Tick season – hooray!
If you or your pet has ever picked up one of these nasty hitchhikers, you know what a pain they are. We, unfortunately, get tick season here, and it sucks.
Photo Credit: OK Pet Project
If your dog is outdoors lots, tick checks should be second nature to you by now. Run your fingers over your pups entire body – if you feel a lump or swollen area, investigate!
You should also be checking between their toes, under armpits and around the face and ears.
If you find a tick, don’t freak out! Grab some equipment and let’s get rid of that sucker!
Photo Credit: OK Pet Project
You will need: gloves, clean tweezers, an antiseptic, isopropyl alcohol (available in the first aid section at your nearest drug store) and perhaps a friend to help if you have a wiggly dog
Photo Credit: OK Pet Project
Now what?
- Wearing your gloves take the tweezers and firmly grab the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible.
- Pull straight out in one steady motion. Don’t leave anything behind (aka the head) as it can lead to an infection.
- Drop that sucker in a small container with the isopropyl alcohol to kill it. Label with the date you removed it and keep it until you know your bubs is in the clear. This way, if any tick-borne disease does begin to present in your pet, your vet can test the tick!
- Clean the bitten area on your pet with antiseptic, disinfect the tweezers and wash your hands!
Photo Credit: OK Pet Project
Hudson and Lucy get a dose of Bravecto during tick season – 12 weeks of flea and tick prevention in a delicious chew treat.
Pounce and Hound Fine Goods at Pandosy Village Vet sells a homemade tick spray you can use to deter the parasites from both you and your animals.
You can also pick up your very own tick removal tool, which is always handy to have!
However you choose to treat the problem, make sure you remove ticks ASAP as they can carry things like lyme disease.
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