Ticks and Your Pet
Ticks, a small 8-legged creature that could pose a huge problem for your pets. Ticks must drink blood from a host in order to survive and reproduce. They don’t fly, jump, or (contrary to popular myth) drop onto their hosts out of trees. Ticks climb onto shrubs and blades of tall grass and when a host walks by and brushes against the grass or shrub they climb onto the host.
Why are Ticks a Problem?
If an animal is heavily infested with ticks, they can consume enough blood as to cause anemia (severe blood loss) and also spread infectious diseases. Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, & Cytauxzoonosis are all potentially deadly diseases your pets are at risk for from ticks. Also, if your animal has ticks and is bringing them into your house, you or your family are then at risk to contract tick borne illnesses.
Are all Pets at Risk? Even my indoor cat?
Yes, all animals are at risk for picking up ticks, even if a family member of other pet brings in a tick that hasn’t attached yet they could find their way to another animal of family member and attach themselves there. Even dogs that only go outside for a few minutes every day–a moment is all a tick needs to hitch a ride.
How Can I Prevent Ticks From Getting on my Pet?
Luckily, there are several tick control products on the market today that are safe and effective for pet owners to use on their animals. Some products even repel ticks; never letting your animal be bitten in the first place before they want to get off. Even when using a tick preventative, it is still in your household’s best interest to check daily for ticks, and to check immediately following being in heavily wooded areas or other areas where ticks are suspected to be.
How Should Ticks Be Removed?
Ticks should be removed as soon as they’re found on either your pet on another family member. It is best to use tweezers or another fine-grasping instrument to grip the tick as close to the skin of the host as possible. Pull back on the tick slowly and gently, as this the best way to ensure you removed the head and mouthparts from the skin. Burning the tick or drowning it in isopropyl alcohol is the