Facts About Ticks

During the summer, pets tend to spend more time outside, either relaxing in the sunshine, taking long walks, or playing. While this is a good thing, it’s important to be aware that while you and your best friend are enjoying the summer sun, there are parasites that can bite your pet and make him sick. That doesn’t mean you have to keep your favorite dog or cat locked inside, however—taking a few precautions before you head outside can help keep these pests away. One of these pests, the tick, is not only a nuisance but can also carry diseases that can harm your pet. The best way to deal with ticks is to prevent them from getting on your pet in the first place. Today it is much easier than it used to be to keep ticks away from dogs and cats.

THE TROUBLESOME TICK
Ticks are attracted to motion, warm temperatures, and the carbon dioxide that your pet exhales. Ticks cannot jump or fly, so they climb onto objects like fences or vegetation. They wait there for a human or animal to walk by so they can drop onto an unwitting host and hitch a ride. Ticks can carry different diseases depending on the area of the country you live in, so ask your veterinarian which ticks are prevalent in your area so you can be prepared.

Once ticks find a host, they take a bite—though a tick bite is apparently painless, and your pet probably won’t even feel it. The bite can transfer disease to a pet, or the bite site can become infected. If this happens, your veterinarian can help stop the infection with oral antibiotics. “A topical antibiotic isn’t enough,” says Dr. Jim Stevenson, a veterinarian at Oregon Veterinary Clinic in Oregon, Wisconsin. “It might look better on the surface, but the infection could have already spread through the pet’s body, and then it’s much harder to treat.”

KEEPING TICKS AT BAY
One of the best ways to avoid encountering ticks in the first place is to avoid taking walks in the woods during prime flea and tick season. Keep the grass, trees, and bushes in your yard trimmed, and clear away any brush where ticks might like to hide.

Speak to your veterinarian about which of the available preventive products are best suited to your geographic area and the age of your pet. These products discourage ticks from biting your pet, but be sure you check with your veterinarian before using them. Some products should ONLY be used on adult dogs or cats. The new generation of preventive products is highly effective at tackling ticks, but only use one at a time. Insecticide sprays intended for use on clothing and/or humans should never be used on pets.

Most importantly, never use any product labeled for a dog on a cat. “Be careful what you give cats because they are missing a liver enzyme that most of the rest of us have,” says Dr. Deb Eldredge, a veterinarian in Vernon, New York. “Cats are more sensitive to a number of drugs because they cannot metabolize them in the liver.” Your veterinarian can advise you on the best course of action for your particular pets.

REMOVING TICKS
After your pet spends time outdoors, check him carefully for ticks, especially in hard-to-reach places (ticks like to hide in warm areas, so be sure to check folds of skin, under the arms, between the toes, etc.). Keep in mind that ticks are very tiny—some are as small as the head of a pin. If you find a tick on your dog or cat, first of all, don’t panic. Try to remove the tick as soon as possible. Cats can remove ticks during grooming, but not if the ticks are in an inaccessible place, like behind the ear. For safe removal, avoid touching the tick. Dab rubbing alcohol on the tick, use tweezers to take hold of it, and pull slowly and steadily. Try not to leave the tick’s mouthparts embedded in your pet’s skin. Just tossing the tick down the sink or toilet may allow it to survive and crawl out, so first put the tick in alcohol to kill it. If you have a hard time removing the tick, or are unsure how to do it properly, contact your veterinarian.

By taking a few simple precautions and checking with your veterinarian, you can keep your pet tick-free all summer long!

FACTS ABOUT TICKS

• Lyme disease may be the most well-known disease transmitted by ticks, but it isn’t the only one.
• Ticks affect many different mammals, birds, and reptiles because they can transmit infectious diseases from prior hosts.
• If a tick bites an animal with a particular disease, that disease can be transmitted when the tick bites another animal.
• Discuss what diseases are transmitted via ticks in your geographic location with your veterinarian, and what steps you need to take to prevent tick infestations on your pet.
• A little prevention can go a long way!