It’s quite easy for pets to fall prey to ticks. These ticks easily latch onto the pets during a walk in the park or even a play date at a friend’s place. Pet parents need to be vigilant as these parasites can lead to a host of health problems. Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, and Hepatozoon canis infection are common diseases associated with tick bites. Unfortunately, there are no vaccines for tick-borne diseases and treatments are quite expensive.
However, there ways in which you can protect your pets from ticks. Here are some of them:
Check for ticks
Make it a point to check your pet for ticks — make this a part of their daily grooming. Just run your fingers through your pet’s fur. While doing so, be mindful of any bumps around ears, eyelids, toes, legs, abdomen and below the collar. Ticks are usually black or dark brown. Ticks might are generally small like poppy seeds but become bigger with time. If you suspect your pet has ticks, take him/her to a vet immediately. The trained expert will carefully take out the ticks. The vet will also prescribe medicines if need be.
Symptoms of tick bites
Common symptoms of tick bites are vomiting, change in voice or bark, loss of coordination in hind legs, breathing problems, and lethargy. A tick bite can also cause fever, which if not treated on time can lead to serious health conditions.
Where ticks live
Ticks like to seek refuge in wooded areas, gardens, and parks. However, they can also be found indoors in kennels and daycare. Pet parents should be cautious of where their pet spends his/her day. Try to limit their time in places that are heavily infested with ticks. While it’s important to take your pet for a walk or outdoor play, pet parents should check for possible signs of ticks once they reach home.
Protect your outdoors
Keep an eye on places in and around your house that might be hiding places of ticks. If you have a garden, overgrown grass can harbour ticks. Timely trimming and weeding will help in such a case. You can also use an outdoor tick spray for better protection.
