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Ticks on dogs are persistent ‘bloodsuckers’ that suck dogs’ blood through their skins. Your dog cannot be exempted from being infected by ticks.
They survive on their host by feeding on blood. They normally hide in confiscated places in your dog’s body. They are likely to cause severe conditions when they are present in large numbers.
Dogs which have a compromised immune system may develop earlier symptoms of fatigue resulting from excessive loss of blood.
Anemia is common in severe levels of infestation and may lead to death if early treatment is not administered.
Ticks are normally present during autumn and spring seasons although they still remain active a whole year. They invade their hosts through climbing and may crawl slowly on your dog’s coat till they find residence in the hidden parts of their skin.
What Do Ticks Look Like?
Their sizes may vary depending on how much they feed on your dog’s blood or by different stages of growth.
They are characterized by a brown color but may vary between light and darker shades. They are egg-shaped and have spider-like legs.
Their mouthpieces are sharp and pointed, used to burrow into the skin in search of blood.
The ticks can be detected by brushing your hand over your dog’s fur. You are likely to come across small bumps and can be located in areas around the neck, ear and feet.
Some also take residence in the regions near the armpits where they cannot be seen easily. Their egg-shaped body is what distinguishes them from other external parasites and they are visible especially if your dog has a shorter fur.
As they continue to feed on blood, their body becomes swollen and may lead to other diseases apart from anemia.
What Causes Ticks On Dogs?
Your dog is likely to be infested with ticks when it comes across a stray animal or perhaps it went through the neighborhood.
Since the ticks do not fly, they crawl in areas where other dogs or infected animals were resting. They can be present in high grass or through the woods.
They might have lost their hold on their host and fell along the way. During this period they may crawl but do not travel for longer distances. They wait patiently in the surrounding areas to acquire a new host.
Once your dog walks through these places, the ticks may manage to get hold of their fur and travel to other parts of their body.
It is estimated that ticks can live up to one year without feeding which is a great mechanism of survival before acquiring new hosts.
Your dog can also come into contact with ticks when they take some rest on the grass. It is the easiest way in which several ticks can find their way to their bodies.
They work with an ‘ambush’ strategy the fact that they are unable to fly or jump from one dog to another.
Symptoms of Ticks On Dogs
Unlike the internal parasites, ticks can be seen with bare eyes.
Checking your dog for ticks is necessary especially during warmer months. The tick’s blood is known to transmit infections. The ticks can be determined by looking at your dog’s coating.
Once they get to the skin, they create spaces in the fur. They are not like patches of hair loss but your dog’s coating may appear to be lacking bits of hair in areas infested by ticks.
They lead to loss of blood which causes anemia in severe cases. It also causes skin irritation and most of the time your dog may attempt to scratch them off.
These diseases may be harmful and need extensive medical care. Early treatment is always necessary to prevent the infection from spreading further.
How to Get Rid of Ticks On Dogs?
Ticks can be easily removed from your dog’s body but would require the right equipment and treatment.
The fact that they carry other diseases, proper handling is necessary while removing them from your dig’s skin. The risk is lessened when you remove them in high numbers.
If you are not ready to handle the ticks by yourself, you can always get help from the vet.
They have safer ways of removing the ticks because they can administer the right treatment using appropriate equipment.
Always be careful not to squeeze its body since it can burst to expose its blood which may contain the disease-causing microorganisms. The best ways to remove ticks in your dog is by your vet’s intervention.
Several medications can be used to eradicate the tick infestations. Vaccination may be useful in preventing the Lyme disease while other veterinarians would suggest a tick collar which acts as a topical medication.
Preventive measures are always the best remedy for keeping off the ticks from infecting your dog.
You can also schedule an annual screening for your dog with the vet. It may prove useful since it not only detects the ticks but other problems in the underlying tissues of your dog.
It is regarded as the most powerful technique that can be used to minimize the rate of tick infestation and other common diseases.
The broad-spectrum antibiotics are known to be effective and are useful in treating the vector-borne diseases.
Reaction to Antibiotics may be visible within three to five days after administering the first dose. It is always important to monitor your dog regularly for any changes in behavior or infestation.
This video shows you how to remove ticks from your dog naturally: