What is the difference between FLEAS and TICKS?

Question

Can you please describe? My dogs were just treated with Advocate...they are having these really tiny dark brown/black critters on their skin...the shape of a sesame seed.

Answer 1

Sounds like fleas to me! Ticks are more flattish, are brown and larger with 8 legs (they are arachnids).

Answer 2

fleas jump around and bite....ticks burry themselves(their heads) in ur skin and suck ur blood.fleas dont don that......

2 get ticks out, u have 2 burn their body...like burn a needle and stick it against them.it will cause them 2 unburry themselves 2 get away

Answer 3

There are fleas there. To double check check if the bug moves around and leave bite swelling on your dog. Ticks will stay in one place for as long as they can and will drink in that spot forever really. The thing is never tear off the ticks because if the head gets stuck in your dogs blood it will never leave and it will cause infections and viruses to run amock sadly. My brother found a Bee/Tick on himself and he tore it off and he might have gotten the head inside of him.

Answer 4

Those are fleas. Ticks latch on until they get really fat. You'll see the fleas crawling around though, shaped like a sesame seed.  

Answer 5

hi,

Few dog owners are fortunate enough to avoid an eventual run-in with fleas, the most common dog parasites. Even with regular bathing and grooming, the tireless critters can find their way to the tender flesh of unsuspecting dogs (and dog owners). The bloodsuckers not only don't pay rent, they cause itching and can transmit diseases to their hosts.

here's more info:

http://dogtime.com/flea-control.html

There's no doubt about it, ticks are nasty little buggers. Any creature that attaches itself to your skin and sucks your blood is high on the list of things you want to avoid. Worse yet, ticks present a health risk for both dogs and humans. They can transmit a number of diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and--in the case of the female wood tick--something called tick paralysis.

here's more info:

http://dogtime.com/ticks.html

hope this helps.

Answer 6

yes ticks go under the skin and just sit there.  fleas hop around ontop and theres usually a heap of them.

Answer 7

Hi.  Your dog has fleas....  Ticks are usually small & brown in color; they get fat off of their host's blood and turn grey as they grow bigger.  Fleas are very small, black, shaped like a sesame seed and they jump around and bite.  They are hard to catch and to kill.... Don't stop with your dog....Make sure you treat your living quarters, too.  They breed like crazy, so do all you can to kill them.  IF allowed to get out of control, they won't be just on the dog.... they'll be attacking you too.  I met a woman in CA that had an infestation problem at her home and her poor little girl's legs were covered with sores from the bites from the fleas.  I STILL feel sorry for that little girl.  I've never heard of the Advocate that you mentioned..... Make sure you use something that works.  

Answer 8

Fleas are small, wingless insects with a pair of legs which are used for jumping. Controlling fleas involves controlling fleas that live on the dog as well as those in the dogs enviroment. Fleas can bite humans and may cause itchiness and swelling.

Ticks are blood sucking, wingless arthropods that are easy to see. Ticks attach them selfs to the dogs skin. The paralysis tick produces a toxin which affects the nervous system. The entire surface of the dog should be checked by running finger tips through the dogs coat.

Your dog would have fleas.

Answer 9

They're fleas...A tick will swell up to the size of your fingernail with blood...A flea  is usually about the size of a pencil lead tip.. :-)

ps...If fleas are on your dog, they're in your carpet and your yard too...You need to treat the whole scene or fleas will be right back on your dog... sorry.

Answer 10

It sounds like your dogs have fleas. Fleas can be picked up anywhere by your pet, even just form being in the back yard! They are just small bugs that live in your dog's fur. They do feed off of the dog's blood, but they arent harmful. But make sure to get it treated anyways, a flea dip at the groomers should do the trick. If you dont take care of it quick enough, the fleas can spread into your house and can start biting you, which really itches!

Ticks are parasites about the size of a black bean. They are usually picked up in fields with long grass, or in the woods. They imbed themselves in the dogs' skin, and suck its blood. They way to get it off your dog is to light a match, blow out the flame, and then hold the match stick on the butt of the tick while it is still hot. The tick will come out of the dogs skin and you can pick it off.  

Answer 11

You are describing fleas especially if they are jumping!  Ticks wouldn't be that small and they'd be getting bigger 'cause they suck the blood as they are attached to the skin.  I personally use FRONTLINE PLUS because it kills not just the fleas but the eggs, Advocate does not.  You have to get Frontline Plus from a vet.  You'll have to wait another month now though 'cause you'll overdose your dogs on flea treatments.  If it gets worse, contact your vet and see if there is anything else you can do like give them a dip.  Contact him/her first though.  Good luck.