Ticks and fleas - do you know the difference? 

TICKS

Ticks are small, spider-like parasites that live in wooded areas. They climb onto your pet to drink their blood. Ticks can live anywhere on your pet’s body, but they tend to prefer the neck, ears, toes, and folds between the legs and the body. Ticks can infect humans too.

Make sure your pet’s preventatives are always up to date. Check your pet’s skin regularly for ticks. They are big enough to be seen, or felt under your pet’s hair.

If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible. Ticks transmit dangerous diseases, and the longer they stay attached, the more likely your pet is to become infected. Don’t burn or hurt the tick, as this can increase the chance of infection. The safest way to kill a tick is to remove it from your pet first with a pair of tweezers and then dispose of it - keeping the fluids away from yourself and your pet.

FLEAS

Fleas are very small insects that survive by drinking blood. Pets usually contract fleas from infected pets or wild animals, but flea larvae and eggs can be found in sheltered outside areas.

Ensure your pet’s preventatives are up-to-date. You might have trouble spotting adult fleas on your pet, but “flea dirt”, the dark dusty droppings of adult fleas, is a sure indicator that your pet is infected.

If your pet has fleas, groom them with a fine-toothed comb to get as many fleas off their fur as possible. You can kill the fleas by dunking the comb in hot soapy water. Certain medications help kill fleas, or inhibit certain parts of their lifecycle. In addition to this, ensure you clean your house thoroughly and constantly - flea eggs and larvae can survive in your house if they’re not removed.


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