Insect parasites like fleas and ticks can create harmful health issues for humans and pets. They can spread bacteria and illness but otherwise differ considerably. The most significant difference between fleas and ticks is the host varieties they pick to infiltrate. Ticks are more of an external parasite, but they sometimes stick to your pet like fleas do and cause problems inside the house. Read more to figure out how to identify each type.
Difference Between Fleas and Ticks
In most cases, flea and tick treatments will be conducted jointly. Nevertheless, they are different; they vary in fundamental approaches. Parasites are bothersome, yet each variety has uncommon behaviors, life processes, and diseases. This article will uncover the primary distinctions between fleas and ticks.
Size and Appearance
- FLEAS: Grownup fleas only grow around the dimension of a pinhead or 1/8 of an inch in length. Considering that fleas are so small, a microscope is necessary to construct their finer attributes. Adult fleas can be seen with the naked eye, typically as little brownish specks in infested hair, fur, and fabric areas. It’s possible that the brown specks you’re seeing are not fleas but instead “flea dust,” another name for flea excretions.
- TICKS: Alternatively, ticks tend to be bigger. Ticks can be seen in various colors, including red, brown, yellowish, gray, and black. Ticks are spherical and obscured by their eight legs often, primarily after a good meal. Ticks expand to the measurements of grapes after feeding on a host.
Movement
- FLEAS: Fleas are impressive leapers despite their lack of wings. Their maximum vertical and horizontal jumps are 7 and 13 inches, specifically. Because of their small size, flea invasions are generally not seen until a serious mass is achieved, and a substantial amount of little brown dots are detected on their host, usually a dog or cat. If you notice fleas on your pets, bring them to the Greensboro Animal Hospital to treat them.
- TICKS: Ticks, which also lack wings, search for a host by crawling, climbing, balancing, and hanging from unprotected objects until a passing host brushes against them. They have a well-deserved reputation for being cunning and ruthless. They seize their prey when it is weakest, such as while it is sleeping or incapable of defending itself. Be updated on your cat and dog vaccinations to protect them from these parasites.
Demeanor
- FLEAS: When spotting a host, fleas are in it for the long run. Once they do, they’ll stay in the fur of a single warm-blooded pet for the rest of their lives, where they’ll feed, sleep, and reproduce. The female flea can make 50 eggs at the same time, and in a single day, the fleas can take in enough food to equal fifteen times their body weight. Fleas are a common bug seen on animals and in homes, and they nearly always find their way inside a hairy host.
- TICKS: Ticks don’t stick to one host however jump from one living creature to another. Ticks descend to the ground when they have finished feeding, where they might look for a mate, reproduce, or get ready for another host to pass by. When it comes to waiting for food, ticks are unrivaled; they can go months without eating anything. People and animals are likely to be bitten by a tick when out in the open. Ticks are popular hitchhikers; they can travel for hours in garments or accessories before connecting themselves to a blood dish. Consider a pet wellness plan to secure your pet’s protection. You can learn more on guilfordjamestownvet.com.
