• Take a sheet of good quality white paper and wet one side by running it under the tap.
• Place the sheet on a flat surface, eg worktop, with the wet surface uppermost.
• Sit your dog against the edge of the paper.
• Rub or brush the small of your pet's back so that scurf and flea droppings fall onto the wet paper.
• Look for 'coal dust' which, after 30-60 seconds, goes reddish brown. (This is the dried blood in the flea droppings.)

Sometimes there are no obvious signs of fleas and your vet might suggest testing your pet's skin to see if it is allergic to flea spit.