I know I have touched on the subject previously, but I am concerned over the amount of ticks I am seeing at the moment. In two days I took over 75 ticks off two small-to-medium sized dogs living around Lagoa.
I know full well it can be difficult to ensure that your furry one stays away from areas that may contain ticks. This time of year the ticks are more prevalent, and we cannot always ensure that where we are walking our furry ones is free from such hazards. It is down to us to make sure that they are protected.
I always tell my clients about different ways to protect their furry ones against problems, but some people think it is just a ploy to boost sales for pet shops and vets. Yes, you do have to buy the treatments but, at the end of the day, it is vital for you and your furry family members to make sure that they are as well protected as possible.
I have heard people say that the processionary caterpillars are not a threat. All we can do is warn people and, from the cases we have seen and heard about, the threat is very real. But in the end it is up to the owners if they heed our warnings or not.
Ticks not only pose a threat to our animals but they can also, and do, transmit illnesses to humans, so it is in everyone’s interest to ensure we are extra vigilant in spring and summer months.
Diseases and illnesses that can be caused through ticks
Ticks can cause anaemia in the dogs due to the amount of blood they feed on, irritation and infections in the skin, tick paralysis, Babesiosis (which can be fatal), Ehrlichiosis (which can also be fatal), Lyme Disease (Borreliosis) (which can be transmitted to humans), Rickettsia …
The viruses that the ticks can transmit take around 48 hours to transfer to your beloved dog, so check for ticks daily as this will greatly reduce the risk of the awful diseases being transmitted.
The areas that you need to keep a close eye on are between the toes, all over the head (including in the ears), and the chest and tummy areas. Your other defences are to use collars and spot-on treatments – I have been informed by my vet that you can use both together if so needed.
I have also had great results from using a good insecticidal shampoo, which repels the fleas and ticks, so preventing them climbing aboard in the first place. This can be used weekly in-between spot-on applications.
Most spot-on applications state “to be applied every month, or every four weeks to maintain maximum cover”. Also it is recommended that you do not let your dog get wet (swim or bath) for three days prior to application and to remain dry for three days after application. This can be difficult to remember. All I do to remind myself is to mark the calendar – “Dry dry dry spot on dry dry dry” – no excuses for forgetting by doing this!
Collars are easy to use. Simply put the collar on and make sure that when you bath your dog that you remove it and replace once the dog is dry. These last around six months and are very cost-effective.
Dogs with a very dense thick coat sometimes do not get the best protection from the collar, as the active ingredient has to penetrate the coat before it can work. In this case, a spot-on application would be more effective.
If after all this you are unlucky enough to find a tick or two on your furry one, then there are ways to remove them. They need to be removed completely; by this I mean the head needs to be removed along with the body.
The tick buries its head inside the animal it is feeding on. Many times I have seen people pull them out with their nails and they end up leaving the head, mouth parts and legs behind. This can cause other problems that you need to avoid.
By getting hold of the tick’s body, once engorged with your dog’s blood, you can force the contents of the tick’s stomach back into your pet’s blood stream. This, in turn, will introduce organisms into the blood and the leftover head/mouth parts can cause an abscess to form which can lead to serious infection. All these do need to be avoided and can be avoided very easily.
Some of the ways people remove ticks make me shudder. The worst thing is to try to pull it out with your fingers touching the tick. You are risking contracting Lyme disease if any of the blood should get on to your fingers. For very little cost you can buy a tick remover from all good pet shops or vets. It is simple to use and not at all expensive.
Remember, if you suspect illness then the first thing you need to do is get to the vet. Your vigilance will help the vet in a confirmed diagnosis.
Have a happy
tick-free summer!
By Sue Ogden
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Sue Ogden is a professional dog groomer living in the Algarve. In her regular column, she provides readers with information on how best to care for their pets. Trained in the UK, she studied nursing, breeding, grooming, nutrition and kennel management. 910 851 140
