Chances are, you and your furry friend spend more time outdoors during the spring and summer months. Unfortunately, the seasons of warmer weather and longer days also are peak flea and tick season. No matter how careful you are, you can’t completely avoid these tiny insects. For today’s blog post, we want to focus on tick protection for your pets.
To start, you may be wondering: What is a tick?
A tick is a parasite that hides in grass, bushes, and shrubs, ready to hitch a ride on whatever creature passes by next. They suck blood from their hosts, transmitting dangerous bacteria to your dog’s body. These bacteria live inside your dog’s cell and can cause many diseases, including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis (dog tick fever or dog fever).
Ticks are found across the United States. In fact, their distribution seems to be expanding with climate change. In areas with milder winters — like the Sunshine State! — some species are active year-round. Ticks become inactive in places with colder weather and snow, but as soon as temperatures rise above freezing (even if only for a few hours!), they start seeking food again.
It’s important to note that tick protection is not one-size-fits-all.
To best protect your pet, you need to consistently use effective medications. Some products should not be used on young puppies or older dogs. Additionally, particular breeds may be sensitive to certain ingredients.
If you’re unsure of the best prevention method, talk to your vet! They can recommend medications that fit your dog’s size, age, health, breed, and location. It’s also important to let your vet know if you have more than one pet, if your dog often swims, and if you have young children. You should ask the following questions:
What parasites does this product protect against?
How do I apply this product?
How often should I use it?
How long does it take for the product to work?
If I see a tick or flea, does that mean the product isn’t working for my pet?
What if my animal has a reaction to this product?
Should I use more than one product?
No matter where you live, you should keep your dog on a year-round flea and tick preventative medication. For additional protection, check your pet for ticks after every walk. A tick bite takes about 12 hours to transmit anaplasma bacteria and 24 to 36 hours to transmit Lyme disease. By locating and removing ticks from your dog as soon as possible, you can help prevent a host of problems.
The diseases that spread through tick bites can cause a range of symptoms.
In some cases, they can even kill your pet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that vaccines are not available for many of the tick-borne illnesses. Unfortunately, these diseases can be tricky to recognize and diagnose because the symptoms are unclear and diverse. If one of these diseases is identified in your pet, treatment options are expensive and take many months to complete.
Let The Urban Dog Group help you with your real estate needs. Contact Christine Elias at caerealestate@gmail.com.
Comments