Blue Disease and Lyme disease are just some of the common problems on our pets that are caused by ticks.  If there is a significant infestation of tick in your pet, this may result to blood loss most especially on the smaller animals.  It is important to keep your pets and your environment treated to prevent the spread of tick.

Identification & Behaviors:

Ticks are external parasite creatures that suck the blood of wild animals, livestock, pet and human.  Based on the most recent study, there are at least 896 species of ticks around the globe.  Around 90 of those species can be found in the U.S.  This parasite is categorized under the same zoological group of scorpions and spiders.

They are particularly found in moist woodland, grassy field, and forest.  They contain the ideal nesting ground for the ticks.  They have a slow mobility, and they do not have the flight capability.  That is why most of them are waiting at the edge of the blades of the grass with their arms ready to grab to the animals that will accidentally pass their ways.  When they are feeding on their host, they will emit saliva that comes with an anti-clotting substance.  This process allows the pathogens to penetrate the host’s system and cause irritation.  Irritation can cause discomfort to your dog; however, the worst-case scenario of tick infestation would lead to a fatal disease.  The owner of the pet is also exposed to the danger of the tick which highlights the need to prevent the infestation of this parasite.

Control & Prevention:

The first part of preventing the ticks would be to detect it.  As they suck the blood of their host, the tick will grow and will resemble brown or grey bean or corn kernel.  At this stage, it would be easy to spot them.  Unfortunately, this can also mean that the infection has already made into the bloodstream of your pets.  Early detection of the tick is still recommended.    You need to make sure that your environment is safe from tick through treatment. To do this, you will need to treat the kennel and yard.  It is highly suggested to use an environment-friendly solution.  You will need to spray this substance every 7-14 days, especially during the tick months.  If you already spotted some ticks indoor (particularly the Brown Dog Ticks), use powder, spray or tick fogger.

Keeping this parasite away from your pet is also crucial.  There are products available in the market that is designed to prevent them from burrowing under the coat of your dog or cat.  You can use a topical solution, spray, powder, shampoo, and tick collar.  In case you noticed that there are deer ticks in your backyard, you may want to administer a Lyme vaccine to your dog for an added protection. There are types of ticks that can cause blood poisoning that lead to paralysis, so it is important to keep your pets away from them.