They’re tiny, they suck your blood They’re tiny, they suck your blood and they’re hard to see. If you’re not paying attention, one tick could latch onto your pet or you and transmit diseases. That’s terrifying.
As the warm weather approaches, you’re probably more likely to take your dog for a trip through the woods or the park, places ticks are hiding, waiting around for a likely host. Your back yard also has great hiding places for the terrifyingly tenacious tick.
The Threat. To make things worse, Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) predicts that 2022 will see higher than average vector-borne disease throughout the United States, including Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis.
The infamous Lyme can cause symptoms like arthritis, swelling of your pet’s joints and lameness. Also carried by the deer tick is Anaplasmosis. It causes flu-like symptoms, including lethargy, fever, joint pain, and vomiting, and even nosebleeds.
You’ve also heard of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can cause fever, lameness and other indications.
Ticks can also bring about diseases that are less familiar like Ehrlichiosis, an infection that destroys the host’s white blood cells.
The Triumph. So how can you win?! Take a look at your pet’s outdoor environment. Strategic landscaping might make your space less inviting to ticks. Mulch, wood chips or gravel can reduce the migration of ticks into your yard. And if you have woods on your property, you might consider a three-foot buffer between your lawn and any woods.
When your pet comes back from an area you know is inhabited by ticks, take the time to run your hands over your pet’s whole body. Ticks tend to attach around the pet’s head, ears, neck and feet – although they may also target any other place.
The Talk. As you know, prevention trumps treatment every time. Talk to us about tick prevention products that are appropriate for your pet. We’ll probably recommend either Simparica, Simparica Trio, and Vectra®, a topical product.
Vigilance in prevention of ticks, fleas, and other parasites is so very important. Your tenaciousness in consistently giving preventatives – month after month, all year long – is the way to triumph over the discomfort and the danger of tick borne diseases.
