| Nobody likes ticks.In fact, when it comes to | | | | |
| ticks I can't think of a single redeeming | | | | |
| quality.While you may see the occasional ant | | | | |
| farm or flea circus, the tick competes with | | | | Don't use your bare hands. Latex gloves will |
| the cockroach on the "likeability" | | | | protect you from from the tiny organisms that |
| scale!Here's what you need to know to defeat | | | | live on ticks and spread disease. |
| them and prevent them from spoiling you and | | | | |
| your dog's Summer fun...What Makes a Tick | | | | Do grasp the tick with a tweezers or forceps |
| "Tic"? Did you know that ticks aren't | | | | by the head and pull slowly but firmly, |
| insects? They belong to the same family as | | | | taking care not to leave any of it in the |
| spiders (arachnids). That may explain why we | | | | skin. |
| humans find them especially unappealing!The | | | | |
| fact that it behaves like a tiny vampire | | | | Do clean the bite site with rubbing alcohol |
| makes the tick even more detestable. | | | | and apply antibiotic ointment. |
| Technically, a tick is a blood sucking mite | | | | |
| that can expand 20 to 100 times it's size as | | | | Don't hold a lit match to the tick or try to |
| it feeds. (Gross). And ticks can spread Lyme | | | | smother it with chemicals like kerosene or |
| disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, | | | | petroleum jelly. At best, you'll irritate |
| making them potentially lethal.Ticks use | | | | your dog's skin and at worst burn it. The |
| their sharp mouth pieces to attach themselves | | | | tick won't bat an eye. |
| to your dog's skin. Their favorite spots are | | | | |
| the head, neck, ears, or feet. The scariest | | | | Do drop ticks into rubbing alcohol to kill |
| thing about them is the fact that ticks can | | | | them |
| go unnoticed.Tiny as they are, they can | | | | |
| attach themselves to you or your dog without | | | | Don't attempt to flush a live tick down the |
| being seen or felt. And especially if your | | | | toilet or drain, or throw it in the waste |
| dog has a dark coat, ticks will often | | | | basket. It may crawl back out. (The thought |
| continue to go unnoticed until they're well | | | | of that gives me the willies!!) |
| engorged with blood.At that point, you still | | | | |
| may not see them, but you'll certainly feel | | | | How to Avoid and Prevent ticksControl and |
| them by running your fingers or a fine | | | | prevention of ticks is especially important |
| toothed comb through your dog's coat. (I | | | | in avoiding diseases associated with |
| still remember finding one on our black | | | | them.What areas should you avoid? Wooded |
| poodle when I was a child. It looked like a | | | | areas, tall grass, low brush, and damp areas |
| small school bus, so I can only imagine how | | | | are all attractive to ticks. They also are |
| long it had been there! )The Spring and | | | | found in greater numbers in areas such as the |
| Summer months are when ticks are most | | | | Northeastern United States. No place is |
| prevalent, but any time your dog has been in | | | | completely safe, though, since a person or |
| a heavily wooded area, she should be checked. | | | | animal can "give ticks a ride" from one place |
| Ticks like wooded, grassy, and damp areas | | | | to another by carrying them on their skin, |
| best.Two types of ticks are most commonly | | | | clothing or coats.In parts of the country |
| found on dogs--the brown dog tick and the | | | | where the tick population is especially heavy |
| American dog tick. But deer ticks and western | | | | and the risk of Lyme disease or Rocky |
| black-legged ticks will feed on dogs too. Of | | | | Mountain spotted fever especially great, your |
| course, the tick was captured before having a | | | | vet may suggest your dog be vaccinated |
| chance to feed. The average tick begins it's | | | | against ticks. Weigh the pros and cons with |
| adventures approximately the size of a sesame | | | | your vet if that's what he or she |
| seed. After making a meal of your dog's (or | | | | recommends.There are plenty of products on |
| your) blood, it may reach the size of a | | | | the market designed to repel and/or kill |
| small grape! ( I swear, the one I saw looked | | | | ticks. (Never use tick products designed for |
| like a school bus...)Aside from the risk of | | | | dogs on a cat -- it could kill her). |
| contracting Lyme disease or spotted fever | | | | Personally, I like all natural products for |
| from ticks, there's another concern: Too many | | | | controlling fleas and ticks. All conventional |
| ticks feeding on a single dog can cause | | | | products designed to kill/repel fleas and |
| severe anemia or a condition called tick | | | | ticks are poisons of one kind or another, and |
| paralysis.Does and Don'ts of Tick RemovalA | | | | can pose some risk to your pet. Garlic |
| tick can be spotted fairly easily against a | | | | tablets, herbal shampoos, and botanical oils |
| background of pink skin or a light colored | | | | are among your choices. There's also a spray |
| coat. Check your dog all over, but especially | | | | to relieve hot spots and irritated skin.No |
| around the head and neck, ears and paws. | | | | more ticks!At last, you and your pet can stay |
| Against dark skin and coats, ticks virtually | | | | healthy and tick-free.Your dog will sure be |
| disappear, so you'll have to feel for them. | | | | glad you took the time to read up on ticks! |
| Another option is to run a fine-toothed comb | | | | |
| or flea comb through your dog's coat to | | | | Remember, natural products help your pets |
| loosen ticks that haven't "latched on" | | | | fight parasites better by keeping them |
| yet.Please pay special attention to the | | | | strong, healthy, and toxin-free! |
| following: | | | | |