{"id":11226,"date":"2022-06-01T13:47:44","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T17:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/?p=11226"},"modified":"2022-06-01T13:51:19","modified_gmt":"2022-06-01T17:51:19","slug":"tick-protection-and-removal-keep-your-pup-safe-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/tick-protection-and-removal-keep-your-pup-safe-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Ticks &amp; Summer: Keeping Your Dog Safe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Dogs are happiest running and playing outside, but without proper tick prevention, doing what they love best could potentially expose them to harmful tick-borne diseases.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ohioline.osu.edu\/factsheet\/HYG-2073#:~:text=Three%20tick%20species%20in%20Ohio,homes%20with%20dogs%20and%20kennels.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ticks<\/a> are common parasites that can lurk in damp, grassy, bushy or wooded areas \u2014 even on sandy beaches. If a tick finds its way onto an animal \u2014 like your\u00a0dog\u00a0or you \u2014 it\u2019ll latch on and suck its host\u2019s blood. Ticks are most active in spring, summer and fall, but they\u2019re hardy and can survive at temperatures below freezing. There are many species of ticks, but they can all be killed with the same treatment.\u00a0If your canine companion does come home with a parasitic pest on their skin, you should be prepared with the right tools and knowledge to remove it. Learn what steps to take to remove a tick from your dog and how to prevent them from attracting ticks in the first place.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"ticks\" class=\"_AR_Articles__sectionAnchor\" name=\"Why Are Ticks Dangerous for My Dog? \"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Why Are Ticks Dangerous for My Dog?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s just an insect; what\u2019s the big deal? Ticks can transmit several diseases to your dog, so it\u2019s important to protect your furry best friend from these parasites. Lyme disease is perhaps the most well-known disease carried by ticks, but there are many tick-borne diseases and illnesses, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever<\/li>\n<li>Lyme\u00a0Disease<\/li>\n<li>Anaplasmosis<\/li>\n<li>Bartonellosis<\/li>\n<li>Babesiosis<\/li>\n<li>Tick Paralysis<\/li>\n<li>Ehrlichiosis (a bacterial infection)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a id=\"spot\" class=\"_AR_Articles__sectionAnchor\" name=\"How Do I Spot a Tick? \"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How Do I Spot a Tick?<\/h2>\n<p>Give your dog a good visual check every time they come in from outside. Ticks like to lurk in dark, closed spots, like the insides of ears, between the toes and footpads, in the armpits and under the tail. Check your pets all over just to be safe.\u00a0Be sure to take extra care with long-haired dogs and pups with thicker fur. It can be difficult to spot ticks on these pets, so it\u2019s a good idea to feel under their fur with your hands, especially in areas ticks tend to like the most.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"remove\" class=\"_AR_Articles__sectionAnchor\" name=\"How Do I Safely Remove a Tick From My Dog? \"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How Do I Safely Remove a Tick From My Dog?<\/h2>\n<p>If you do happen to find a tick on your dog, your immediate reaction may be to simply pull it off of them. However, if you twist it at all, this may cause the tick\u2019s mouth to break off in your pet\u2019s skin. Instead, grab a pair of tweezers and some rubbing alcohol. Tick removal is tricky but can be done if you know what to do ahead of time. Follow these steps to safely and effectively remove a tick from your dog:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Swab the little vampire with rubbing alcohol, which can annoy it into loosening its bite.<\/li>\n<li>Use tweezers or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chewy.com\/s?query=tick%20remover&amp;nav-submit-button=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tick removal tool<\/a> to grab the tick right at its head \u2014 not on its body \u2014 and steadily pull, without twisting. Do not try to burn the tick off (you\u2019re likely to burn your pet or yourself) or to smother it with petroleum jelly (this does not work).<\/li>\n<li>To kill the tick once it\u2019s removed, douse it in rubbing alcohol. Do not flush a live tick down the toilet; doing so may not kill it. And do not squash it with your fingers, because its insides can transmit disease. You may even place the tick inside a small container filled with rubbing alcohol for later identification as needed!<\/li>\n<li>Once you\u2019ve removed the parasite,\u00a0clean your dog\u2019s tick bite with alcohol and apply an antibiotic ointment. You might see a little swelling around the bite later on. This is because ticks have toxic saliva (as if they needed any more unpleasant features), but the swelling should go down fairly soon.<\/li>\n<li>Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Keep an eye on the area where the bite occurred and be on the lookout for any redness or rashes. If you\u2019re concerned about tick-borne diseases, take your pet to the vet for a\u00a0consultation.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"free\" class=\"_AR_Articles__sectionAnchor\" name=\"How Do I Keep My Dog Tick-Free? \"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How Do I Keep My Dog Tick-Free?<\/h2>\n<p>There are many ways to prevent ticks from finding their way to your dog\u2019s skin. Protect your furry best friend from these pesky pests with these easy tick prevention tips:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Remove anything from your home or yard that ticks might hide in, including old boxes, old newspapers and stored firewood.<\/li>\n<li>Keep the grass on your property cut short. (Ticks like tall grass.)<\/li>\n<li>Limit your pup\u2019s access \u2014 and your own \u2014 to potential tick hangouts, including heavily wooded areas, woodpiles, stone fences and underbrush.<\/li>\n<li>Check yourself and your dog for ticks before you come inside.<\/li>\n<li>Use a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.chewy.com\/b\/topical-treatments-382?nav-submit-button=&amp;ref-query=topical%20flea%20%26%20tick%20treatments%20for%20dogs&amp;ref=searchRedirect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">monthly topical treatment<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chewy.com\/b\/pills-chewables-1415?ref=searchRedirect&amp;ref-query=dog%20flea%20&amp;%20tick%20oral%20treatments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">oral treatments<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chewy.com\/seresto-flea-tick-collar-dogs-over-18\/dp\/365051\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flea\/tick collars<\/a> that will kill and prevent. Do not use dog flea-and-tick products on cats or vice versa. Not all products eliminate every species of tick \u2013 only some.<\/li>\n<li>Consider having your dog vaccinated against Lyme Disease and asking your vet about testing for tick-borne disease.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When it comes to ticks, prevention is key. Using preventatives and discussing proper vaccinations with your vet will only increase the time you have to spend with your pup without the added worries the little boogers bring along!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dogs are happiest running and playing outside, but without proper tick prevention, doing what they love best could potentially expose them to harmful tick-borne diseases.\u00a0Ticks are common parasites that can lurk in damp, grassy, bushy or wooded areas \u2014 even on sandy beaches. If a tick finds its way onto an animal \u2014 like your\u00a0dog\u00a0or&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/tick-protection-and-removal-keep-your-pup-safe-this-summer\/\">Read More <i class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[134,135,1102,1110,1112,1115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-blog","category-camping-with-your-dog","category-hiking-with-your-dog","category-pet-first-aid","category-walking-with-your-dog"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/93"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11226"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11229,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11226\/revisions\/11229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sitmeanssit.com\/dog-training-mu\/cleveland-akron-dog-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}