Keeping a Dog Tick-Free

Dogs and in general all pets tend to spend more of their summer time outdoors. In the case of dogs, it is very important to be careful about parasites, bugs and micro organisms that can harm them while they get their whiff of fresh air. Precautions are necessary to keep these dangers away. One pest that can cause a lot of nuisance and damage are ticks, since they carry diseases. Avoiding ticks is of prime importance, and much simpler than getting rid of them at a later stage.

Why Ticks?

Ticks tend to like warmer temperatures, CO2 and movement. Ticks do not fly through the air. Their motion is limited to crawling. They transmit themselves by climbing up taller structures or plants and dropping onto any living and moving human or animal. The danger of disease transmitted by ticks depends upon the country and culture, therefore the cure or after effects of ticks varies from country to country. The danger of having ticks on your dog’s body begins once the tick bites. The bite itself is painless and unfelt but the place of the bite might get infected very quickly. Consulting a veterinarian is advisable for treatment, which normally involves oral antibiotics. If your pet dog is diseased due to a tick bite, there is a risk of infection spreading due to your dog salivating on or biting another pet. The most popular disease spread by a tick bite is lyme disease, but it’s not the only one.

How to keep ticks away from your pet dog

The best way to avoid ticks is to avoid walking your dog in amongst vegetation during tick season. Always keep the vegetation around your house trimmed.  Preventative medication products are also available. More information can be gathered from your veterinarian about suitability of these to your dog in respect to age and area. Do not use medications without consulting a professional and the proper instructions must be followed when  using this kind of medication. Please remember that these medications are suited for a single class of pets only, meaning that tick prevention medication for dogs is for dogs only and should not be used on cats or any other pets.

Removing Ticks
When your dog comes back from outdoors make sure to check him carefully for ticks. They are normally found in warm areas, under the legs, in the ears, between the toes and in the folds of the skin. If you find any, remove them safely. Do not touch the tick - use an alcohol swab, then pull it up slowly with tweezers. Make sure not to leave any parts of the tick sticking to your dog. If you are unsuccessful contact your vet.