We all wish we lived in a world without ticks. That we could take
our puppies through the fields and forest preserves without a care in
the world. But the unfortunate truth is, ticks are here, ticks are
there, ticks are everywhere. The best thing we can do is be prepared
for when they do arrive unannounced and uninvited. Knowing what to do
when you find one is critical to preventing the spread of disease.
Effective and timely tick removal is vital. Within 12- 24 hours of them being attached to their hosts, ticks begin spreading disease. They do this by releasing disease-laden fluids such as saliva and regurgitated gut contents into their host as they feed on blood. These bugs survive by attaching to warm-blooded hosts such as ourselves and our dogs. Some of the most common tick-borne illnesses include Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichia. The Deer Tick is the tick primarily responsible for transmitting Lyme disease in the northern and north central United States.
Effective and timely tick removal is vital. Within 12- 24 hours of them being attached to their hosts, ticks begin spreading disease. They do this by releasing disease-laden fluids such as saliva and regurgitated gut contents into their host as they feed on blood. These bugs survive by attaching to warm-blooded hosts such as ourselves and our dogs. Some of the most common tick-borne illnesses include Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichia. The Deer Tick is the tick primarily responsible for transmitting Lyme disease in the northern and north central United States.
How to Remove a Tick
There are many wives tales about how to remove a tick from dabbing on liquid soap, petroleum jelly, nail polish, touching it with heat from a lit match or my favorite, “tickling” under its belly. These methods are dangerous, gross and some may even encourage the tick to dig deeper or release microbes faster due to stress. Tweezers remain the safest and most effective method for removing ticks and should be apart of every dog First Aid Kit.- Tweezers are the most effective method to remove ticks
With the tweezers in
hand, grasp the tick as close to the dogs skin as possible and pull
straight out. Do not be tempted to twist or jerk the tick in your
excitement. The goal is to keep the head of the tick attached and not
leave it logged in the skin. Once the tick is removed, clean the area
with antiseptic and place the tick in a container or zip locked bag.
While keeping the creature may not sound appealing to you, it holds
vital information that may be needed for the verification of illness.