Ticks Don't Take a Season Off

Ticks aren’t just a summer concern, they can be active throughout the year, even in colder months. While activity often increases in warmer weather, it’s important to stay vigilant no matter the season and make sure your pet is protected against them.

As a pet parent, it’s critical to protect your pets (and yourself!) from ticks and other parasites. Ticks transmit numerous infections and conditions, many of which can cause chronic and serious illness. Though not the most appealing subject, it’s essential that you know how to safeguard against ticks and what to do if your pet is bitten.

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What are ticks and why are they so terrible?

Like spiders, ticks are a type of arachnid that can range in size from a speck of dirt to an apple seed, and feed on the blood of other creatures (called the host), like mammals (humans, dogs, cats, etc.) and birds.

Once they attach themselves to the host, ticks can carry and transmit over a dozen diseases to us and our pets very quickly (within hours), some of which are serious or cause lifelong symptoms. So, believe us when we say that these little insects carry an outsized impact.

Inspection & removal

Ticks typically inhabit places that retain moisture — think tall grass, lawns, leaf piles, shrubbery, and wooded areas, though they can be found in urban areas as well. If you and your pet spend time outdoors, especially for activities like hiking or camping, it’s essential that you thoroughly check you and your pet for ticks afterwards. Pay particular attention to their ears and eyelids, under the collar, around their tail, the groin area, and between toes. Ticks can easily attach themselves through the slightest contact and often blend in as a mole or debris on skin or fur. It can be helpful to brush hair against the grain while searching for ticks.

If you find a tick walking on your pet, thankfully the risk to your pet is minimal. We recommend removing and killing, or flushing, the tick to prevent it from re-attaching to you or your pet. If you locate an embedded (attached to the skin) tick on your pet, the sooner it’s removed, the better your chances are to prevent infection. Some ticks can transmit disease after being attached for only a couple of hours, so it is imperative that you remove an embedded tick as soon as it’s discovered. It is recommended to remove the tick entirely, using a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or a commercially available tick tool to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. This will ensure that the tick is not broken apart or ruptured, and that no parts of the tick are left behind.

Once you’ve removed a live tick, you can soak it in rubbing alcohol, or flush it down the toilet for proper disposal. Be sure to cleanse the area on your pet with rubbing alcohol and wash your hands thoroughly. If you do not feel comfortable removing the tick yourself, or if you are concerned you did not remove the entire tick, we’re here to help!

Prevention

Preventative medication and performing regular tick checks when your pet is outdoors is the best defense against tick-borne diseases. There are multiple safe and effective tick preventative medications available through your veterinarian. These medications also have the benefit of protecting your pet against other parasites, like fleas and intestinal worms. Visit your veterinarian to help decide what treatment is the right fit for them.