Fleas VS Bed Bugs Bites. Bug bites are bothersome for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it’s sometimes difficult to tell what kind of bug caused the bites, since they all look and feel similar.
It can be difficult to distinguish between bed bug and flea bites. To determine how to tell the difference between the two, Health interviewed authorities.
How to tell if you have fleas or bed bugs at home
Bed bug infestations do not always result in the presence of bed bugs in a home. After visiting a home or hotel infested with bed bugs, for example, bites may occur.
It’s also possible that if someone has been living with bed bugs, they may have brought some home with them.
Some indications of a bed bug infestation in the home include:
Tiny bugs or dots in sheets, pillowcases, or mattress seams: These might be visible bed bugs.
Bed bug exoskeletons: You may see them in or around the bed, which are crunchy looking.
On the sheets or mattress, bed bug feces may give rise to little rust-colored spots.
A sweet or musty odor might be present in the mattress or sheets, which is unusual.
There are several symptoms that indicate there are fleas in the home:
Fleas on a family pet, or tiny jumping insects in the home, may be visible.
These clear or yellowish flecks on the pet’s fur may be flea eggs.
Flea feces may be seen in a pet’s hair or on their bedding, and they’re dark black specks.
The pet may become unusually itchy or anxious as a result of the changes in his behavior.
The animal may get anemia as a result of excessive blood loss caused by fleabites. Their gums might seem pale if this is the case. Veterinary care is required for a pet with anemia.
It’s worth noting that a home can have both fleas and bed bugs at the same time.
What are the causes of bed bug bites vs. flea bites?
Once you identify the bug in your home, flea bites and bug bites have obvious causes.
Causes of bed bug bites:
Fabrics and other delicate surfaces, such as furniture, are preferred habitats for bed bugs. They don’t feed on animals or people. On suitcases or other fabric artifacts, they might enter your home from a previously contaminated area. They can’t fly or jump, but they’re quick on their feet.
By inspecting for these symptoms, you may determine if a residence has bed bugs:
Crushed bug stains on the bed are reddish in color.
Bed bug excrement has caused tiny dark spots to appear.
The exoskeletons, as well as eggshells and bugguer eggs.
Live bed bugs.
In the habitats of bed bugs, there is a musty aroma.
Causes of flea bites:
Fleas are simple to transport indoors if you or your pet bring them in. Other animals, such as mice, rats, or raccoons, may also bring fleas into the home.
The eggs drop off and develop in the carpet or other locations of the home once fleas lay them on the animals. New fleas, which are now biting people and animals, emerge.
Checking for fleas on the skin of an animal or beneath its fur is a good way to tell if they have fleas. Fleas may also leave behind black specks or “flea dirt” after biting.
Fleas vs bed bugs bites
It’s possible that a collection of little, itchy, red dots on your skin is indicative of a variety of conditions. Because flea or bed bug bites imply there are bugs in your house that you need to get rid of, they might be the worst possible reasons.
Since you want to fix the problem as soon as possible, it can be even more frustrating not knowing exactly where your bite originated.
Thankfully, we have gathered a number of tips and methods to help you differentiate between the two and ultimately eliminate them.
You can tell you have bug bites and not something else like chickenpox or hand, foot, and mouth disease (Google with caution) because there are certain similarities between these bites.
The little red dots will be concentrated in particular locations if you have flea or bed bug bites, rather than all over the body.
They may also be simple red lumps with no pus or fluid, but they might leak if scratching is too much.
In any case, here are a few ways to tell the difference between flea bites and dog scratches. How to get rid of the two bug bites for good, as well as why they bite. Learn the distinctions between flea and bed bug wounds, as well as the specific symptoms of each wound, by continuing to read.
Fleas will eat either human or animal blood, but prefer animal blood. Human blood is virtually exclusively consumed by bed bugs. However, that is one of the major distinctions between flea bites and dog bites. Human bites from fleas or bed bug
Flea bites
Fleas are tiny insects that prefer to live on cats and dogs, according to MedlinePlus. Bed bugs prefer human blood.
If you have had no pet exposures, it’s less likely to be a flea bite, says Dr. As a result, having pets may help you determine if you’re dealing with a flea bite or something else. Elliott remarked, “That is correct.”
If your pet is gone from the house for a while and the flea needs another source of food, fleas will resort to humans; this may occur if your pet is gone for a long time.
You might have fleas if your pets are excessively itchy, you’ve noticed little dots on their coat, or if you’ve seen tiny insects (smaller than bed bugs) on your furniture or other home items.
Flea bites are small red dots that appear on the body, much like bed bug bites. Mosquito bites may also appear similar. Anthony agreed with this statement.
Symptoms
Little red spots on your skin and severe itching are common symptoms of flea bite. Bites in three’s are occasionally found.
On or around the following are frequently found flea bites:
-ankles,
-armpits,
-elbows and knees (in the bend),
-other skin folds.
-Feet and lower legs,
-waist,
Risk factors:
You might get hives or a rash if you’re allergic to fleas. Swelling and blistering of the affected region are possible. It’s possible that a blister might cause an infection if it ruptures and breaks. You might acquire a secondary infection from the bites if you scratch the affected region and break the skin.
Your skin may be infested with fleas. Tungiasis, for example, is an infection caused by burrowing fleas. It’s mostly common in the foot and toe area. This flea, which is found in tropical and subtropical areas, feeds beneath your skin. After two weeks, the flea will perish, although it is common for the skin to become infected.
How to treat flea bites
It’s time to treat your red dots once you’ve determined that they are, in fact, flea bites. First and foremost, to keep the area clean, wash it with soap and water on a regular basis.
