My dog has a non-moving spot. Is it a flea, flea dirt, or skin?

Question

So I went through close examination of my dog's skin and I saw what looked like a flea, but it didn't move even when I tried really hard to move it but it didn't move then so I'm not sure if it's just a part of his skin? I saw two like it. Also, can fleas go under a dog's skin and not move? I also saw dirt but I think it's real dirt. I also saw dandruff or a flea egg. Not sure my OCD is really bad ive obsessed over this for weeks and feel sick.

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

Fleas live on the surface of the skin, and a live flea will definitely move if you try to touch it. A dead flea would be easy to pick up and remove from your dog's skin. It can be difficult to differentiate flea dirt from regular old dirt - if you comb some of the dirt and put it on a white paper towel and then wet it with water, flea dirt will turn red because it is digested blood. Flea eggs are too small to see without a microscope. A flea comb can make it easier to find both adult fleas and flea dirt - run the comb along your dog's back near the base of the tail since this is typically where fleas like to hang out. Also, if your dog is not on a flea preventative I'd recommend talking to your veterinarian about recommendations.

My dog has a non-moving spot. Is it a flea, flea dirt, or skin?

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