Although ticks thrive in the warmer climates, they are able to survive year round in all types of weather. You’ll find them in all parts of the country but the severity of infestation will vary by region. One fact that should make everyone take heed is that tick infestations are now spreading into regions that were previously tick free.
There are several varieties of ticks and all of them pose a problem for pets and people. When they first attach 
themselves to your pet, they usually don’t cause irritation or itching to the animal. They do bite the site initially causing a little sensation but that is about it. Another problem is that when they first attach themselves they are small and very easy to overlook. Then they quickly begin to feed on the animal’s blood and their body fills up with blood and they change from a brown color to a gray color. They’re much easier to see once they’ve fed.
Ticks usually hide out in low hanging bushes and foliage and reside in grass. They crawl onto animals or people as they pass by. One way to discourage ticks is to keep your yard mowed and trimmed. If you take your dog into a known tick-infested area, check them over very carefully after returning home.
The life cycle of the tick has four stages. The four life stages are – egg, larva, nymph and adult. When the tick is in the adult life stage, it prefers a larger host and dogs are their preferred choice.
The danger of ticks is the infectious diseases they carry such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichlosis. The other danger presented by a bad infestation of ticks is the anemic condition they can cause in dogs which untreated and literally bleed them to death. Ticks feed on the blood of their hosts.
Ticks prefer areas in crevices or areas with little to no hair. Is you are inspecting your dogs for ticks concentrate on these areas – in and around the ears, the insides of the legs meet the body, between the toes, and within folds of skin. An occasional tick can removed by hand but a bad case of ticks should be treated by Frontline or a similar product. The sooner a tick is removed, the lower the risk of disease as it takes several hours to transmit to a host.
Signs may take days, weeks or months to appear and here is a list of the signs related to tick related illnesses:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Lameness
- Swelling in joints
- Anemia
These signs typically begin to resolve after tick is removed. If you notice these or any other signs of illness in your dog, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Here is a short list of common diseases carried by ticks:
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesiosis
The current choices of products for eradication of ticks come only in topical treatments. The products available through your veterinarian have a high rate of success in prevention of disease and keeping ticks off your dogs. Even if a tick manages to apply it self to your pet, they will not survive due to the treatment. Year round treatment is recommended.
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