Ticks On Your Dog: What to Do?

Once though of as a mere harmless but annoying pest, ticks are of growing concern for their Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease-carrying ability. Learn the facts, and keep your dog tick and disease-free.

Ticks are a despicable lot of parasitic bloodsuckers. They bide their time in wooded areas, stay close to ground level and wait for an unsuspecting mammal to shuffle on by so they can descend upon him and sink those nasty little teeth in for a long meal of blood, blood and more blood. Once a tick has embedded itself into your dog, it will hang on indefinitely, taking in copious amounts of blood until it is bloated and gorged. If you find a corn kernel-like object hanging from your dog's ear or elsewhere on his body that turns out to have legs, it's probably a tick that's been feasting for hours. Remove it immediately, check your dog thoroughly for more ticks, and then call your veterinarian for further direction and advice.

Check Your Dog Regularly for Ticks

If you live in or near a wooded area, perform a routine tick check on your dog. As a good dog owner who's been looking out for your dog's best interests and ensuring him a happy life, you should already be familiar with the "chassis inspection." If not, now is as good a time as any to get familiar with it. Have your dog sit down in front of you and run your hands all over his body. Check his ears and the undersides of his paws. Don't forget those out of sight areas like his belly and the place where his leg bends into his body. He won't like these intrusions at first, but if you're gentle and speak to him softly in that special voice reserved only for him, your dog will eventually grow to tolerate the tick inspection and may even enjoy it.

Tick Removal

If the tick is well-embedded into your dog's flesh, use a tweezer to grip it firmly, as close to the skin as possible. You want to remove the entire tick without leaving the embedded head behind (I know- disgusting, but necessary). If you take some skin along with the tick, that's okay- it's more important to get the head out than than fret over a little lost skin. If you find that the head has remained imbedded and you can't remove it, keep a close eye on the area. Your dog's immune system will likely create a small site of infection around the head as a way to dislodge it. That's perfectly normal; it's just his body doing its thing to ward off disease.

Once the tick is out, save it in a jar and send it off to school with your little ones for show and tell. Just kidding about the show and tell.... but you really should hold the tick captive in a jar if you can. You'll have it as a specimen to show your vet "just in case" your dog starts exhibiting signs of Lyme disease.

Complications of a Tick Bite

Ticks pose the threat of disease - not just mild illness, but serious, debilitating diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (prevalent in the western United States), Lyme Disease (prevalent in the Northeastern US), and other less commonly known bacteria-bourne illnesses that can lead to serious complications including paralysis and death.

You can choose not practice tick prevention, thereby engaging your dog in a little "Russian Roulette" each time a tick bites... or you can do the smart thing, which is keep him tick-free and consequently, disease-free.

Tick Control

Many of the same products that afford protection against fleas also repel ticks, particularly the "spot on" applications such as Frontline®, that can be applied to the skin between your dog's shoulder blades once a month for maximum protection. Ticks can also be controlled with the traditional flea prevention methods such as dipping, bathing, spraying and powdering.

Talk to your vet about which tick repellant is right for you, as he has access to your dog's medical history and can offer advice based on prior health records.

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Dina Giolitto is a copywriting consultant and ghostwriter with 10 years of experience writing corporate print materials and web content. Trust her with your next e-book, article series or web project, and make a lasting impression on your audience of information-hungry prospects. Visit http://www.wordfeeder.com for more information.

---

Alarm Clock Kitty, How to Stop Early Morning Meowing

Meow! Meow! Meow! I bury my head underneath my pillow.... Read More

You Cant Fool A Horse

By Jeffrey Rolocopyright 2004 AlphaHorseIn the dating world many men... Read More

Buster the Beloved Pussycat

"Dogs have owners; cats have staff," and I have worked... Read More

Approach: The Third of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your Horse

In horse training or natural horsemanship, Approach is nothing more... Read More

Care for Your Dogs Ears

I have had Goldens and Black Labs for many years,... Read More

Things To Think About Before You Buy A Pet Bird

While a bird is an easy pet to care for,... Read More

Probiotics - The Good Bacteria

PROBIOTICS - The Good Bacteria - Does your pet have... Read More

Ear Mites in Dogs: Quite Earritating

Does your dog have that sheepish look? It could be... Read More

German Sheperds

People love big, protective and loving dogs and that's why... Read More

My Tips to Take Care of a New Dog

So you're bringing home that cute little puppy from the... Read More

New Book Helps Worried Owners Of A Pregnant Cat

'Help, my cat is pregnant and I don't know what... Read More

Horse Training Equipment: The 6th of 6 Keys To Developing A Partnership With Your Horse

The 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With... Read More

7 Simple Ways To Safe Guard Your Dog This Summer!

If you have a hard time in summer imagine how... Read More

The Neurotic Dogs

When pondering whether my neurosis is learned or genetic, I... Read More

Why Should We Get Kittens as Pets?

Kittens are and have always been adorable creatures. Of course,... Read More

Dog Obedience Training

Dog obedience training begins with the owner. There are several... Read More

Why the Heck Would You Have a Pet Snake (or lizard, crocodile, monitor, frog, turtle etc)?

This is a question that has been asked of me... Read More

Are Exotic Cats a Threat to Public Safety? Why Exotic Pets Are Not Dangerous

I would like to address some of the statements I... Read More

6 Common Dog Emergencies

Sure, you may be a master of human First Aid.... Read More

Bast, The Beloved Protector of Cats

She is the protector of cats, women and children. The... Read More

Winterizing Your Dog

It's beginning to get cooler and as such it is... Read More

Keeping Your Cat Healthy

Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and... Read More

Achieving Dog Training Success With The 18 Donts Rules

A well-train dog usually leads a happier and healthier life... Read More

Five Cat Food Factors That Discourage Feline UTD

One of the most common causes of Feline Urinary Tract... Read More

Westie Pups - Tips for Success in Housetraining

Perhaps the best way to train your westie pups not... Read More

Safety in the Fresh Air and the Outdoors for Your Cat - How To Build a Cattery

Animal welfare organizations and humane societies have been very successful... Read More

How To Choose A Dog - There Is A Lot To Consider, But A Lot Of Help Too

Choosing a dog is a fun adventure. The search for... Read More

The Dreaded Vet Visit: 5 Ways to Comfort Your Dog

Uh-oh, it's that time again. The dreaded vet visit, and... Read More

Cancer and Your Pet

Just say the word cancer and any of a host... Read More

What You Should Know About Your Puppy And Play Biting

The main ways a puppy will play with another dog... Read More

Understanding Psychology Of Dog Training: Pack Behavior & Establishing Control

Dogs are descendent of wolves. To study the psychology of... Read More

Choosing the Right Dog Breeder

When looking to purchase a purebred dog, you need to... Read More

Comparison of the Cost and Effectiveness of Holistic Horse Care versus Conventional Care

After years of practicing both conventional and holistic medicine for... Read More