Fleas bite humans as well. Unfortunately, most pet parents are not aware that leaving your dog or cat untreated can cause fleas to start attacking everyone else. Fleas multiply fast and their eggs are laid anywhere in your house. The eggs hatch into larvae, which have to look for alternative food sources other than your pet’s blood.
If your cat or dog is no longer around, the fleas will quickly jump onto you, and begin drawing blood. They will bite your skin in order to reach your blood and that often causes red spots enclosed by a pink halo to appear on your skin.
The spots are usually small but extremely itchy, which may make your life unbearable. Fleas prefer to attack the feet and legs with the same measure of ravenousness they show when biting the skin around your stomach. If you have not read dog flea and tick reviews, it might be difficult to differentiate a flea bite from that of other pests such as bed bugs, or mosquitoes. You’ll definitely want to read the warning signs that your dog has fleas.
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Mosquito vs Flea Bite
A mosquito bite is puffier compared to a flea bite, although this isn’t the case all the time. Your skin’s resistance and type of mosquito determine the kind of mark left behind. If your skin shows red, hard welts and you have been camping or walking through a wetland early morning or in the evening, chances are a mosquito bit you. However, if the bites are concentrated in one area, such as your ankle, lower legs or areas around your body covered by clothing, most likely fleas caused your bites.
Bedbug vs Flea Bites
Bites caused by bugs look somewhat similar to those caused by fleas. Plus, both bites take place inside your home with an alarming frequency. Moreover, bug bites appear in areas that are covered by clothing, as is the case with flea bites.
To differentiate between the two, check whether the bites on your skin have a rash around them. Usually, bug bites have a rash encircling the bitten area. It takes quite a number of feeding cycles for the bug’s anticoagulant to bring about a significant rash.
Compared to fleas, bed bugs bite with much more frequently. This makes the bites on your skin look purposeful. If your bites look like they have a pattern, then you can be sure that a flea bit you.
Chigger vs Flea Bite
If you have a rash that looks like a pustule or blister, then you can be sure a flea did not bite you. These marks are characteristic of spider or chigger bites. Plus, chigger bites are the kind of marks you will get while you are outside.
Fly vs Flea Bite
It is usually a little difficult to differentiate between these two bite marks. Both cause random marks on your skin. They also cause reddish welts surrounded by a halo full of rashes. In addition, both cause an itchiness that makes you want to scratch your skin all the time until you end up with tiny scabs.
The best way to differentiate the two is by checking whether you have been exposed to flies in the recent past and the most affected area on your body. As is the case with mosquitoes, biting flies are not likely to reach areas where the skin is covered by clothes.
How To Treat Flea Bites
If you don’t want the red marks to appear pronounced, avoid scratching your skin however much it itches. That way, you won’t develop an infection and your bite will clear faster.
The bites itch when saliva from a flea collects under the skin. To prevent the bites from itching too much, apply calamine, rubbing alcohol, vinegar or tea tree oil. In addition, do not scrub your skin. Simply wash it gently while applying the said remedies using a soft cloth. You can also apply ice to minimize any swelling and itching.
Final Word
We get scared when bite marks show up on the skin mostly because we don’t know what caused them. It not easy to tell just from looking what pest or insect bit your skin. It could be a mosquito, chigger or flea. However, from the tips we have provided, it would be easy for you to rule out unlikely pests making it easy for you to take the necessary measures. Also one way to prevent flea bites is to make sure your pet is taking proper flea control treatments.
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