itchy, and the skin surrounding the bite tends to become painful. In some cases, people will develop hives or rashes around the place of the bite.

A bacterial infection can be caused if you further the damage of the skin surrounding the bite by itching. So try and avoid doing it at all times!

Always make sure you’re keeping an eye out for any symptoms of infection. These include blisters with a white top, or a rash.

What Do Flea Bites Actually Look Like?

Okay, so now you know what the physical symptoms of flea bites are, and how they feel, but what do they actually look like?

To look at, they are fairly distinctive. They tend to be in clusters of three and four, and show up in a little straight line of red bumps. The bumps will stay small, however, unlike mosquito bites which swell up.

Some people might soon notice a red ring around the flea bite, and the most common place to find a flea bite tends to be around the legs and / or ankles.

Other areas in which flea bites are commonly found include:

•         The waist.
•         The arm pits.
•         The groin.
•         The breasts.
•         Folds in the elbows / knees.

If you’re looking for flea bites, we would recommend starting by looking in these areas.

Are there Any Other Issues Caused by Flea Bites?

So, a flea bite is a small, itchy bite – and they can be extremely irritating. But are there any other issues which can derive from being bitten by a flea?

Well, the good news is, that as humans, the chances of us contracting diseases from flea bites are very small. However, the bacteria that gets into your system following the bite can cause you to gain an infection, particularly if you fold and scratch the bites.

If you’re worried that your bite is infected, look for the following signs:

•         The bite might turn red.
•         The bite might turn warm.
•         It may ooze pus.

In some people, however, flea bites can actually cause an allergic reaction, if you happen to be sensitive to this. The symptoms of an allergic reaction to a flea bite can range from raised welts surrounding the bite, all the way to the victim finding difficulty breathing.

In pets, however, fleas can cause some health complications. In some cases they could also have an allergic reaction, and can even suffer from anaemia following the blood loss from the flea feeding.

If you suspect your dog may have fleas, we would recommend treating them immediately, and taking them to the vets.

How Can I Spot Fleas in my Home?

If you’re worried you might have fleas in the home, chances are you’ll want to spot them before it’s too late and you / your family have been bitten.

If you do happen to have pets in your home, then it’s likely you’ll know exactly where the fleas are. Yup, you guessed it, right in their coats!

Typically, a flea will prefer to live on dogs and cats – but they can also move onto other kinds of animals, or even on you and your family.

The issue with fleas, is that they reproduce quickly – and as we mentioned, this is even more so the case if they’re on your pets. If their population grows rapidly, then the fleas may actually begin to branch out habitat – wise, and begin to live in your yard, in carpets and even in your bedding. Yikes.

If you do have a bad flea infestation, then this will become obvious to you very quickly. All you need to do is to walk across your carpet in some clean, white socks. Now, look at the bottom of your socks. Are there any tiny black bugs there? Chances are, they’re fleas.

Where Will the Fleas be Likely to Bite my Pet?

If you’re concerned about fleas biting your pet, and looking for the signs of this, then you’ll need to know where you need to look on their body.

In cats and dogs, flea bites look very similar to how they do on human skin. These are small bumps, which are red in colour, and sometimes have a red ring around them.

The difficulty in spotting these bites tends to come from attempting to navigate around the thick fur of your pet. One direct give away that the pet may have been bitten, is them scratching a LOT. In some cases, on your animal’s skin, there may be missing patches of fur, and even redness.

You should take the time to look through your pets coat with a flea comb – this should help you to find the little pests! In terms of areas of the body, we would recommend looking at the following areas on your pet’s body:

•         Their neck.
•         Their belly.
•         Their lower back.
•         At the base of the tail.

Even if you don’t see any actual fleas, they might leave their debris behind in the form of dirt or droppings. If you’re wondering what these look like, they look like small specks of black pepper on the skin of your pet.

What if I Don’t Have Pets at Home? Can I Still be Bitten?

So, you might be thinking that if you don’t have pets in the home, you’re safe from a flea infestation. However, this is not necessarily the case.

Even if you don’t have pets in your home, you could still be bitten by a flea. These bites could be coming from fleas living either in your garden, or from the pet of another person.

If your garden has the following features:

•         Long or tall grass.
•         Storage buildings.
•         Shaded areas near either wood piles, or decking.

Then fleas are more likely to be attracted to living there.

If you think that this might be the case in your home, then it’s likely you’ll have to hire a professional exterminator to come in and treat your garden for fleas.

Think about the last time you spend time in your garden. Did you have itchy red bumps on your body afterwards? Now might be the time to call up the pest expert.

How Can I Treat a Flea Bite?

Last of all, but by no means least, if you think you’ve been bitten by a flea, you’ll want to know how to treat it.

Generally speaking, they will go away without treatment – but to stop yourself being bitten, you must get rid of the fleas. It’s as simple as that.

We did mention that the main symptom of flea bites is itching, and scratching can cause it to become infected. If this is the case, then you should buy an over – the – counter itch relief cream, or even an oral antihistamine.

If you do think that where the bite is may be becoming infected, then you should make an appointment to see your doctor – just in case you need antibiotics. Symptoms of infection include white – topped spots, or a rash.

 Thanks for reading!