Things dogs owners should know about ticks

THINGS DOGS OWNERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TICKS

•

While running your hand over your pet, have you come across a pimple sort of a formation or felt a slight bump on his skin? Yes?

•

Don’t dilly-dally because you need to get him checked for a tick-borne infection immediately.

These nefarious eight-legged pests are horribly annoying and a vicious transmitter of myriad diseases in humans as well as our pets. These blood-sucking pesky creatures although visibly tiny, stick to the host firmly by digging its feet deep into his skin and stay there attached until removed physically. Here are some little-known facts about ticks in dogs that you must know as a pet owner. Read on.

1. Ticks are highly active in warm regions and thrive most in the spring season.

2. There are around 850 species of ticks out of which American Dog tick, Blacklegged tick, Brown dog tick and Lone Star tick are listed as the most common disease-causing categories.

3. Rocky Mountain fever is caused by American dog tick or Lone star ticks in 2-5 hours of attachment, Lyme disease is transmitted through Black-legged Deer Tick, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis are caused due to the infection of Brown Dog tick or Lone star tick within 2 days.

Whereas a Canine Hepatozoonosis infection is caused when the pet accidentally ingests Gulf Coast or Brown Dog Tick.

4. Lyme disease-causing ticks are more prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest regions of USA, whereas brown tick is found worldwide.

5. They can be identified by their tear-shaped, brown, tan or black colored body and 8 legs like spiders.

6. They are common in wooded, bushy areas.

7. Ticks crawl on their host and can fly as they have wings.

8. Ticks reside in crevices and dark places. So, to check your pet of ticks, try to peek into the armpits, check under his collar, around the groin region or else attached to the ears.

9. Ticks have a four-staged lifecycle – egg, larva, nymph and adult which requires hosts like dogs, humans, reptiles and other mammals to transform into an adult tick.

10. Symptoms related to tick disease in dogs include anemia, skin infection, blood loss, tick paralysis and in some cases nausea as well.

11. Ticks get attracted to the body heat, body odor and carbon-dioxide exhaled by a prospective host.

12. Use a tick collar that will keep them from attaching to the dog skin. It will also prevent fleas as well.

13. When trying to remove it from your Fido’s coat, never squeeze a tick. Instead, make use of a tweezer. Pluck it from the skin and put it directly into alcohol to kill it immediately. Then rub the affected patch of the dog’s skin with alcohol to neutralize the bite.

14. Always wear latex or rubber gloves to remove the tick.

A fair knowledge of ticks will help us keep them away from our pets. If you see that your pet has gotten severely ill due to the tick-borne infection, take professional help.

Frontline plus: https://www.bestvetcare.com/frontline-plus-for-dogs/flea-and-tick-treatment-3.aspx Tick treatments also come in combination with the flea preventing drugs which can be used if the pet is infested with these two nasty parasites simultaneously. Ticks are distressing to our pets, so staying aware is the best way to save them from suffering.

Source: https://bestvetcare.weebly.com/home/facts-you-should-know-about-ticks-and-your-dog