What Do Flea Bites Look Like?

You might be noticing some unusual marks on your body, and then subsequently wondering whether they are flea bites. Perhaps you are examining a pet, and want to know if you should suspect that the animal has fleas or not.

Flea Bites on Animals

On an animal, they are often red circles and they can be raised up from the skin. They tend to become quite crusty if they are there for more than a little while. You might notice that your pet is itching a particular area quite a bit. If so, there is a good chance that he or she has fleas.

Chances are, you are not going to notice a flea bite on an animal unless you go through the creature's fur. However, you might notice the bumps as you are petting the animal.

Even if you know what a flea bit looks like, you can mistake a flea bite for something else. So, it is always best to consult with your vet. Another way to tell if your pet has flea bites is to look for the actual fleas or the flea dirt. If your pet has black fur, that is going to be rather difficult, unless the flea actually jumps out and you see it. On animals with lighter fur though, you should be able to see the fleas and the flea dirt.

Flea Bites on Humans

A flea bite is usually a red circle which is accompanied by an outer circle of redness around it. The bites will look like pimples.

That's right...humans can get fleas and flea bites. They can jump from your pet onto you. Furthermore, they can also live in the carpet. If you are walking through a flea-infested carpet, they will jump up and attack your legs. Therefore, if you are noticing strange markings on your ankles and lower legs, you might very well be under attack from fleas. Of course, these markings can appear anywhere that the fleas get to. The ankles and lower legs are just the most common area.

The impact of the bites can last for several hours or longer, if you are having a particularly bad reaction to the bite or if the fleas continue to bite you in the same spot. Furthermore, if you see three bites all grouped together, you can make a decent guess that they are flea bites, since they tend to come in groups of threes.

Excessive swelling can develop around the site of the bite, most probably if the person is having a severe allergic reaction to it. Whether you are allergic to it or not, you are probably going to feel an itch. That is what fleas do - they cause the animals and humans that they go after to become itchy. Now you know the reason why pets are always scratching themselves when they have fleas.

If you are extremely allergic to the flea bite, you will begin to notice that lesions are developing. These lesions will develop to be approximately three to four millimeters in diameter. Of course, if you have already progressed to the stage of lesions, you should be visiting a doctor immediately!