Translated by Nick R
It’s very important to keep parasites, such as ticks, away from our pets. Avoid diseases or infections that could be very harmful.
If you want to prevent your pet from suffering any health affection due to these parasites, here is everything you need to know to prevent and eliminate them.
Table of Contents
What are ticks?
Ticks are external parasites, also known as ectoparasites, that affect a large number of animals, including dogs. According to this article in the “PRESENT STATE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF TICKS (ACARI: IXODIDA) ASSOCIATED TO CANIS FAMILIARIS L. “, worldwide, 58 species of ixodida (ticks) have been found that can parasitize the dog.”
Ticks are of vital interest to the veterinary health sector as they cause a large number of bacterial, viral, protozoan and rickettsial (a genus of bacteria) diseases that can even affect humans.
Ticks measure from 3 to 8 mm, but by constantly feeding on blood they can grow up to 1 cm.
The saliva of these parasites can cause infections and, as a result, the canine can become seriously ill.
How long do ticks live?
Their lifespan is long, and their life cycle is divided into 4 phases: egg, larva, nymph and adult.
The females, after feeding on an animal, go down to the ground, either in the grass, carpets, cushions or even your pet’s bed, and lay their eggs; a tick can lay from 3,000 to 7,000 eggs.
When the egg hatches 20 to 60 days later, larvae (with 6 legs) hatch and can live up to 8 months without feeding. The larvae will look for a host to feed on until they drop again (from the skin) and molt into nymphs, now with 8 legs, and looking for a larger host, and then drop again to become adults. In the adult state, they are able to live for more than a year without feeding on a host.
All in all, the tick can have a life expectancy of up to 4 years.
Diseases caused by ticks
As I previously said, these parasites can cause different diseases in dogs such as:
Anaplasmosis:
According to this research on the incidence of anaplasmosis in canine anaplasmosis, it is considered “a febrile, infectious, non-contagious, immunosuppressive, anemia-producing disease with hemorrhagic tendencies caused by microorganisms of the Anaplasmataceae family”. This disease causes:
- Fever.
- Lethargy.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Convulsions.
- anemia
- Joint inflammation and paralysis.
Babesiosis:
In the article, Babesiosis in canines: semiology findings and complementary laboratory tests for diagnosis, “is a parasitic disease caused by Babesia canis and B Gibsoni (…) is transmitted by the brown tick in dogs”. Some symptoms are:
- Weakness.
- Loss of appetite.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- fever
- jaundice.
- red urine.
- hyperthermia
- pulmonary edema
- Anemia.
Ehrlichiosis:
In Ehrliqchiosis canine, it is defined as follows “an infectious tick-borne emerging disease (…) it is also consideration of great relevance to human health due to its zoonotic potential, that is, it can be transmitted between species, among them, the human”. It causes symptoms such as:
- Anorexia.
- Depression.
- Weakness and lethargy.
- Fever.
- Pale mucous membranes.
- Inflammation of the joints.
Hepatozoonosis:
It is a disease caused by a blood protozoan parasite, “hepatozoonosis needs other pathogenic organisms to manifest”, which means that it needs the canine to have an infection or other disease in order to develop. (Canine hepatozoonosis. Retrospective study of 8 clinical cases). The canine may show:
- Fever.
- Diarrhea.
- Body pain.
- Anorexia.
- Anemia.
Lyme disease:
Also known as “borreliosis”, it is caused by bacteria transmitted by ticks that reaches the bloodstream of dogs. It can cause different health problems in the canine, such as:
- Lameness.
- Arthritis.
- Fever.
- Lack of appetite.
- Muscle pain.
- kidney problems
- Carditis.
Mediterranean boutonneouse fever:
It is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium “rickettsia conorii” and can also be transmitted to humans. It causes symptoms such as:
- Chills.
- Fever.
- Joint and muscle pains.
Problematic environments
Ticks, although found in different environments, usually live in humid and open places with grass and trees. They can also be often found in places with warm weather, for example, they are very active from spring onwards.
Therefore, if you go with your pooch to these places a lot, or if you have a garden, your canine is likely to be exposed to these parasites. So, you must check him after leaving such places to make sure that he doesn’t have any ticks.
6 tricks to prevent ticks on my dog
Now, here I’ll tell you about some things you should do to prevent this type of parasite from affecting your pet.
Check your dog
As I said before, check your canine after visiting any potentially contagious place or being close to another dog or animal that may have these parasites.
So, sit your dog next to you and start examining his skin by moving his fur, and checking his whole body. You can also run a comb through and keep an eye out for anything unusual on his skin.
Even if your dog has no contact with these infested areas or with other canines, it’s advisable to do periodic check-ups and make sure he doesn’t have any parasites.
Regular deworming
Deworming is essential to avoid internal parasites, such as worms, as well as external parasites, such as ticks, fleas and mites. It’s recommended to do it every 3 months, although it will also depend on the product you choose, since, for example, deworming collars last a little longer.
Products
Some products to deworm your dog are:
- Tablets: these are administered orally, they can be of a broad spectrum, which means that they are useful for several types of parasites, so ask your veterinarian which one he/she recommends depending on the needs of your canine.
- Flea or parasite collar: This type of collar offers a longer period of protection against external parasites such as ticks. However, I don’t recommend using it because it aims to spread the pesticide throughout the dog’s body, and he or his owners could get intoxicated.
