Ticks On Dogs
All About Ticks On Dogs
It is common to find many different types of ticks on dogs, and this is not good news for either the pet or owner. These creepy, blood sucking arthropods regularly target dogs for feeding, reproduction, and shelter. It’s easy to hide in there, and the dog can’t talk and tell you what itches and irritates, so it’s a sure win for the tick and its offspring. Ticks on dogs are common, and where there are ticks on dogs there are bound to be eventual ticks on the humans around him. What can you do about it? Plenty, it turns out, and we’ll begin by explaining the possible health risks of infestation to you both you and your pet.
The most common dog tick in the continental US is the brown dog tick. He carries no known diseases for either dog or human, but is as annoying and disgusting as any parasite you will ever want to meet. He ranges in size from the very small nymph stage to the quite sizable adult stage. Of course, the largest and most distinct brown dog tick is the one who is grossly engorged. This tick can be the size of a dime, and resembles a greenish to grayish blob. Some report a raisin-like growth on their dog’s inner ears or around the lips, though some ticks choose to imbed in the less conspicuous, more sheltered areas. The adult males do not consume as much blood as the fertilized females do, and all adults will fall off of the animal once a feeding is complete. The down side is that the eggs have already been implanted, and the larvae will soon be at work on the dog with ferocity.
Some of the more harmful ticks on dogs can closely resemble these harmless ticks, and dogs are highly susceptible to Lyme Disease. Deer ticks, Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks, Lone Star Ticks, and black-legged ticks are a few of the most prominent disease carriers for both dogs and humans. You will need to concentrate on repelling these ticking time bombs, as well as conducting regular inspections on both your pets and your family members in order to be safe.
For repelling ticks on dogs, there are many prescriptions and over the counter remedies available which offer strong tick, flea, biting fly, and mosquito protection, but they must be used religiously and per directions. Your dog will still need to be inspected, as there is always the chance of repellent failure, and it is certainly not a risk worth taking. For human protection against the same arthropods, a DEET or permethrin treatment to the skin and clothing, coupled with tight fitting clothing and regular inspections, will give you a great advantage during the heavy springtime feeding frenzy.