Welcome to the number one site on flea bites, where you will learn everything you need to know about fleas.
If you need help figuring out if you were bitten or not and how to treat your bites, you should start reading about flea bites on humans. You can see what the bites look like in the flea bite pictures section.
During your visit you will learn how to effectively accomplish this:
- Identify if you have been bitten by fleas
- Treat flea bites on humans, dogs and cats
- Get rid of fleas in and outside your home
- Prevent flea infestations in the future
Flea bites on humans
Let me start by saying that we don’t see fleas on humans as often as on cats or dogs. Flea bites on humans usually come from dog fleas, cat fleas or human fleas. The bites are often seen in large groups or in clusters. Some people are very sensitive to these bites, and they risk getting a kind of hives, that looks like a large number of red bumps or bubbles on the affected area.
Fleas from cats and dogs often bite below the knee, usually on the ankles. You can also get flea bites on the forearms, if you have stroked or held your pet. In fact it is only the human flea that comes in groups of two to three, or even more at a time. Bites from dog or cat fleas usually show as areas of red dots.
There are a few people, that develop severe allergic reactions to flea bites and can get irritated by a single bite. Although it happens rarely, you can also get nasty diseases from the bacteria and viruses, that fleas transmit.
Not sure if you have flea bites? Take this test and find out now.
Flea bites on your pets
No matter if you have a dog, cat, rabbit or another animal, it is most likely that your pet gets cat fleas. Flea species prefers specific hosts, although if there is someone nearby, they can easily live on other animals or humans. Often it is not even sure you notice if your dog or cat gets flea bites. But if fleas are allowed to spread, they may end up invading your home.
Some pets, like dogs, can be sensitive to certain substances in flea saliva. More than humans are. They may develop allergic reactions after just one bite.
When fleas bite and why they do it
Evolution has shown that fleas have evolved to store 15 times more blood than their own weight. They have a lot of short spikes on their legs, allowing them to stick very firmly to their host. Once they have penetrated the animals or humans skin, they inject the saliva. The saliva is known to have more than 15 different substances, that may cause severe allergic reactions. Especially dogs are at risk of developing flea allergy.
All fleas are parasites, that needs to suck the blood of animals to live. The adult female fleas also need blood to be able to reproduce. In fact, they need food two to three times every day. They only need to mate once in a lifetime though, to be able to reproduce. So fleas don’t just bite because they can, they bite because they need the blood to survive.
Thoughts, like fleas, jump from man to man, but they don’t bite everybody – Stanislaw Lec
Are fleas dangerous to humans or pets?
Insect bites are annoying and potential threats to both humans and animals. Fortunately, flea bites on humans and pets are not as dangerous as many other insect bites. Although you don’t need to contact your doctor as soon as it starts itching all over the body, you must still be aware of allergic reactions and rashes.
Fleas can be carriers of many different types of bacteria and viral diseases, and they are known to transmit tapeworms. Even if the fleas are disease-free, they can still drive both animals and humans mad when they come in big groups, and they are not easy to get rid of. Stick around and I’ll show you how to get rid of them.
What do flea bites look like?
If they are not causing an allergic reaction, the bites look just like red small dots, which you might not even notice. But when the bites start to itch, the person or pet may scratch a hole in the affected area, which can cause skin infections. If you get an allergic reaction to the bite, you usually have large areas of redness, severe itching and small pimples that require treatment.
Visit the flea bite pictures section to see what the bites look like.
Flea bite treatment
If you get bitten and you don’t do anything about it, the bites will eventually get worse because you simply can’t stop scratching them. This can be very uncomfortable and cause a lot of frustration, especially if you have flea allergy. Luckily we know so much about fleas today that we have developed excellent treatments and medicines that can take care of the problem almost instantly.
You can cure yourself at home by following the instructions below. If one way doesn’t work for you, just try another. People react differently to flea bites, so the effect of the specific treatment may also vary from person to person.
How to get rid of flea bites
- First of all, stop scratching your bites! I know it’s difficult but if you continue doing so, the bites can get infected with bacteria that will enter your bloodstream and cause havoc on your body. Save yourself from nasty infections by leaving the area alone.
- This one makes the first point easier to follow. Stop the itching with some cream or lotion. This will also reduce swelling and clean the area, decreasing the chance of getting those unwanted infections.
- If cream or lotion doesn’t do it for you, there is also antihistamine as tablets or liquid. You should contact your doctor before taking this. I would prefer that you use cream or lotion – it’s cheaper and works in most cases.
- Use ice or cold water to soothe the itching. This also prevents or reduces swelling and inflammation.
Learn more about flea bite treatment.
How to get rid of fleas
The next step towards a life without fleas is to learn how to get rid of them. I have some great tips on how to deal with those pesky little creatures that invade your home and I will share them with you for free. All you need to do is sign up for my newsletter to receive exclusive advice that can help you get rid of fleas today.
You will also get my step-by-step checklist that explains exactly how to deal with fleas in your home and on your pets by following a few simple steps. Here’s what to do:
- Sign up for my newsletter to get the checklist
- Print it out and read through it carefully
- Follow the simple steps one by one
- Share the PDF with other pet owners
- Enjoy a safer home without fleas
Do you have any questions? Ask FLEABITES.NET
If there is anything flea bite or flea related you are unsure of, you can always ask for help in the forum.