Fleas and Ticks on Puppies: Signs and What to Do
How to spot fleas and ticks on your puppy, why treatments have age and weight limits, how to treat your home, remove a tick safely and when to see a vet.
MyPuppiess Team · · 4 min read
Fleas and ticks are common in puppies, and they're more than just itchy: heavy flea burdens can cause anaemia in small puppies, and ticks can spread disease. Check your puppy's coat regularly, ask your vet for a treatment suitable for their age and weight, treat your home as well as your puppy, and remove any tick promptly and carefully.
Signs your puppy has fleas
- Scratching, nibbling or licking, often around the tail base, tummy and neck
- Tiny dark specks (flea dirt) in the coat or bedding
- Small, fast-moving brown insects, especially on the belly
- Red, sore or scabby skin, or patches of hair loss
- Pale gums or tiredness in a heavily infested puppy — a sign of anaemia
Some puppies are allergic to flea saliva and become very itchy from just a few bites. Fleas can also pass on tapeworm if your puppy swallows one while grooming, which is one reason flea control and deworming go together.
How to check your puppy
Use a fine-toothed flea comb, working through the coat from head to tail. Pay extra attention to the base of the tail, belly, armpits and neck. Tap whatever you comb out onto damp white kitchen paper. If the specks turn reddish-brown, it's flea dirt — digested blood.
For ticks, run your fingers over your puppy after walks in grass or woodland. Ticks often attach around the head, ears, neck, armpits, groin and between the toes. An attached tick looks like a small grey, brown or black bump that grows as it feeds.
Why treatments have age and weight limits
Flea and tick products are licensed for animals above a certain age and body weight. A young or small puppy is more sensitive, and an adult dose can be dangerous. Never split adult products or use a treatment meant for another species.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Weigh your puppy and ask your vet which product suits them | Guess the dose or use another dog's treatment |
| Treat every dog and cat in the home with a suitable product | Use dog products on cats — some are toxic to cats |
| Follow the product instructions exactly | Combine several products without checking with your vet |
| Keep treating as advised, all year if your vet recommends | Stop once you stop seeing fleas |
Treating your home
Most of a flea population lives in the home as eggs, larvae and pupae, not on your pet. Treating only your puppy means new fleas keep hatching.
- Wash your puppy's bedding, blankets and soft toys on a hot wash, and repeat regularly.
- Vacuum carpets, rugs, sofas and car seats thoroughly, then empty the vacuum outside.
- Ask your vet about a household product if the infestation is heavy, and keep pets away from treated areas as instructed.
- Expect it to take several weeks to break the flea life cycle.
How to remove a tick safely
- Use a tick removal tool from a vet or pet shop, or fine-pointed tweezers. Wear gloves if you can.
- Grip the tick as close to the skin as possible, without squeezing its body.
- With a tick hook, follow the tool's instructions — most use a gentle twist and lift. With tweezers, pull slowly and steadily straight out.
- Clean the area and wash your hands.
- Check the rest of your puppy for more ticks.
Never burn a tick, smother it with oil or alcohol, or pull it off with bare fingers. These can make it release more saliva or leave mouthparts behind. If you're unsure, your vet nurse can show you how.
Signs of tick-borne disease
Ticks can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, and other infections depending on where you live and travel. Signs may appear days to weeks after a bite:
- Lethargy or seeming depressed
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Lameness that may move between legs, or swollen, painful joints
- Swollen lymph nodes
Prevention
Regular, vet-recommended parasite prevention is far easier than treating an infestation. Ask your vet at your puppy's vaccination appointments about a plan that covers fleas, ticks and worms for your area and lifestyle.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use adult dog flea treatment on my puppy?
Not without checking with your vet. Many flea and tick products have a minimum age and weight, and using the wrong product or dose on a small puppy can make them ill. Your vet can recommend one that suits your puppy's age and weight.
How do I know if my puppy has fleas?
Look for scratching, nibbling at the skin, and tiny dark specks in the coat, especially near the base of the tail and the tummy. Combing onto damp white paper helps: flea dirt turns reddish-brown.
Can I use cat flea treatment on a puppy or dog treatment on a cat?
No. Products are made for a specific species, and some dog treatments are extremely dangerous to cats. Always use a product your vet recommends for that animal.