All about ticks

  • Must love dogs - Some tick species have preferred hosts. The American dog tick prefers to feed on domestic dogs and therefore is one of the most common tick species brought into homes.
  • All you can eat buffet - Ticks are much easier to spot after a meal. Some species will grow almost four times in size when engorged with blood.
  • High four - To find a host, ticks clasp onto shrubs or grass with their back legs and reach their front legs out to grasp onto passing fur or clothing.
  • Moving up in the world - Wherever they attach, ticks will crawl toward the head of their host. The skin around the neck and ears is thinner and these areas are also hardest for animals to groom.

All about fleas

  • Good vertical - Fleas can jump up to eight feet, which is 150 times their own height.
  • Here to stay - Unlike other pests, fleas typically remain on their host at all times. However, they are easily transferable to furniture or between animals.
  • Black sheep of the family - There are more than 2,000 known species and subspecies of fleas, but one species - the cat flea - accounts for the majority of infestations in the United States.
  • Don't blame the dog - Fleas infest many animals like rodents and raccoons as well. If you suspect a rodent infestation, fleas may soon follow.