My dog bit himself once. Is a single bite a sign of fleas or just an itch?

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.

Hot spots are superficial bacterial infections of the skin that often happen secondary to trauma such as a dog scratching itself - so it is possible that a flea infestation could *lead* to hot spots. With flea infestations, dogs often focus their scratching/chewing at the base of the tail, but tend to scratch everywhere. Fleas themselves may be found if you look closely, particularly on the belly and thighs where the hair is thinner and they may be easier to see. An experienced observer looks for evidence of "flea dirt", which is the digested blood fleas pass in their feces. It looks like tiny black dots (almost like black dandruff) but if you smear it on a damp paper towel it becomes rusty red. Hot spots, again, may occur secondary to the scratching with fleas, but also very commonly happen secondary to allergies. If the problem is a hot spot alone, the dog will focus their scratching/chewing at the hot spot. Hot spots tend to cause focal areas of hair loss and the skin will be moist, a bit stinky, and very irritated/tender. When in doubt, it is *always* a good idea to make sure your dog has a high quality flea/tick preventative (Nexgard, Bravecto, Advantix, Revolution are my personal top choices). Hope this helps!

Scratching is one of the most common signs of fleas for many pets but can also be caused by a variety of other conditions. Fleas are tiny black insects that walk through a dog’s fur. Adult female fleas lay 40 to 50 eggs per day, which can fall off of the dog into the surrounding environment. So many eggs can contaminate the environment, to the point where the majority of fleas present are living in the environment with only five percent of the fleas living on the dog. Sometimes fleas can be identified easily with the naked eye or with the help of a flea comb. Fleas provide telltale evidence of their presence by leaving flea dirt behind, which resembles specks of pepper. In order to differentiate between flea dirt and run-of-the mill dirt, some of this debris can be smashed on a damp white paper towel and will turn a reddish-brown as a result of digested blood. Fortunately, fleas can be treated and prevented at home with a number of different high-quality products, such as Credelio, Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica, Comfortis, Trifexis, AdvantageMulti or Revolution, which are available with a prescription from your veterinarian. Other good quality options include Advantix II or Capstar, which are available over the counter. Regular, consistent use of these products is the most important aspect of treating an existing flea problem, as well as preventing future issues. Consult with your veterinarian about the best choice for your individual dog. ### Capstar is a trademark of Elanco or its affiliates.

Yes, it could be due to a flea allergy. The black you are seeing is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I would not be overly worried about that. The lesion looks very quiet now. I would continue with the Seresto collar and if you notice this recurring or happening in another location I would have him seen by your vet for an exam.

I can't tell from to photo, but are those 'seed ticks'? Other possible causes of itching/scratching/bites include mites or ant bites. If you cannot identify the cause, I recommend to have Bull examined by the veterinarian who may recommend a medication to treats the possible parasites and medications to help with any itching. Best of luck.

Flea bites typically look like small, raised areas of redness, and if Trisha was bitten by a flea, I would expect to see multiple fleas bites not just one. Given that she is on a very good flea treatment program and you have not found any flea dirt, I do not think what you are seeing is a flea bite. If you are consistent with her flea treatments and disinfected your home after her infestation last year, I do not believe there will be a chance an infestation could start again. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Allergies, either to something in the environment or less often to food, would be the most common cause of itching if Charlie is on a prescription flea preventative. He may have a secondary skin infection as well since you are feeling bumps. Mange can cause hair loss but usually isn’t significantly itchy.