That time of year has come round again when we are starting to find ticks on our dogs that we walk. So why are they such a problem?

Problems

  • With changes in temperatures, ticks are starting to feed earlier and earlier in the year.
  • With the introduction of pet passports and the increase in international pet travel, not only ticks but other parasites, are able to easily introduce new diseases to countries where they did not used to be present.
  • Very serious diseases can be transmitted via ticks such as Canine Babesiosis and Lyme’s Disease as well as commonly causing localised infections around the entry site.

Treatment

  • Have a chat with your vet about preventative methods. There are many products on the market which if used routinely during the tick’s active months can keep ticks at bay.
    Check over your pet frequently and remove any ticks that you find. This is not always easy with longer haired pets!
  • If you find a tick on your pet, you should ideally remove the whole tick including the head which bury inside your pet, with a special tick removal hook which can be brought from most vets or pet shops. This should be rotated until the whole tick comes away.
  • Don’t try and remove it by pulling it off or burning it as parts of the tick can remain inside your pet leading to either an infection of the site or another disease that the tick was carrying.
  • If the area is very swollen or red, do not be afraid to get your vet to give your pet a quick check over.

When Becca went to the APGAW Dog meeting at the House of Commons at the end of 2016, some Veterinary researchers gave a talk about The Big Tick Project run by Bristol Veterinary School. It is running again this year. If you want to find out more about it then please see http://www.bigtickproject.co.uk/ This site contains some great pictures of the different ticks you might find on your pets too!