Ticks are back and they are everywhere. Our friend and member Nikki wrote something up for us. Thank you Nikki!! 

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Hello everyone! Your friendly community Dogtor Chickie here, we have some info to share about ticks (thanks to Christa Duff for asking us to share)! Unfortunately this winter has seen a survival of ticks in many areas, which means this upcoming tick season is going to be worse than ever. What happens when you find a tick on your dog? 

❌ The most common myth we hear is to put peppermint oil/Vaseline/nail polish/alcohol on the tick to suffocate it and make it drop off. Please DO NOT do this! If the tick is carrying any disease organisms inside of it, using these methods will usually cause it to regurgitate back into your dog. That leads to a much easier and faster infection. Also, don’t try burning it off with a match either. This will only lead to the same result. 

✅ How should you safely remove a tick? First, wearing gloves is ideal, should you accidentally come in contact with the tick’s fluids. Many diseases they carry can be transmitted to humans as well, and it is best to be safe. Second, use a pair of tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible and pull gently upwards, in order to remove the head. Do not grab or squeeze the body, or else it will regurgitate. Alternatively, many people find success using a “tick key” to safely remove it. Afterwards, put the tick in a container of alcohol to kill it. These critters are hardy and don’t die easily. Don’t smash it, especially if you aren’t wearing gloves, and don’t throw it away without killing it cause it may crawl back out of the trash can. By putting it in alcohol, you can take it to your vet for identification and disease testing if you wish. Disinfect the bite, wash your hands really well, and monitor the bite site for infection. If you don't feel comfortable removing the tick, ask your vet to do it, so that you know it is done properly.

🌲 After outdoor activities, like hiking or walking through the woods, especially in high risk areas, always check your dog for ticks. Check all over, from the head to between the toes. Lyme Disease needs about 24-36 hours of feeding to transmit infection, so the earlier you can catch and remove ticks the better. 

👩‍⚕️ Talk to a vet you can trust about what tick protection is best for your own pets. There is a Lyme disease vaccine available in endemic areas for those interested, and should be given on a case-by-case basis after discussing your lifestyle and the benefits and risks with your vet. It is not for everyone, but can help in the right cases.

🌡 For Lyme disease, it can take weeks to months for clinical signs to show. If you notice limping, fever, anorexia, or depression in your dog after a tick bite, see your vet for testing and antibiotics. Berners are a breed at higher risk of the kidney version of Lyme disease. There is a neurological form as well, although very rare. Many dogs don’t show signs of disease at all, some will harbor a chronic recurring form even with treatment. Other diseases show a wide variety of signs, like anemia or paralysis, and can affect different body systems.

😷 Other diseases ticks can carry, based upon region, include anaplasmosis, erlichiosis, babesiosis, tularemia, canine hepatozoonosis, tick paralysis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These can be very common in areas with high tick counts, depending on the species of tick in your area, since different species of ticks can transmit different organisms. 

🌎 For more information about ticks, tick borne diseases, and regional risk maps, The Companion Animal Parasite Council, www.capcvet.org and their website for pet owners, www.petsandparasites.orgare super valuable and wonderful resources. Talk to your vet about what diseases they commonly see in your area and what to watch out for.

Thanks for reading, hopefully that helped provide some insight on the big things to know about ticks!