Ticks - A Summertime Pet Health Hazard

Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of their host, which can be either a human or an animal. They are efficient carriers of disease because they attach firmly to their hosts when they are feeding, feed slowly, and may go unnoticed for a considerable time while feeding. Ticks take several days to complete feeding on an individual host.

The risk of exposure to a tick increases greatly during the summer months. Therefore, the risk of exposure to transmission of tick-borne diseases, especially Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis increase during the summer months.

The 4 stages of the life cycle of a tick can be completed in as little as 2 months. Of these 4 stages, the larvae, nymphs and adults all feed on blood; they possess heat sensors that detect the passage of warm objects and when a warm object passes by the tick will hop on and cling to the object until it can attach itself. The tick will usually attach to an area that has little hair, such as around the eyes, ears, or lips of a pet. To attach to the host animal, it takes a bite with its pincer-like mouthparts that will lock in place and only release when the tick completes feeding.

If you find a tick on either your pet or on yourself, you should remove it as soon as possible. The best way to remove an attached tick is with a pair of tweezers or a commercially available tick removal device. When removing the tick, NEVER touch it with your bare hands, since you could inadvertently become infected with a tick-borne disease. Grasp the tick as close to the head as possible and apply steady, firm pressure until the tick is pulled out of the skin. It may take a minute or two of constant, slow pulling before the tick releases from the skin. If you are nervous about this procedure, contact us at the veterinary clinic and we book you an appointment so that we can remove the tick for you.

DO NOT apply a hot match to the tick, or apply fingernail polish or any other substance that is not a specific commercial tick-killing product to the tick. Most of these home remedies will merely serve to make the tick salivate, and can actually increase the chance of transmission of a tick-borne disease.

The best way to deal with the hazard of ticks is prevention. Avoiding ticks means that you must avoid environments where ticks are found, such as woody areas or areas with tall grass or low brush. Certain areas of the US and Canada have a much higher population of ticks - of particular concern is the northeast United States. However, ticks can be carried long distances on clothing or on the body, and they are beginning to spread to more areas of North America.

Ticks can be killed with sprays, dips, flea and tick shampoos, tick collars or topical medications that are applied to the skin of the pet. Some products are available over the counter while others are prescription strength products that are only available through a veterinarian. Some of the safest and most effective tick control products are the prescription-only topical preparations that are applied to the skin on a monthly basis. Some of these products are effective against multiple parasites. However, make sure that you use these products only as directed, and do not use a product intended for use in dogs on your cat.

As your veterinary health care team, we can help you decide the best method of tick control for your pet, based on potential exposure, lifestyle, whether you travel with your pet, and whether there is a need for other parasite control.

Caution: These news items, written by Lifelearn Inc., are licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written permission of Lifelearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.