"Tick" the Season

Tick season is in full swing here in the Midwest. So what can you do to help protect your dogs and cats?
First, you need to make sure that you have a good tick preventative. Frontline and K9 Advantix are two of the better known monthly topical treatments. I've found a cheaper option that works just as well called, BioSpot. You can buy it at Fleet Farm for around $13 for a 3 month supply. There are other treatments you can try such as tick collars, herbal supplements, dips, sprays and powders. I find the topical treatments to be the easiest to administer though. 

Ticks aren't just gross and irritating for your dog, they can carry deadly diseases that pose serious threats to your pet. The following are 2 of the most common tick-borne diseases.

• Lymes Disease, which is carried by Deer Ticks and most prevalent here in the Midwest, is the most common of the disease passed by these nasty buggers. Symptoms include, arthritis, loss of appetite, fever, swollen lymph nodes, lethargy and change in their gait. If left untreated, kidney failure can occur with is often fatal for your dog. My Aunt's dog Molly (Rest in Peace) went deaf after contracting Lymes disease. 
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another disease transmitted by ticks. This disease, can show similar signs of Lymes disease symptoms but can also cause more serous issues. Some dogs have had seizures, pneumonia,& hemorrhages in the retina and may also develop blood in the stool or nose. Renal failure is also a major concern. Symptoms usually occur within 2-14 days after the tick bite.

Second, make sure to check your dog regularly for ticks. Although most ticks live in forested or tall grassy areas, your dog can still pick them up in your back yard or on a walk. Check around their head, ears, neck, feet and skin folds extra carefully as this is where most ticks like to hang out. If you do find a tick on your dog do not just pull it off. The proper way to extract a tick is; 

• Apply rubbing alcohol to the tick and pull straight off with a tweezers. 
• Do not twist or squeeze the body of the tick as this may cause bacteria and disease containing material to be injected into the site. Be sure to take care not to allow any of the blood from the tick to come into contact with your dog's skin. This could transmit any diseases to your pet.
• After removing the tick, place it in a container filled with alcohol to prevent it from reattaching to your pet or yourself. It is a good idea to save the tick for a few weeks in case your dog starts to show any symptoms of illness. The tick can then be examined for identification of any diseases it may be carrying.

Finally, be sure to start your tick prevention treatments right away in the Spring and continue into the Fall. Colder weather does not kill ticks. In fact, Deer tick numbers are at their peak during September through November so this is the prime time to contract Lymes Disease. If you live in warmer climates, you will need year round treatments...as I'm sure you already knew. If you do live in an area where Lymes Disease is an issue, you can have a Lymes vaccination given to your dog. This is something you would want to talk with your Veterinarian about.

As for cats...don't worry, I didn't forget about them. They have their own line of products. Never ever give a cat the same treatment you would give your dogs. In fact, if you are using Advantix for your dogs, make sure to keep your dog and cat separate for 12 hours..or until the oil has completely dried. The reason is, Advantix contains permethrin which is toxic to cats. This ingredient can be metabolized by dogs but not cats, which is why you can safely use it on your dogs.
The biggest tick-borne disease spread to cats, besides Lymes Disease, is called Cytauxzoonosis. In most cases this disease is fatal and symptoms include; anorexia,lethargy, fever, dehydration and enlarged lymph nodes. Symptoms will show about 3-7 days  before death occurs due to massive organ failure and bleeding disorders.

If you have an indoor cat I wouldn't really worry about a tick prevention. But, if you have a cat like mine, who likes to escape when ever given the chance, it's best to protect them....just in case. Same rules apply as for dogs, but find the cat friendly substitutes for the topical treatment. Be sure to check them every time they come back into the house and remove ticks properly as soon as you find them.  
Please feel free to add any other suggestions that you use to protect your fur babies.