After a nice day at the beach, you notice that your dog is scratching and has little red dots that look like bite wounds. It is possible but unlikely that these are caused by sand fleas.
Sand fleas are small crustaceans, not insects like true fleas. They often appear on the beach in the evening to escape the hot sun. They range in size from about a quarter of an inch to a full inch. However, you may never see them on the beach unless you dig in the sand.
Insect bites on the beach
Skin irritations such as itchy bites or welts are more likely to be caused by sand flies or actual flea bites, especially if your dog has explored vegetation near the beach where rabbits and other animals that may harbor fleas have been Been there.
Sand fleas do jump like real fleas, but they prefer to eat seaweed rather than blood. When they bite a dog, they cause a rash that looks like multiple bites.
bite treatment
Treatment for sand flea irritations and bites is basic. Gently clean the area with water or chlorhexidine solution. You can place ice cubes or ice packs on red areas to reduce pain, itching, and inflammation.
Home remedies include aloe vera gel or used tea bags placed on irritated skin. (Don’t let your dog eat tea!) Rubbing the area with a 50-50 solution of apple cider vinegar and water may also help relieve irritation and itching.
The biggest health concern with sand fleas is that if your dog chews on his skin, it breaks down the natural protective barrier and leaves the opportunity for secondary bacterial infections. Sand fleas can also cause sand fleas, a painful itching condition in which fleas burrow into a dog’s paw pads (or a person’s feet), but are rare in North America.
Keep your flea and tick repellent products up to date to help protect your dog.