The Trouble With Ticks…
It is the time of the year where
the sun is shining bright, the trees are in full bloom, and the forests are
crawling with creatures. One in specific we want to address is the tick, which
is an insect that is notoriously known for carrying Lyme disease and other
contagious as well as harmful diseases. This insect is one that seems to be
growing in numbers and we felt because of the fact that it is peak cottage and
hiking season, that we would share a few tips and tricks for how to find,
remove and what to do with them afterwards.
Locating The Tick:
It is very important that after
every walk in heavily wooded area or areas with tall grass, that you thoroughly
check your dog for any possible hitch hikers that are looking to make your dog
into their next meal (as well as yourself). If you do not know what you are
looking for, ticks can go undetected, which can be quite harmful in the long
run. When looking for ticks, you’ll find a small bump (varying in size) usually
shades of orange, grey, brown or black in colour (Some time only the legs are
visible). Although the tick can attach itself anywhere on the body, the most
common areas that they can be found on dogs is: the inside of their ears (an
example shown below), on their face/head, on the stomach or grown area, on or around the paws, under the tail or in their arm/leg pit. 
It is
important that when removing the tick that it is done so properly. Many people
have the instinct to simply try and pick off or pull off the tick, however this
is not correct and can lead to infection. When the tick is simply pulled or
ripped off the mouthpiece is often left in the skin, this can lead to
infection. The proper way to remove a tick is to remove it with a counter-clockwise twisting motion,
similar to unscrewing a screw. A great tool to have in your first aid kit is a
tick remover, which is a tiny tool that allows the user to get right under the
body of the tick and remove by twisting. If you do not have a tick remover
close by another way to get the tick to unlatch completely is to get a paper
towel or cloth with dish soap on it, then rub the tick with the dish soap in a
circular motion. Ticks do not like the soap on them and will usually let go. Below
is a video showing how to safely remove ticks.
What To Do Next
Rather than exposing of the tick
you removed right away, put the tick in a small baggy or container (old pill
bottles work great) and bring the tick or ticks to your veterinarian. This way
the tick can be tested to see if it was carrying a harmful disease such as Lyme
disease. This way you can be informed if your dog needs to be tested or treated
for a disease because catching this disease as quickly as possible can be key
to the wellbeing and survival of your four legged family member.
Do not let
this stop you from bringing your dog out and about with you, just be sure to
check them over after!
Enjoy your hike!!!
Tail Wags from the CompleteK9 Family :)
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