It’s probably no coincidence that “ick” makes up most of the word, “Tick”. The very thought of ticks conjures up feelings of fear and disgust and makes your skin crawl. Many of us may think twice about taking a walk in a forest preserve or meadow lest we meet up with one or more of these creepy pests. Yet we don’t have to go any further than out our own back door to encounter these blood-sucking parasites – nor do our pets. Although ticks feed on blood from rodents, birds, cats, dogs, and humans during their two-year life-cycle they can survive over a year between meals. If adults (or the younger nymph stage) cannot find a host animal in the fall, they can survive over the winter in leaf litter until the spring. In the spring the female lays her eggs in a secluded place – anywhere from 100 to 6,000 per batch! Unlike fleas, ticks can become active again anytime the temperature goes above freezing and therefore can be a health threat almost all year round.
The biggest health threat is from the diseases ticks can carry and transmit to humans and our pets which they contracted from feeding on a previous host. Lyme disease is one that most people have heard about, but ticks can also transmit ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It is far better (and much easier) to help protect your pet against these diseases than to try and treat your pet after they develop a disease as some diseases can cause permanent health issues.
We recommend either SIMPARICA TRIO® or BRAVECTO (fluralaner) Chews for Dogs and BRAVECTO PLUS Topical Solution for Cats. DEET, found in many over-the-counter insecticides, is toxic to pets. Any spray insecticide labeled for use on clothing should never be sprayed directly on pets.
For more information on Ticks and disease you can check out these additional websites: and www.petsandparasites.org (CAPC website – Companion Animal Parasite Council) for general information or for a more fun and interactive site go to www.dogsandticks.com. As always contact us for specific questions regarding your pet’s health or use of our products so that we can team up against any and all parasites that pose a threat to your pet especially the “icky” Tick!