When talking about ticks, most people are concerned about the diseases they can carry such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. Lyme disease has been putting the tick in the spotlight for several years now as the carrier of a bacterial infection that can cause arthritis and damage to the nervous system in humans. So, it is important that we do everything possible to prevent the infectious diseases caused by ticks and control the tick population around our homes.
Getting rid of ticks is not necessarily difficult especially when compared to eradicating fleas. Despite what many believe, a tick does not actually jump onto its host. Ticks, which typically live in tall grass, wait for a host to brush against it so it can attach itself. They will usually remain attached until they become engorged with blood.
The best way to protect your pets from ticks is to keep them indoors as often as possible, but since this is usually not a practical solution, you should check with your veterinarian about the appropriate tick medication for your pet. Don't simple grab a tick medication from the store shelf and think it will be safe. There have been numerous reports of pets becoming seriously ill and even dying due to over the counter tick medications.
Whenever your cat or dog has been outdoors, be sure to do a thorough inspection from head to toe. If your dog has floppy ears, remember to check the undersides and check between the toes as well. Brush your pet frequently with a flea and tick comb and whenever possible bath your pet regularly and wash bedding as well. Removing tall grass and brush from your property will help reduce a tick problem.
When You Do Find a Tick
When a tick attaches itself to your pet it buries its head under the surface of the skin, so don't just try to pull it out by the body. This could leave the head under the skin which can cause infection. If you do find a tick, the best way to remove it is to grab it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and carefully pull it out. Wash the area with soap and water and clean it with alcohol.
Do not crush the tick with your hands as this can release bacteria from inside the tick's body. Wrap it in a tissue and flush it or burn it if possible. Don't just throw it away as it might escape and simply attach itself somewhere else.
There are many suggestions for removing a tick such coating it's body with nail polish or petroleum jelly to suffocate it or touching it with a match to make it release. None of these are recommended. They might actually help remove the tick, but at the same time it might also cause the tick to release its toxins under your pet's skin and untimely cause illness, the very thing you were trying to avoid.
