It's officially tick season!
Ticks are a common problem within Canada, especially among dogs. They thrive off warmer, humid weather, so they’re most active during spring and summer. The beginning of spring is the time to remind yourself to protect your pets from these nasty little critters that can be deadly.
Ticks and fleas cause for concern because they feed on your pet’s blood and can cause health problems ranging from allergic reactions to serious tick-borne illnesses. They feed on their ‘hosts’ in order to grow, develop, and reproduce. They’re most commonly found in long grass and dense bushland, but can also come into pet beds and kennels. Once a tick lands on a dog, it inserts its mouth into the dog’s skin, securing itself in place. A sticky “glue” produced by glands on the tick also helps it stay attached.
While many pet owners think ticks and fleas are closely related, the tick is quite different. The flea is a six-legged jumping insect, while the tick is of the arachnid family and more closely related to spiders. Unlike their insect cousins, ticks can survive at near-freezing temperatures, be unaffected by household repellents, and transfer nasty infections like Lyme disease and spotted fever to your beloved canine companion. Multiple ticks may deprive your dog of enough blood to cause anemia, and certain female ticks produce a toxin which can cause a rare paralysis in your pet.
With the parasitic pests happy to live on several hosts in their lifetime (which can be up to three years), carrying a tick into the home could spell trouble for more residents than just the family pet. They’re a serious pest, and preventative measures should be in place to protect your pet. Luckily, Pet Shield is here to help!
Ticks and Fleas are no walk in the park
But they can be found there! Ticks come out at +4 degrees Celsius, so it’s time to keep an eye out. To prevent tick bites, it’s helpful to know the type of ticks in your area. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the regions where different types of ticks are found. You can be aware of when to expect ticks – they live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. Ticks and fleas are both found in outdoor spaces where we spend time with our pets, whether we’re out hiking or working in the garden. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.
Prevention tips:
- Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered repellants.
- Try to avoid wooded, bushy areas when out and about.
- Examine pets after being outside during peak season. Check for ticks daily.
- If you do find a tick on your pet, remove it right away.
- Try to reduce the tick habitat in your yard. Keep your grass trimmed and avoid/remove bushy areas.
- For fleas, look for them on areas of your dog where the coat is sparse or thin.
Treatment tips:
- FIRST THING’S FIRST – remove the tick promptly and carefully. If possible, seal the tick in a container and freeze it. This way, the ticks can be sent in for tests to identify whether they carry Lyme disease. The Government of Canada has a page dedicated to the removal of ticks and submission for testing.
- Clean the area of the tick bite with soap and water. If the area shows signs of infection, consult your veterinarian.
- Treat the bite (whether it be a tick or flea bite) with appropriate medication recommended by vets. If you’re unsure of what to look for, check our additional resources below!
Additional Resources
Veterinary Partner lists flea and tick control products for dogs and cats.
The Alberta SPCA offers tips for tick and flea prevention/removal.
The Government of Canada offers extensive information about fleas, how to check your pet for fleas, how to prevent fleas, and how to get rid of fleas.
PetSmart features a product list for flea and tick prevention and treatment. The list is categorized by dogs or cats, as well as prevention or treatment.
