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Fleas and Ticks: Bugs With a One-Two Punch

Protecting your home, family and pets from an itchy situation

Ticks feed on a variety of different creatures, including humansIf the thought of fleas and ticks makes you itch, you’re not alone. These common parasites appear on dogs, cats and wild animals and can wind up on you or in your home. Fleas jump or crawl from host to host; ticks wait for a potential meal to walk by. In addition to being irritating, these bugs are a potential source of disease.

Flea-Borne Diseases

Fleas feed on the blood of both animals and humans, sometimes resulting in the transfer of bacteria between hosts. Certain diseases are passed through the bite itself while others may be transmitted through flea feces. Cat scratch fever, tapeworms, typhus and even the plague have been known to be spread by fleas.

Tick-Borne Diseases

Though they’re often associated with deer, ticks feed on a variety of hosts from dogs and cats to lizards and mice. There are different types of ticks and each has the potential to carry diseases picked up from any one of its previous hosts. Lyme disease gets the most attention, but ticks may also carry other bacteria of the same species that can result in Lyme-like infections. Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, Colorado tick fever, typhus, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Some ticks might carry more than one type of bacteria; others might not carry any at all.

Controlling Fleas and Ticks

Keeping fleas and ticks off your family and your pets starts with common-sense cleaning practices. Keep your grass mowed to decrease potential tick habitats. Consider placing wood chips as a barrier between wooded areas and your yard to discourage tick migration. Check the areas where your pets and kids spend time outside and make sure they’re clean. Vacuum the house on a regular basis to suck up any fleas that might be hiding, and give your dog a bath for good measure to ensure that he doesn’t bring any more inside.

Sometimes you need more than a home remedy to get fleas and ticks under control. When it seems like the bugs are winning, call ABC Home & Commercial Services. We offer a variety of pest control services that can put a stop to infestations and restore peace to your San Antonio home. Visit our website for a list of everything we do to keep fleas and ticks from putting a damper on your day to day activities.

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