On the back of No Mow May and with Summer now appearing here in the UK, ticks are well and truly out and about! They can be found across the UK (and beyond) mainly in woodland and grassy areas, including city parks and gardens. They typically flourish in warmer weather, so are particularly prevalent between Spring and Autumn.
What are ticks?
Ticks are very small spider-like parasites with eight legs and flat, egg-shaped bodies, which visibly fill up when they eat. They can change colour as they become engorged with blood, starting off with a white body, which can turn reddish brown. Ticks attach themselves to dogs by burying their mouthparts into the skin and feeding on blood. Whereas fleas fly or jump, ticks climb or drop onto an animal when they brush past whatever the tick is sitting on and they will attach themselves to any part of the body.
What makes them harmful or dangerous to dogs?
Ticks will bite and feed on a dog for up to a few days, and drop off once they’ve had enough. During this time, it is possible the tick could cause an infection or worse, give your pet a disease. They can also pick up disease from one animal and pass it onto another (including humans), resulting in a serious risk of disease spread.
The main serious bacterial infection ticks can carry and spread is Lyme disease. Dogs, cats and humans can all get Lyme disease. Symptoms include:
- Depression
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
- Lameness and limping
- Swollen and painful joints
- Swollen lymph nodes
A certain type of tick (relatively rare in the UK) can cause Babesiosis in dogs, which is the destruction of red blood cells resulting in anaemia. If infected with Babesiosis, dogs will become lethargic with dark urine and pale gums.
How can I spot a tick on my dog?
Dog ticks can look like small warts and you’ll often find them around your dog’s head, neck, ears, groin, feet and armpits – these are easily accessible areas for ticks to attach themselves to whilst dogs enjoy a walk or a good sniff in long grass.
Part your dog’s fur to check for any visible signs and feel around their body to check for any small lumps and bumps, which could end up being a tick. Tick bites can cause irritation and redness so look out for this too.
How can I remove a tick safely?
Ticks can start to pass on diseases in as little as 24 hours, so it is important that they’re found and removed as soon as possible, and appropriately. You must get the whole tick out without squeezing or crushing the body, or leaving its mouthparts buried in your dog’s skin, as this could lead to all sorts of nasty and painful problems.
Never try to pull the tick straight off your dog’s skin – this could be very painful. The only way to safely and properly remove a tick is by using a tick twister tool, which you can buy online, at a pet shop or at the vet. There are plenty of helpful videos online demonstrating how to use the tick twister tool but if you are unsure or you have difficulty removing a tick, take your dog to a vet.
Once you’ve removed the tick, be sure to dispose of it and disinfect the bite area with a dog-friendly disinfectant. If it appears red, swollen or is leaking fluid, take your dog to the vet straight away as this can be a sign of infection. Keep an eye on your dog over the next few days after removing the tick to make sure they are not showing any symptoms of Lyme disease.
Dr Amy’s Top Tick Tips
- Most importantly, prevent ticks from biting your dog by using a monthly tick treatment that either kills or repels them if they attach themselves. Effective tick treatments will kill ticks much quicker than they are able to transmit disease to your dog and many of these treatments also prevent flea and other parasite infestations. There are several different types of treatment, so ask your vet what they would recommend for your dog.
- Have a few tick twister tools to hand – keep one at home and one in the car for your travels.
- Check your dog daily for ticks and remove any that are found immediately and appropriately. Fluffy dogs should be checked particularly thoroughly as ticks will be harder to spot initially.
- Be careful – ticks can be very harmful to humans too! Take precautions when walking your dog, use insect repellent and if you’re bitten, use the tick twisting tool to remove the tick. If you’re concerned, get in touch with your GP.
- Be aware of different types of ticks abroad – always consult your vet regarding medical requirements and prepare well ahead of time before you take your dog out of the UK.
- Visit your vet if you are at all concerned about your dog after a tick bite or if you are struggling to remove a tick.
It is really important that you keep on top of the necessary parasite (flea, tick, worming) treatments for your dog. At WagWorks, we take the stress and burden away from dog owners. Gone are the days of setting yourself stressful reminders or getting into a tailspin about late or forgotten treatments! Each of our member dogs recieves all necessary parasite treatments as part of their WagWorks membership and our approach to preventative healthcare. We keep on top of the due dates for you and we’ll administer the treatments whilst your dog is with us for daycare, at the correct intervals.