- Pipette: these come with an applicator, and you only have to apply it to the back of your dog’s neck. It is a liquid medicine. It is not toxic and does not leave any residue on the dog’s skin or coat. You must get a suitable pipette for your pet’s weight or he could get intoxicated if the dose you give him is higher than what he needs.
- Spray: these sprays are applied around the pet’s body, in an open space, such as the garden. Always avoid the eyes, nose, or mouth. They work as repellents.
- Flea shampoo or soap: If your furry one is already infected, you can use this product when you bathe it and thus eliminate these parasites. They come in different presentations and are easy to use.
Fumigation
If you live in a problematic environment such as a place with a warm climate or a house with a garden or you simply think that your house may have ticks, choose to do fumigation to kill the pest.
You can hire someone who knows the subject or get the necessary implements, protection such as gloves, mask, goggles and appropriate clothing, and the insecticide you need depending on the bugs, parasites, or pests you want to attack.
There are several types of insecticides in different presentations. They can come in the form of aerosol, spray, gel, tablets, or electric devices. There are even ecological insecticides to avoid damaging the plants.
On the other hand, they can also be divided as follows:
- Insecticides: these, as their name suggests, are especially for killing insects. They can also be used as acaricides.
- Acaricides: to kill ticks and mites.
- Herbicides: these are used to protect crops in the fields, and thus prevent pests that can kill crops.
- Fungicides: to eliminate and prevent fungi.
You should also keep in mind that at the moment and after using this product there should not be people or animals in the house until the time stipulated on the product as this can be toxic if breathed. In addition, you should try to leave all windows and doors open to ventilate the house.
After fumigating, and when you can return home, I recommend vacuuming and cleaning the whole house very well to remove ticks, their eggs and larvae. In addition, it is also important to wash the places where your dog rests, such as his bed, blankets, cushions and rugs. You can wash them with hot water to make sure that no parasites remain.
On the other hand, you can hire a fumigation company to do this job.
Dog hygiene
Good hygiene will allow your canine to enjoy perfect health and avoid the appearance of different parasites. You can follow these 9 essential tips to improve your dog or cat’s hygiene.
Bathe your canine at least once a month or depending on how often he usually needs a bath, as it may vary from dog to dog. Also, by combing him often, you can be alert to the appearance of ticks and react quickly to remove them.
And, of course, clean his ears, as these parasites can also lodge in this place and can be overlooked.
Hygiene of the living space
Ticks can lay eggs and larvae on the bedding, blankets, or around his living space. It’s therefore important to clean this area periodically.
Hot water helps to get rid of these parasites, because cold or warm water may not be enough.
You can also use the vacuum cleaner to clean these places constantly and make sure everything is clean.
Clothing
You can even have ticks attached to your clothes, so if you think you have had contact with these organisms, take off your clothes and wash them in hot water, and, if possible, put them in the dryer at a high temperature.
Don’t forget to be cautious.
5 tricks to get rid of ticks on my dog
On the other hand, if your canine is already infected, apart from applying the preventive tips, such as deworming, cleaning and fumigation, you can do the following.
Tweezers
If you found a tick on your canine’s skin, you can get some tweezers and carefully take the tick by its mouth area. Don’t press too hard or make any sudden movements or the tick could break off and leave part of it on your furry friend.
So, with caution, make sure you remove all the tick and that the head is not left in the skin, then, in a bowl with alcohol or an antiparasitic, dip the tick in it to kill it.
Finally, disinfect the skin, you can use an iodine solution or chlorhexidine, or any other product recommended by your veterinarian.
Recommendation: if you’re not sure or don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, go to a veterinarian who will help you and explain how to do it.
Bathing
As I said before, your canine’s hygiene is essential, and if you think he already has ticks or even fleas, you can bathe him using an anti-flea shampoo or soap.
Upon contact with the product, the parasites will die and fall off. You must follow the instructions: you may be asked to let the product act for a few minutes and then rinse it.
In addition, during the bath, you can check your canine much better and identify where the ticks are to remove them.
Flea comb
These combs have many metal bristles, in which fleas and ticks can get trapped. However, as you have to be careful not to split the tick and leave its head in the skin, what you should do with this product is:
Comb carefully and without much pressure, when you feel that there is a protuberance, check that place and if it is a tick, remove it manually (with tweezers, for example).
Home remedies
If you have already identified where the tick is, you can apply a little Vaseline and pay attention until it starts to come off by itself. When you see that it has come off the skin, you can wait for it to fall or use the tweezers method, since it is easier now.
On the other hand, you can make the following recipe recommended by a dog trainer:
- 250 ml of water.
- 2 sachets of “pennyroyal mint”.
- 250 ml of apple cider vinegar.
- Half a lemon.
- 5 spoonfuls of alcohol at 70°.
- Some aromatic herbs such as lavender.
- An empty spray bottle or atomizer.
You’re going to boil the lemon, the water, and the aromatic herbs for about 30 minutes, and strain it. Then you add the 250 ml of vinegar and 5 tablespoons of alcohol and, finally, put everything in the spray bottle.
You can now apply it to your dog’s coat avoiding the face. Apply it a couple of times a week.
Veterinary
It’s always advisable to consult your veterinarian before starting any treatment on your canine. The professional will tell you which products are recommended for each type of parasite, taking into account the weight of your pet to avoid intoxication.
In addition, if you think your furry one is suffering from any disease due to a tick, it is necessary to start treatment with the veterinary health staff.
