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Ticks! What You Need to Know
by Judy Morgan April 18, 2022
Ticks! What You Need to Know
If you’ve spent any time outdoors, you and your fur babies have likely encountered ticks at some point. They’re attracted to people and their four-legged pets and can move between the two with ease. There are roughly 850 species of ticks around the world. Of these, a handful can carry pathogens...
drjudymorgan.com
If you’ve spent any time outdoors, you and your fur babies have likely encountered ticks at some point. They’re attracted to people and their four-legged pets and can move between the two with ease. There are roughly 850 species of ticks around the world. Of these, a handful can carry pathogens which can result in disease for humans or animals.
The following is a primer for identifying the types of ticks that carry disease, how to test a tick for the presence of disease, and how to treat tick bites. For information on how to prevent and minimize the chance of tick-borne disease in dogs and cats, refer to the following blogs:
Natural Flea and Tick Prevention: Natural Flea & Tick Prevention
Natural Flea and Tick Prevention Revisited: Flea and Tick Prevention Revisited
Deadly Flea and Tick Prevention: Deadly Flea and Tick Prevention
What does a tick bite look like on a dog or cat?
In the absence of finding a tick feeding on its host, a tick bite looks like a small red bump, similar to a mosquito bite. These bumps often appear at the site of a tick bite or following tick removal and resolve themselves over a few days. Your pet can give you a clue if they are itching the site. If you see persistent itching, check the hair and the skin in the area. Some tick bites can also produce a “bull’s eye” at the bite site.
The best way to check your dog for ticks is to brush your fingers through your dog’s fur, applying enough pressure to feel any small bumps. If you feel a bump, pull the fur apart to identify it. An embedded tick will vary in size, from as tiny as a pinhead to as big as a dime. They are usually black, grey or brown. Depending on the size and location of the tick, its legs may also be visible.
To remove a tick, use-fine-tipped tweezers or tick removers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Clean the area around the bite with witch hazel.
