Difference between Tick and Fleas
Ticks and fleas tend to feed off the same hosts, and they're found in
many of the same places. There are some differences in them though which
are as below;
A flea is an insect which has six legs where as a tick is an arachnid
with eight legs like a spider. Ticks digs its face into the skin and
stays in one place sucking blood where as fleas suck blood and move to
suck more blood. A tick swell up with blood twenty times its original
size then drops off but fleas stay on the host until something kills
them. They breed there and take up residence in the same place. Fleas
can jump about a foot and move fast while ticks can do neither. The body
shape of the flea is different from that of a tick.
The symptoms in fleas is scratching and licking the fur, red and
irritated skin and the pet can experience loss of hair; the ticks on the
other hand transmit diseases like lyme which can be passed to humans.
When you brush rub or brush your pet's back over a white piece of paper
you will notice flea feces which has blood and if there are fleas on
your pet, brownish-red flakes will be noticeable on the white paper
after brushing him; the ticks symptoms may not be obvious but your pet
can have fever, vomiting or sore joints.
Fleas carry tapeworms, so it is important for your pet to be checked
for weight loss by a veterinarian; as for the ticks use gloves or
tweezers to remove them and then wrap it up in a toilet paper and flush
it.
It is very important to remove the ticks properly. Some of the ways
is by using sharp pointed tweezers, or you can get specially made tick
tweezers. You grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible, if you
squeeze the body or head, you risk compressing the guts and salivary
glands and expelling even more organisms through their mouth into your
body.
Remember also not to twist the tick or turn the tweezers as you pull
out the tick. It is important to pull out straight with a slow, steady
motion because twisting may result in the head or more of the mouthparts
being left in your body and then gently pull the tick straight out until
its mouth lets go of your skin.
Avoid applying any substances like alcohol or nail polish, no
petroleum jelly or other ointments to remove the tick.
When you do manage to pull the tick out, you must do the following
next;
Dispose of the tick by either crushing it inside the newspaper or by
putting it down the sink or toilet, and covering it with bleach. Clean
and disinfect the wound by smearing it with antiseptic cream. |
