Question

top view  

side view   Hi Jack,

We recently found a few large, slow moving bugs on our dogs and - ugh - on our children. They don't bite, are at least three times the length of a flea, easily viewable with the naked eye, are brownish to black in color with a shiny, laterally compressed abdomen. No antennae I can easily see. We had a pest control expert in and he ruled out flea, lice, bedbug, termite, springtail (no tail we can see). on its side it looks exactly like a flea, I've seen them jump, but again, nobody has been bitten, there's only a handful of them at any time, and they're not terribly quick. The exterminator suggested it's some kind of beetle but I can't find anything on the internet that looks like this creature except a smaller flea. Arthropods were close, but I've read they only turn reddish brown when dead. also, it just doesn't look shrimp like to me but I'm not the expert. These things are deep brown to black alive. Curious what you think.

Answer
Todd,

I can't see much detail in these photos. If you could get a clear image from the side (and closer) it would help. Does the dog live outside? Does the dog, by chance, like to dig up rodent burrows? I'm thinking of something specific that may or may not be relevant. Post a follow up.

Jack DeAngelis