Ticks. No one likes them. And no one wants to find one embedded in their skin or in their dog. Unfortunately, ticks are everywhere, so it’s important to know how to keep you and your dog tick-free when enjoying the outdoors. 

 

Tick season in Pennsylvania is from spring to May and Mid-August to November. As long as the air temp is above 45 degrees and the ground is dry and free of ice, ticks can be active. It’s extremely difficult for weather patterns to kill off ticks. Ticks can survive freezing cold and snow buried deep in piles of warm leaves. They can go 6 months or more without feeding and actually only eat a few times in their life. 

 

Where Do Ticks Hang Out?

 

Ticks are most often found in dense areas of vegetation, tall grasses, and shrubs and bushes. Ticks don’t jump or fly. They lie in wait for their feast to walk by, then crawl onto their victim and attach themselves.  

 

Why Be Concerned About Ticks? 

 

Ticks feed on the blood of humans and animals by burying their mouthparts into the skin and latching on to feed. This can cause discomfort to you and your dog and could potentially lead to the transmission of tick-borne diseases. 

 

A few symptoms that might alert you that your dog has been bitten by a tick can include: 

 

• Increased scratching of skin, eyes, and/or ears. 
• Red skin, especially at the area of the bite
• Itchy ears or ear infections
• Sneezing
• Vomiting/Diarrhea
• Chewing at paws
• Swollen paws
• Constant licking 

 

Lyme disease is a common bacterial illness transmitted by ticks. 

 

Lyme disease is often transmitted to a dog when a tick has been attached to the skin for 24-48 hours. This is why it is crucial to check your dog for ticks as soon as you come in from being in a high tick area. This disease can have lasting long-term effects. Symptoms of Lyme disease includes: 

 

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Reduced energy
• Lameness
• Generalized stiffness/discomfort of the joints 
• Swelling of the joints
• Can progress to kidney and neurological problems if not addressed. 

 

Preventing Your Dog From Tick Bites

 

1. Use a flea and tick prevention recommended by your vet.

There are many oral and topical medications that you can use to help keep your dog tick-free. However, some dogs are sensitive to the meds and can get sick or have skin irritation issues with prolonged use or cheap substitutes. Essentially these medications are pesticides, so it is good to listen to your vet’s recommendations and your own preferences on this matter. 

 

Many natural repellents such as topical sprays made with Listerine and water or peppermint essential oils and water can reduce the risk of tick bites.

 

1.  Check your dog for ticks (Check your dogs daily if they have been in grassy or wooded areas)

 

• Give them a quick look over and feel before you go inside to reduce your risk of bringing those buggers into the house. 
• Comb through their fur with your fingers feeling for small bumps on the skin
• You can also use a fine-tooth comb to help identify the presence of ticks. 
• If you find a bump, part your dog’s fur so that you can see down to the skin. You’re looking for a black, brown, or gray-looking bump that will have legs. 
• Here is a resource from the CDC on the most common areas a tick will embed itself in a dog. 

 

1. Remove any ticks you see ASAP.

 

• Use tweezers with a fine point tip to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
• Pull straight upward slowly to prevent the body from separating from the mouth
• You want to ensure you get the entire tick out. Don’t leave parts embedded
• A tick key is also a useful tool to have to remove a tick
• If you are unsure how to remove it, you can also consult your removal.

 

1. Keep your grass cut short and avoid wooded or high grass areas.

 

1. Ask your vet about vaccinating your dog for Lyme Disease.

 

You can visit the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania’s website for more information about tick prevention, identifying a tick, or testing a tick for disease.