What do flea eggs look like? It’s a common question for Dog Owners living in an area where these little pests thrive. Knowing how to identify flea eggs can go a long way in preventing an infestation in your home.
In this article, we’ll explain how to save yourself, your dog, and your vetted Pet Sitter a lot of flea-driven grief. Let’s pull out our magnifying glasses and look for some fleas!
So what do flea eggs look like?
To the naked eye, flea eggs are hard to spot. They’re about the size of a grain of sand, oval in shape, and have an off-white or yellowish colour. In fact, flea eggs often resemble doggy dandruff, sand, or other innocuous particles that might be in your pup’s fur.
Once you’re close to a flea egg, that’s when you can tell that it’s not just a fleck of dry skin or sand, but a perfectly oval flea egg.
What do flea eggs look like compared to other types of parasites?
Most of us aren’t experts at identifying parasite eggs, so how can you be sure that what you’re seeing is a flea egg versus tick, dog lice, or mite egg?
First, we should say that you’re not likely to mistake flea eggs with tick eggs. Ticks prefer to lay their eggs in nests outside, rather than on your pup. And the ticks themselves are quite easy to identify.
But, when it comes to other types of parasites, there are a few ways that you can tell what you’re dealing with.
The first indication is the size. Flea eggs are quite small but you can see them without special equipment. Mite eggs, on the other hand, are microscopic—you may not be able to see them at all.
Another sign of flea eggs versus other parasites is whether they stick. Dog lice eggs, for instance, cling to your dog’s hair follicles, while flea eggs, which contain a hard outer shell, will shake loose. This difference is helpful, as flea eggs and dog lice eggs are similar in size and colour.
It will be important to find out what kind of parasite is laying eggs if you’re going to move forward with the right treatment plan. If you’re having trouble, your vet will be the best person to correctly diagnose which kind of parasite eggs you’ve found on your dog.
Why is it so important to ask, “What do flea eggs look like?”
To be sure, flea eggs aren’t the most obvious sign of an infestation. Instead, you’ll likely know that your dog has fleas because they’ll become excessively itchy. And, upon closer inspection, you’ll be able to see flea dirt, the excrement of these small pests on your dog’s skin, as well as the fleas themselves.
But, it is still important to ask, “What do flea eggs look like?” because they make up a huge part of the flea’s entire population, with adult fleas laying between 40 and 50 eggs per day. And, because these little grain-like eggs aren’t sticky, they can fall off of your dog wherever they go.
Often, a Dog Owner may think that they’ve conquered the problem by treating their dog for fleas. After a few weeks, though, they may find that the little pests have returned. That’s because the eggs scattered around the house had time to mature and develop, starting the whole process over again. If you really want to get rid of a flea infestation, then, you’re going to want to inspect key areas of your home to make sure the population is really gone.
How can you get rid of them?
One of the most frustrating things about trying to get rid of flea eggs is finding them in the first place. Luckily, you don’t have to get down on hands and knees with a magnifying glass. Instead, focus on these key tasks:
- Wash all of your dog’s bedding in hot water
- Vacuum or steam clean all fabric surfaces, such as couches, carpets and rugs. Make sure to take the entire vacuum cleaner outside when emptying the dirt trap, and consider cleaning the filter after vacuuming for flea eggs.
- Clean hardwood, linoleum, or tile floorings.
- Vacuum your car and disinfect all hard surfaces
If there are flea eggs in your home, you may not be able to banish them in one cleaning session. To be safe, you’ll want to wash your dog’s bedding and vacuum areas where your dog spends the most time. For a couple of weeks, repeat this process every two or three days. This will be the best way to ensure that you’ve interrupted the flea life cycle.
Preventing these pests in the future
If you’ve dealt with fleas once, you probably never want to do it again. But, these jumping little pests can be hard to avoid. Here are a few simple ways to make sure you never have to ask yourself, “What do flea eggs look like?” again!
- Stay up to date on your dog’s flea prevention. Schedule your dog’s flea prevention doses in your calendar so you never fall behind.
- Make sure your flea medication isn’t expired.
- Inspect your pup for fleas, especially during the warmer months. This can be done every time you groom your pup.
- Consider leaving your pet in the care of a Pet Sitter instead of a kennel. Packed kennels are a breeding ground for fleas, so it’s always best to leave your pup in the care of an experienced Pet Sitter. Your doggo will love the extra attention, too!
If you live in an area where fleas are common, you may worry about having to deal with a full-blown flea infestation. Overall, prevention is the best way to defend your dog against fleas. And now that you’ve answered “What do flea eggs look like?”, you can better protect your home, too!