To reduce any swelling or itching, an oral antihistamine like Benadryl may be used. After that, you should use any anti-pruritic (anti-itch) medication to relieve the itching and avoid a secondary bacterial infection.
Lastly, to reduce inflammation, apply a topical steroid to your skin. In the case of persistent or worsening bites, see your doctor for antibiotics.
Using Aloe vera to treat redness and itchiness, as well as washing the bitten region with black or green tea, are two more natural ways to healing.
To ensure your home is flea-free, you’ll want to take additional safety measures. Sweep your floors, spray your carpets, and even fog your house, we recommend you do.
Because the treatment may be used for up to 7 months, a fogger can kill all stages of fleas.
Bedbug bites
Bed bugs, tiny, flat, reddish-brown insects that can be found in couch and chair seams, curtain folds, and between cushions, contrary to popular belief don’t just live on mattresses; they can be found everywhere.
Moreover, according to John Anthony, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, bed bugs can live in wall crevices.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bed bugs are most often found in living spaces, but their presence isn’t determined by how clean the living conditions where they’re discovered.
When they bite, bed bugs feed on human blood. You may not feel it. “Most individuals don’t feel when the bed bug is biting,” explained Dr. Tom Fletcher of the CDC, adding that the vermin inject an anesthetic (along with a anticoagulant). Anthony is a character in this story.
Bed bugs bite you during the night and then flee when you wake up.
When tiny marks develop on your skin, you’ll realize that you’ve been bitten by bed bugs.
Bed bug bites, in general, resemble mosquito bites with a point in the center (known as a punctum) where the actual bite occurred, according to Tania Elliott, MD, who works at NYU Langone’s department of Infectious Disease and Allergy.
Bedbugs like to hide in:
-box springs,
-carpets.
-Mattresses,
-bed frames,
Hotels and hospitals are two common places for bedbugs to be found. In addition, they can be found in houses and flats.
Symptoms
The top half of the body, especially the: is where bedbugs are most likely to bite.
-arms,
-hands.
-Face,
-neck,
A raised area of the skin with a small, dark red spot in the center is what a bedbug bite looks like. They might look like a cluster or a line, and if you scratch them, they may become worse.
Risk factors:
Bedbug bites may cause severe symptoms in some individuals. A blister may develop if the impacted region swells or becomes irritated. Hives or a more severe rash may develop as a result of this.
According to a 2012 study in Clinical Microbiology Reviews, bedbugs do not seem to cause or transmit any illnesses, despite the fact that 40 diseases have been discovered.
How to treat bedbug bites
Bed bug bite severity increases when you scratch them. Let us say this again. Bed bug bite treatment is very similar to flea bite treatment.
To help with itching and swelling, take an oral antihistamine or apply a topical anti-itch cream. You’ll then need to see your doctor for a topical steroid.
If the bites haven’t healed after two weeks (after you’re sure you’ve gotten rid of them from your home), or if you develop a secondary infection, contact your doctor again. Antibiotics may be prescribed by your doctor.
Mix water and baking soda to make a paste if you want to take a more holistic approach that you can do at home. Rinse it off an hour later after applying it directly to the bite.
It is easier said than done to get them out of your house, and it may cost you a little money.
That’s why it’s vital to treat it as soon as possible, before they have the opportunity to spread. Look around your neighborhood for a local terminator who is thorough enough to spray the tiniest nooks and crannies in your house, and ask them about their experience.
It’s considerably more difficult to get rid of them by yourself, however rubbing alcohol kills bed bugs instantly if that’s not an option.
If you see a bed bug, spray it with the solution from a small spray bottle. Spray sections of your home, or directly on the bug. Bed bugs aren’t the only thing you’re worried about when you wake up in the morning; your house might smell a little like cleaning chemicals.
Spraying rubbing alcohol in the tiny cracks of your home and taking your clothing to a laundromat where you need to wash/dry them on high is also vital.
What you can do now
There are a few things you can do right now if you’ve got flea or bedbug bites:
-Monitor your bites for indications of illness or an allergic response.
-To relieve inflammation and irritation, apply a topical anti-itch cream.
-If your symptoms persist after a few weeks, contact your doctor.
-Take steps to eliminate the fleas and bedbugs from your home.
How to Clean Your Mattress If You Have Bed Bugs or Fleas:
Before using your mattress again, make sure that you’ve removed any of these pests from your bedroom. If you find yourself in this terrible situation, here’s a quick summary of what to do.
Remove the bedding, mattress covers, and anything else in the vicinity. Wash them all in hot water before drying them on a high heat setting.
Using a firm, rough brush, scrub the seams of your mattress. To eliminate any bedbugs and their eggs that may be left in tiny openings, use a delicate brushing technique.
Vacuum the mattress, carpet, and your floor below. After you’re done, dispose of your vacuum bag in an outdoor trash bin right away. You should also wait until you can properly clean your vacuum before bringing it inside.
Seal your mattress and box springs in a zipper-lock bag. After they’ve fed, bed bugs can live up to a year. Cover it for at least that long.
By keeping your bedroom area neat, you can prevent future infestations. Give pests less places to hide by repairing any cracks in your walls or bed frame.
Summary
People are seldom harmed by bed bugs, which can’t transmit illness. Plague and flea-borne typhus are two diseases that some fleas transmit.
When people see fleas or bed bugs, they may find them disgusting.
Bed bugs and fleas may be eliminated in most cases with a few basic home remedies.
The best strategy is to work with a professional because toxic pesticides are required to exterminate these pests.
Talk to an exterminator about removing bed bugs from the house in a safe manner, and talk to a veterinarian concerning the best technique.