Dog for flea advice

Flea treatment for dogs: FAQ

Fleas can be picked up by dogs from the environment. If your dog has fleas, you'll need to treat them and your home to get rid of them.

What are fleas?

Puppy scratching cropped

Fleas are a parasite that live on animals, including dogs. They're around three millimetres in size, making them hard to spot. Fleas commonly live in outdoor environment where they can be picked up on walks. Their eggs can lie dormant in cracks and crevices for up to a year.

What are the signs of fleas?

If your dog has fleas, you may notice: 

  • excessive itching
  • flea dirt (faeces left behind by fleas) on their fur. This looks like small black specks.
  • bald patches from itching
  • nibbling at their back end

Some dogs are not very sensitive to flea bites, so you may not notice any signs of fleas at all. 

If your dog suffers from a flea allergy, they may have a more severe reaction to fleas. This can include red or broken skin, or a rash.

Is my dog at risk of getting fleas?

The risk of getting fleas depends on how much time your dog spends in environments outside the home (although houses can also become infested), and if they spend time with other animals who may carry fleas. Many dogs enjoy walks, but this creates a good opportunity to pick up fleas. Because of this, it may be better to use a good quality preventative treatment, as recommended by your vet. You should speak to your vet about your dog's flea treatment needs. 

Puppies or weaker dogs are more at risk of developing health issues caused by fleas. This includes anaemia, due to the amount of blood lost due to parasites. Always follow your vet's advice when considering flea treatment for your dog.

Note

There is evidence to suggest that flea treatments are potentially harming the environment. Because of this, it's best to use them only when necessary, as instructed by your vet.

What do I do if my dog has fleas?

As well as getting your dog treatment as soon as possible, it’s important to remember that the parasites only spend a limited time on the host. 

Flea eggs tend to build up in cracks and crevices, such as down the sides of armchairs – and can survive for anything up to a year. As well as treating your dog, carpets and furnishings in the home also need to be treated with an aerosol spray as soon as possible.

Other pets in the household (such as rabbits and cats) will also need treatment. Ask for your vet's advice about different species, as products effective in dogs may be toxic and dangerous to cats, and vice-versa.

What dog flea treatment should I use?

There are lots of products available in pet shops, supermarkets and vets surgeries. But spot on treatment and tablet medications are the only effective long-term methods of flea control. It's best to ask your vet for advice on a suitable treatment for your dog. 

Make sure you're using the appropriate size for your dog's weight. A single treatment is unlikely to be enough, as eggs and larvae are found in the environment.

Spot on dog flea treatment

Spot on treatments are products whereby liquid is applied to the skin at the back of a pet’s neck. They have become a very popular and effective method of flea control. But they are not a good option if your dog swims or is bathed often.

Some products contain substances that kill adult fleas, while others work by interrupting the development of fleas – and some do both. These treatments normally eliminate and prevent ear mites, too.

Flea treatment tablets

Flea medication administered in tablet form is also a good option, if you find it difficult to give your pet a spot on treatment or if they swim or are bathed often. It works by preventing the development of eggs into fleas, eliminating new generations all together.

Flea dirt
Flea dirt (faeces) in a dogs fur

Dog flea treatment combs

Dog flea treatment combs are not an effective method of flea control, and is not preventative. But combs can be useful if you suspect your dog may have fleas, but you can only see them if your pet has lots. 

Use one of these fine-toothed combs on your dog over a clean white surface. If no fleas can be seen but you spot any small black specks, place these on damp cotton wool – if it is flea faeces, it will dissolve to leave red-brown marks, meaning it’s likely your dog has fleas.

Note

 If your dog is very itchy and grooming themselves often, there may not be much evidence of flea faeces.

Dog flea treatment powders 

Flea powders are only active for the few days that they remain on the coat and only kill adult fleas, not the larvae. For these reasons they have no long-term effect, so are not a good choice for treatment.

Flea collars

The collars have substances in them to stop fleas growing. But most are not reliable enough. Some can also cause irritation to your pet. This method should only be used if it’s a high-quality and safe product recommended by your vet.

Dog flea treatment shampoo

Dog flea treatment shampoos are not a long-term effective solution for combating fleas. This is because it will only kill the fleas on your dog at the time of bathing and does not prevent them from redeveloping.

Dog flea treatment herbal remedies

Herbal flea remedies are ineffective and some – such as tea tree oil – can even be toxic to pets. Also, many of these have not been through the rigorous safety checks applied to the products recommended by a vet.

How do I get rid of fleas in my home?

Thorough vacuuming followed by the use of an insecticide spray (containing an insect growth regulator) is a good way of eliminating fleas in the home and other areas. A single application can last for six months to a year.

Important

Do not allow products containing insecticide to come into contact with your pets. Never use any spray in close proximity to a fish tank, as they are highly toxic to fish.

Can dog fleas live on humans?

There are about 2,000 different types of fleas. Only one of those can live on humans, so it is extremely rare. All other fleas cannot survive on human blood but can be transmitted from pet to pet by people, as they are capable of leaping long distances.

Page details

Reviewed

• 20 January 2025

Next review

• 20 January 2028

Approved by
Caroline Reay

Veterinary Surgeon MRCVS