If you live in the
vicinity of a wooded neighborhood thick with tall grass and
walk your dog there, or if you spend a considerable amount
of time out-of-doors in general, you should be concerned
about dog ticks, Dog ticks may be small but they are
dangerous little mites. They are purveyors of many different
disease and not only can they make you and your dog
uncomfortable but they are capable of spreading dangerous
diseases to the members of you family. After a day’s outing
be careful about bringing any little dog ticks home with
you.
If ticks are in your area then be careful. If you have
spotted one then the probability is high that there are many
more hidden away. The thick coat of a dog makes the perfect
home for them. Always examine your dog carefully after a
trip to an area that might host ticks. Before feeding, ticks
can be as small as sesame seeds but after a meal they can
grow to more than twice their original size. Most times
ticks will attach themselves to a dog’s face, ears, legs,
paws, chest, and stomach, so devote particular attention to
these body parts. If you are having an all day outing then
examine your dog a number of times during the day. While out
walking stay on the beaten path and avoid thick underbrush
like the plague.
On the home front, make sure that your garden is not
overgrown. The outdoor areas that a dog uses should be
sprayed with a pesticide that kills ticks. Ticks just find
irresistible, thick, damp underbrush. That is the
environment they thrive on.
It would be considered helpful to put your dog on some form
of tick preventative. There are a variety of forms of
preventative treatment. You can use a topical treatment that
you apply once a month or a monthly dip or a shampoo that is
applied more often. It is always best to get advice from
your veterinarian as what he considers the better option for
your dog. Directions on label should be read carefully
before applying any medications. Do not use topical
treatments one after another as you might overdose your dog.
If you have used a dip and feel the need to use a topical
treatment wait at least two days before applying the
medication.
If you are concerned about using pesticides, there are also
alternative therapies available to repel ticks. These
include garlic tablets, herbal shampoos, or oils that are
applied to your pet that makes him less appetizing to the
ticks. These may not be as effective as their chemical
counterparts, so make sure that you continue to check your
pet frequently for stray ticks.
If you live in a tick-prone area, discuss with your vet
about getting a tick vaccination for Lyme disease to help
protect your pet. This can be quite a serious disease caused
by tick borne bacteria with the scientific name Borrelia
burgdorferie.
Whenever you find a tick on your pet, it is advisable to
remove it as quickly as possible. While ticks are minute and
difficult to find, they can swell to the size of a pea or
larger once they have had a blood meal. Always wear gloves
whenever attempting to remove a tick from a dog. It is best
to use a pair of fine-pointed tweezers, and grasp the tick
by the head getting as close to your dog’s skin as possible.
As this can be quite a painful experience for your dog you
may need some to help restrain your dog and part his hair
while you pull firmly on the tick. You may have to make
several attempts to remove the parasite but be careful to
make certain that the tick is removed and most importantly
that you have removed the head as well. Dispose of the tick
in a vial of alcohol. Label and date the jar and the area
were your dog picked up the tick and take it to your
veterinarian, who can identify what kind of tick it was and
what treatments might be necessary. Avoid using potential
irritants such as petroleum jelly, matches, alcohol to
remove the tick as these will only initiate a response to
grab on harder and release more toxins. Once the tick is
removed, disinfect the entire bite area with alcohol.
Once you have found and removed ticks from your dog keep you
eye open for symptoms of a more serious nature. If you
notice anything out of the ordinary, contact your vet
immediately. Symptoms of tick-borne diseases include
lethargy, appetite loss, weakness, pale gums, fever,
lameness, vomiting, and even paralysis. However, these are
also symptoms of various other diseases, and only your
veterinarian can make the determination whether or not it
was caused by tick bite. If you see any symptoms, visit the
vet as soon as possible the sooner a disease has been
accurately diagnosed the more effective treatment will be.
Keeping a careful watch for ticks on your dog will certainly
keep both of you healthy and enable you to enjoy your
outdoor jaunts together
