by My cat and dog play together regularly, can my dog get fleas from a cat if the cat has fleas?
You may think that fleas are species specific, and a dog’s fleas can’t pass to a cat, and cat’s fleas can’t pass to a dog – and you’re partially right.
Although there are dog fleas and cat fleas which are specific to dogs and cats, when it comes to biting, fleas do not always stick to the animal they were named after. A flea will bite any type of living creature, so it is better to avoid them when possible.
Many people don’t know this, but the cat flea is the most common domestic flea species in the United States and the cat flea will happily feast on other pets in your home including dogs, rabbits, hamsters, and Guinea pigs.
Fleas will even go after human skin and if you have fleas in your house, you may find small itchy red bites on your feet and ankles. In severe infestation cases in your house, you might even feel them jumping against your foot and lower legs as you walk on the carpet.
If you find fleas on your dog or cat, you’ll want to make sure that all the pets in your household are treated because if there’s fleas on a cat, they will soon be on a dog and biting them as well.
If you see fleas on your dog or you even suspect you have fleas in your house based on bites on humans, bites on your dog or bites on other pets, you’ll want to make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Your veterinarian can do a thorough exam of your dog and prescribe necessary flea prevention and treatment medicine. If your veterinarian determines that your dog does indeed have fleas, you will want to treat all the areas in your house that your dog has access to including beds, furniture, carpets, and floors.
If you do have other types of pets in your house, you will also want to treat them with an appropriate flea treatment. Make sure to discuss this with your veterinarian as well to ensure you are applying the correct treatment for each type of pet.
It’s also important to have all the pets in your home on some sort of flea preventative medication. There are many different types of flea preventative medication available so be sure to talk with your veterinarian about which one is right for you, your dog, and any other pets you may have in the house. Preventative flea treatment is the best way to keep pesky fleas off your dog and out of your house. It’s better to be proactive preventing with fleas as opposed to trying to deal with them after there is an infestation.
