Ticks are probably the most common kinds of parasites in dogs which can be found anywhere. Ticks on dogs have been a problem by many pet owners and thousand of dogs have been infected by various serious diseases brought by different types of ticks. Diseases transmitted by ticks are called vector-borne disease and with the right preventive measures and tick control, diseases brought by ticks can be minimized before it is too late.
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What Causes Ticks?
No matter how much you keep your dog at home, ticks seem to find their ways to make it into your home and infest on your dog. What is more concerning is that ticks as what is mentioned above can bring multiple diseases including anemia and paralysis, to your dog. Ticks are parasitic arthropods that feed on blood. Warmth and motion are two things that can trigger ticks to infest on mammals especially in dogs. These parasites usually hide in bushes, plants, tall grasses and wooded areas. Mind you, ticks are very uncanny creatures and they usually hide in places you never expected and wait for their prospective hosts. In dogs, ticks can usually be found in places where there is little or no hair at all. Typically they can be found between toes, ears and inside of the legs. Here are some common types of ticks to have to watch out for before they host on your animal companion.
- Brown dog tick
- Lone star tick
- American dog tick
- Deer Tick
Health Hazards Brought By Ticks
Don’t underestimate the dangers that ticks can bring to your animal friend. Ticks can pose various health risks to your pet. Tick can cause diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis. First and foremost, ticks can pass on germs and virus which can lower your dog immune system. Moreover, ticks feed on blood and this can cause anemia. Symptoms that your dog are infected by a vector-borne diseases are fever, lameness, weakness, lethargy, anemia, joint swelling, paralysis and when worse comes to worst it can lead to death. If you are in Calgary and you notice these symptoms with your dogs, it is important to take your dog to a Calgary vet clinic immediately.
How To Remove Ticks?
Ticks are typically a size of a point of a pencil. The first thing you should do is to examine your dog. Make sure to wear gloves for your protection. You can manually remove ticks using tweezers but make sure not to squeeze the tick as it can cause spreading of bacteria or better if you use topical treatment or tick repellents for a safer and effective tick removal.
How To Keep Ticks Away From Your Dogs?
The best and first form of prevention is in your own backyard. It is important to make sure that your lawn, bushes and plants are tick-free. Additionally, you can apply topical products to your dog but apply these products with precautions and follow instructions carefully. There are also few natural methods you can try for prevention. Ask your vet on what method is best for your dog.
Ticks are a real health threat to your dog. It is an utmost importance that you are aware of the dangers that tick infestation can bring to your dog and likely you have to be aware on what tick control procedures you should do to get rid of those pesky creatures to prevent further damage.
