Nothing makes a dog owner more nervous than spotting a tick!
Those pesky little mistakes are over. Technically, a tick is a parasitic arachnid. If you’ve never seen one before, ticks look like spiders. Depending on whether it’s a larva, nymph, or adult, the recently fed congestive tick resembles a beetle in shape. Usually, they are red, brown or black.
Ticks only like to burrow in dog skins!
Nasty, right?
Thankfully, Groomit’s highly rated dog groomers are here to give you everything you need to know about protecting your pup from ticks!
Where do ticks live?
We often notice skin and coat problems with dog groomers long before the veterinarian. After all, our mobile groomers get up close and personal with your pet every month! Groomit serves furry customers in many states, including New York, Texas and Florida.
Unfortunately, these places are also home to ticks.
Ticks live in wooded, grassy and forested areas. They drink blood. So, naturally, they want to be a food source in a way that is close to nature. Anywhere you can find deer, squirrels, rabbits, and other small mammals, it’s also possible that there’s an active tick population.
This means your puppy is in danger. This is especially true if they are playing or walking in the bushes.
Believe it or not, scientists estimate that actually everywhere There are some species of tick in the United States.
Can they carry diseases?
Yes.
According to the American Kennel Club, dogs can get sick from tick bites. When a tick damages the skin, it can spread the bacteria to a new host. Now, not every tick carries disease. Many tick bites are harmless. However, dogs can become very ill – even fatal.
The following are the diseases of greatest concern: Lyme disease
This life-threatening disease is the result of a black-legged tick bite. Symptoms include pain, swelling, fever, and lameness. Sadly, Lyme disease can end in kidney failure if dog owners ignore tick bites. That’s part of the reason why dog groomers like Groomit always recommend always checking your dog’s body after walking through the bushes.
Other tick diseases to watch out for include:
- canine ehrlichiosis
- Amorphous
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Liver disease
What should I do if I find a tick on my dog?
Imagine your hand running through your dog’s soft fur. Suddenly, your finger hits something small and hard. Panicking, you pull back the fur and see a chubby insect with eight wiggling legs buried deep in your dog’s skin.
what to do?
First of all, keep calm!
It can be tempting to grab a pair of tweezers and pull out the tick. But keep in mind that ticks must remain in your dog’s body for 36-48 hours before disease transmission can occur. Look for a second, third, or fourth tick between the toes, under the abdomen, in the ears, and under the legs.
Put on gloves after counting the total.
Next, check to see if it burrows into your dog’s skin. on the surface? Carefully remove it from your dog and flush it down the toilet or suffocate it with tape. However, if the tick sounds, you will need to remove it manually. In the best case, you’ll have a specialized dog tick remover. These are metal tools available at most pet stores.
No lice remover?
no problem.
The American Humane Society recommends the use of tweezers. Bring the tick close to the dog’s skin. Pull out slowly. Your dog may rock uncomfortably…so keeping the second person still can be helpful. We want a friendly, stable, and smooth removal.
a good job! The hard part is over.
For now, Groomit recommends keeping it checked. You can put it in isopropyl alcohol. Call your veterinarian and tell them about the tick bite. Then wait for further instructions. They may ask you if you have any symptoms in the next few days and weeks. Labs can run a test (if needed) to see if Lyme disease is present by grabbing the tick itself.
3 Ways to Prevent Your Dog From Getting Bitten by Ticks
Ticks are a scary topic for pet parents. Nobody wants their fur baby to get sick! However, tick prevention is effortless. To keep your pet safe:
- Perform a daily tick check
- Don’t walk on the vast grassy fields known for their tick infestation
- Make regular dog grooming appointments
Doing these three things will keep your dog happy and safe. Hopefully they never get bitten by a tick, but for our pets, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Do you have more questions about dog grooming?
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