My dog has things on her despite flea prevention. Are they fleas?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see the skin in your pictures but it looks like a rash or comedones. If the reddish black things on her skin flakes off or are loose, wet them on a white tissue. If they melt away to a red streak that is flea poop. Flea dips and shampoos are NOT preventatives for fleas and the fleas that hatch on the carpet will jump right back on the pet. Fleas do not lay eggs on the pet but on the carpet. Bed bugs do not live on animals. I recommend a flea preventative like oral Nexgard, Simparica, Bravecto or topical Advantix ii or the Seresto collar. If there are no live fleas or flea dirt then she likely has a secondary skin infection or rash from an allergic reaction the the fleas. I would have her seen by your Vet so she can be provided relief. Also it looks like she has a paw infection which could be from environmental or food allergies. Good luck!

Hello, those are not fleas. They appear to be crusts formed from the oily secretions of the skin. This can occur in dogs with a very oily skin coat, due to allergies, or even due to diet deficiencies. Other causes could include a skin infection or dry skin. This can typically be managed with the right medication, diet, or shampoo alone or in combination. However, your veterinarian may need to look a sample of this area under the microscope to rule out any bacteria, yeast, or parasites. Schedule and appointment with your veterinarian and have Stella evaluated soon. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I can't really tell from the picture what it is. If you dog isn't on a flea or tick preventative, that could be part of the issue. Skin infection, sebaceous cyst, or other masses would be possible, as well. I would wait and see what happens. You can get her started on a flea preventative, and use a medicated shampoo like Dechra MalAcetic Ultra Shampoo for mild skin infections.

Yes, unfortunately that looks like fleas. Usually flea and tick shampoos do not do a good job of eradicating a flea issue because they only kill the adult fleas on the dog but don't do anything for the larvae and eggs that represent the main problem. I'd suggest getting a quality flea preventative for Star like Bravecto, Advantix, Vectra, or Nexguard. These are all prescription flea meds so you will need to get them from your veterinarian. The flea preventative needs to be used for at least 4 months to fully get rid of the issue. All pets in the household should use a flea preventative during this time period. I'm hopeful that you are catching the problem early before it becomes a bigger issue. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It’s hard to see the bug in your picture. It is likely fleas. I would start a flea medication. I like the oral ones like Nexgard, Simparica or Bravecto and I also like the Setesto collar which lasts 8 months. With these you can bathe him as well. With the topical medications you can’t bathe until 2 days after application. And personally I do not think they work as well. I hope this helps!

It's possible for it to be ticks. It's also possible that this is lice. Besides those and fleas, there are not other parasites that tend to be visible and in high numbers on a dog. If it's possible to send a picture, then that would be helpful for identification. If not, then it's a good idea to have her seen by a vet, because they can identify the problem and prescribe the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and all is well with Daisy.

High quality flea preventatives are very effective, so I would be surprised if your dog is itching from fleas. Different flea preventatives utilize different mechanisms of action to kill fleas. Some preventatives work by killing the flea after it bites, so it is not unheard of to see one rare flea. The important part is that the flea is killed before it has a chance to reproduce and lay eggs. The next time you see dirt on your dog, try to put it onto a white paper towel and moisten it slightly. Flea dirt becomes a reddish-brown color when wet. If you do not notice a significant color change, it is just regular dirt. The dandruff may be appearing as a result of skin sloughing when your dog itches. Allergies to a wide variety of environmental influences and food are a common cause of itching in dogs. Consider discussing this intense itching with your vet because dogs can develop skin infections by introducing bacteria or yeast from excessive scratching.