How to Handle Tick Infestation In Dogs

One of the most common and harmful parasites for dogs is ticks. These pesky critters latch onto your dog and feed on their blood. In fact, ticks are also capable of spreading harmful diseases to dogs. Therefore, it’s imperative to keep a regular check on your dog’s health and look for any ticks on their body. In this blog, you will find all the necessary information on ticks and how to control them.

What are Ticks?

Ticks are arachnids with eight legs that usually attach themselves to dogs by burying their mouthparts in the dog’s skin. Ticks are generally small in shape; however, they can get as big as a pea when they’re swelled up from drinking blood. These ticks not only cause irritation in pets, but they also transmit disease.

While not all ticks are harmful, some are a carrier of vector-borne diseases. These diseases develop in the dog’s body and spread infections, affecting various organs and eventually deteriorating the dog’s health. The disease spread by ticks is Lyme disease, rocky mountain spotted fever, tick paralysis, and tick allergies as well.

How to check my dog for Ticks?

Fortunately, the ticks are visible to the human eye, thus it’s not that difficult to spot a tick. Below are the steps you can follow when you’re looking for ticks.

How to Remove Ticks from my Dog?

• Put on gloves to reduce the chance of spreading the infection

• Get a Tick Remover (Frontline Pet Care Tick Remover is highly recommended), and grab the tick as close to the skin as you can

• Thereafter, slowly pull the tick straight out of the body. See that you don’t squeeze it as the toxins may spread to the dog’s skin.

• It is recommended to keep the tick in an air tight container. So, if the dog gets sick anytime in the future, you can take the sample to the vet to diagnose any disease. Add some rubbing alcohol into the container to preserve the tick.

• Lastly, clean the area with medicated dog soap and water.

Observe your dog for a couple of days after removing the tick. If he doesn’t show any signs of illness, he’s completely fine. However, if he gets lethargic, and shows minor symptoms, it’s advised to pay a visit to the vet.

How to Prevent Tick Bites in Dogs?

We strongly advise every pet parent to administer flea and tick preventatives to their pets for complete protection from parasites. This will save you from all the hassle of removing ticks and treating the dog. Below are various ways you can prevent tick infestations in dogs.

• Flea and Tick Treatments – The best and most recommended method is to administer an effective flea and tick treatment to the dog. Products like Bravecto Chewable (oral treatment), Frontline Plus for Dogs (topical treatment), or Frontline Spray are the top treatment for fleas and ticks. These products not only eliminate the parasites but they also prevent further infestation.

• Tick collar – If your dog is an energetic one and loves to wander off into backyard and garden, a tick collar can be an ideal option. The collar repels the ticks thus provides complete protection.

• Home remedies – You can also get some of that apple cider vinegar to keep the ticks at bay. There are plenty of home remedies that help in preventing ticks.

• Clean Surroundings – One of the most effective ways to prevent tick infestation is to keep the house and surroundings clean. Vacuuming the surface and corners where the dog spends his time can get rid of the ticks or their eggs that are lying around.

We always advise pet parents to follow the necessary steps to keep their dogs in good health. So, we hope you found this blog helpful. Share it with your friends and family that has pets so they can also be aware of such tick infestations and find help to prevent it.