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
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