Flea dirt: If you’re a pet parent, you’ve probably heard of it. Maybe your veterinarian has even found it on your pet. But what is flea dirt, exactly? And more importantly, do you know how to get rid of it?
Although flea dirt is a problem that pet parents have to deal with more frequently than they might like, there’s good news: There are plenty of ways to get rid of it (and the fleas that cause it). The better news? It’s totally preventable.
In This Guide:
So, What Is Flea Dirt Anyway?
Here’s the short answer: Flea dirt is a mix of blood meal and flea feces, says John Howe, DVM, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Essentially, it’s the waste fleas leave behind after they consume your pet’s blood.
Now that you know what flea dirt is, take heart. There is one good thing about this icky stuff: It’s easy to find. Fleas can be difficult to spot, because they are so tiny and move quickly. Flea dirt, on the other hand, stays in one place, making it an obvious warning sign. Finding flea dirt on cats or dogs may actually help you realize there’s a flea problem before it gets out of hand.
What Does Flea Dirt Look Like?
Flea dirt is dark, even appearing black in some cases, and looks like small flecks or clumps, Dr. Howe says. It’s often described as looking like coffee grounds in your pet’s fur. Although it can be found on any part of your pet, it’s most often seen in front of their tail base and on their bellies.
Keep in mind that it may be harder to spot fleas and flea dirt on cats than on dogs because felines are such fastidious groomers, he adds. On cats, you may have more luck looking around their necks since it’s harder to reach.
Basically, flea dirt looks like regular dirt, and it’s easy to mistake one for the other. But there’s a simple solution for telling them apart.
“Since fleas ingest a blood meal from the pet, this blood is passed in their droppings,” says Mitzi Clark, board-certified veterinary dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.
“One way we distinguish flea dirt from regular dirt is to wet it and wipe it on a white surface to see if it looks red, like blood,” Dr. Clark adds. (If that task sounds too gross to handle, no judgment here—go ahead and delegate that task to your veterinarian.)
Does Flea Dirt Mean an Infestation?
Many pet parents wonder whether it’s possible for a pet to have flea dirt but not fleas. Unfortunately, that’s not likely. When you find flea dirt on cats or dogs, it's possible you're dealing with a flea infestation in your home.
“A flea that is dropping waste on the animal has had enough time to feed on that animal,” Dr. Clark says. That means they’ve probably also had time to breed.
Female fleas can lay eggs within two days after they’ve fed, says Jennifer Coates, DVM, veterinarian in Fort Collins, Colorado. She adds that flea eggs are near-impossible to spot, especially since they quickly fall off your pet and into the environment where they will hatch.
So even if you don’t see any live fleas, flea dirt can be a sign of fleas on your dog or cat.
How To Get Rid of Flea Dirt
Flea dirt won’t magically disappear on its own, nor will the fleas that cause it. So, it’s important to take action if you find fleas or their feces on your pet.
Step one for how to get rid of flea dirt is to eliminate the fleas. “If a pet is covered in flea dirt, I think the most important step is eliminating the fleas with the use of good flea preventatives and environmental treatment, if necessary,” Dr. Clark says. “It’s also important to remember to treat any [other] animals in the house that can also harbor fleas.”
Dr. Clark says she often recommends flea and tick prevention products from the isoxazoline class (Bravecto®, NexGard®, Simparica™, Credelio™, and Revolution® Plus) to her clients. But every pet is different, and there’s no one best product for all pets, she adds. “As always, your pet’s veterinarian should help you decide what is the best anti-parasite medication for your individual pet.”
Giving your pet a bath with a shampoo designed to fight fleas and ticks can also help remove fleas and flea dirt from your pet by providing immediate relief. However, it's important to talk to your veterinarian before doing so. If you’re using a topical flea and tick treatment or prevention product, bathing may interfere and reduce the effectiveness of those products, Dr. Howe says.
It’s not only animals who require attention. You’ll also need to thoroughly clean your pet’s bedding, as well as their environment—aka the flooring, the furniture, and other things they come into contact with—where fleas can lurk between hosts. Doing this, along with working with your vet to make sure your pet is on a flea/tick prevention product, is the best way to keep fleas (and their dirt) off your pet.
Is Flea Dirt Harmful to Humans?
When most pet parents find flea dirt on dogs and cats, their biggest concern is for their pet. But remember: The presence of fleas is problematic for humans, too.
“We know that certain diseases can be transmitted from fleas and ticks to humans,” Dr. Clark says. Diseases that fleas carry which can affect humans include tapeworms, murine typhus, cat scratch disease (bartonellosis), and plague.
- Tapeworms can be transmitted if a human, often a child, accidentally ingests a flea.
- Murine typhus can spread to people if infected flea dirt gets into an open wound, such as when someone scratches.
- Cat scratch disease can be spread to people when a cat who has picked up bartonellosis from a flea scratches the person.
- Plague can spread to people from the bites of infected rodent fleas.
"A good practice is to wash hands after handling any pet—especially before eating—and to keep any wounds you have covered and away from contact with animals," Dr. Clark says.
If you find flea dirt on your cat or dog, it’s time to act. Talk to your pet's veterinarian about the best flea and tick medication to keep them protected from fleas and flea dirt-free all year long.
Expert input provided by John Howe, DVM, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association; Mitzi Clark, board-certified veterinary dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York; and Jennifer Coates, DVM, veterinarian in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This content was medically reviewed by a veterinarian.
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