Preventing Ticks On Your Pets

Posted on 4 June 2022
0

Dogs are very susceptible to tick bites and tickborne diseases. Vaccines are not available for most of the tickborne diseases that dogs can get, and they don’t keep the dogs from bringing ticks into your home

Tick bites on dogs may be hard to detect. Signs of tickborne disease may not appear for 7-21 days or longer after a tick bite, so watch your dog closely for changes in behavior or appetite if you suspect that your pet has been bitten by a tick.

Talk to your veterinarian about:

The best tick prevention products for your dog
Tickborne diseases in your area

To further reduce the chances that a tick bite will make your dog sick:

1.Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors.

2.If you find a tick on your pet, remove it right away.

3..Reduce tick habitat in your yard.

How to remove a tick

1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

3. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by

- - Putting it in alcohol,
  - Placing it in a sealed bag/container,
  - Wrapping it tightly in tape, or
  - Flushing it down the toilet

Follow-up

If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor:

Tell the doctor about your recent tick bite,
When the bite occurred, and
Where you most likely acquired the tick.

Preventing ticks in the yard

Apply Pesticides Outdoors to Control Ticks

Use of pesticides can reduce the number of ticks in treated areas of your yard. However, you should not rely on spraying to reduce your risk of infection.

When using pesticides, always follow label instructions. Before spraying, check with local health or agricultural officials about:

The best time to apply pesticide in your area
The best type of pesticide to use
Rules and regulations regarding pesticide application on residential properties

Create a Tick-safe Zone to Reduce Blacklegged Ticks in the Yard

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has developed a comprehensive Tick Management Handbook pdf icon[PDF – 84 pages]external icon for preventing tick bites. Here are some simple landscaping techniques that can help reduce blacklegged tick populations:

Remove leaf litter.
Clear tall grasses and brush around homes and at the edge of lawns.
Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to restrict tick migration into recreational areas.
Mow the lawn frequently.
Stack wood neatly and in a dry area (discourages rodents).
Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees.
Discourage unwelcome animals (such as deer, raccoons, and stray dogs) from entering your yard by constructing fences.
Remove old furniture, mattresses, or trash from the yard that may give ticks a place to hide.

Tracker's Pet Supply