If you’re a new pet owner, it can be overwhelming to think about all the potential risks and hazards that could affect your dog or cat. You love your pets and obviously want to keep them safe. But how can you possibly protect them from everything? At the top of the list of risks are two of the most common parasites found on cats and dogs: fleas and ticks.
Fleas and ticks bite host animals—in this case, your cat or dog—and feed from their blood. These bites cause itching and discomfort. But did you know the impact of these parasites goes beyond itchiness? These parasites can carry diseases that have serious impacts on your pet’s health.
It’s important for pet owners to understand the risk posed by fleas and ticks. That’s because you can’t totally protect your pets from these predators if you don’t know where your pet may pick them up and how to avoid them. Keep reading to learn all about fleas and ticks, including which parasite poses a bigger threat to your pet.
About Fleas
If you’ve ever been around dogs or cats, you’re probably a little familiar with fleas already. These parasites feed on your pet’s blood and can reproduce extremely quickly. This makes flea infestations extremely difficult to contain once they start. Even though the flea’s life span only lasts a few months, a single adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day!
Flea bites cause a lot of stress or discomfort—if you’ve ever been bitten by one, you understand the pain! A pet dealing with a flea infestation may present with a lot of biting, scratching, and licking. As you can imagine, this can cause additional skin irritation beyond just the flea bites.
But the dangers of fleas extend far beyond itchiness. Fleas are at fault for many other diseases in household pets, including:
