Ticking the Ticks Away This Summer
By: Grace Herbert
Tick season is upon us once again. The Chicago Tribune reports that tick activity is growing, especially since spring has settled and summer is here. Specifically, the black-legged tick and American dog tick are common in the state. These feed on your dog’s blood and transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis. These can cause your dog to have kidney complications, anemia, and swollen limbs.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent your dog from getting ticks. Let’s take a look at a few of them below.
Acquire tick repellents
Today’s pet care market offers several tick prevention options for dog owners. Animal Wellness Magazine recommends natural tick repellents like turmeric oil, geranium oil, and lemon eucalyptus oil. These are sprayed on your dog’s coat before going outdoors and will need reapplication after a few hours. Natural oils are perfect for dogs that are sensitive to artificial chemicals. There are also tick collars that continuously release repellent chemicals. If your dog already has ticks, tablets and spot-on treatments are some options to consider.
Visit your local pet store to get tick repellents for your dog, especially during this spring and summer season. Regularly apply these treatments to your dog, specifically if they spend a lot of time outdoors.
Be mindful of your walking trails
Ticks have a number of outdoor habitats that might be included in your dog’s walking trails or playing areas. DuPage Forest’s tick protection article notes the American dog tick is often found on trail edges, grassy fields, and woodland borders. Meanwhile, black-legged ticks are always on woodland grounds, especially in spring. Aside from walking trails, ticks also make homes out of bushes, hedges, fallen branches, and leaf piles.
To keep your dog from getting ticks, consider taking them to the beach for a fun outdoor activity. Keep your home and yard neat, too, so ticks won’t have any chance to live or reproduce in your living area. Lastly, be vigilant when visiting other residential gardens, dog parks, and town parks for the time being. These places are not immune to ticks.
Regularly perform tick checks
Accomplishing tick checks lets you spot them very early on, allowing your dog to get the treatment they need. Ticks mostly target the face and neck, so make sure to check these areas first. Take a look under your dog’s collar, under or inside their ears, and around their eye and mouth areas. To add, check the area between their toes and under their paws.
Tick bites are difficult to find after they’ve fallen off your dog, so it’s better to spot them while they’re still under their fur. Daily tick checks increase your chances of finding ticks while they’re on your dog, thus set aside a few minutes each day for this procedure.
When to visit a veterinarian
In the event that you do spot ticks, it’s best to schedule a vet visit immediately. Vets are able to safely remove these ticks from your dog and check them for certain diseases, such as those we’ve mentioned earlier. Lyme disease is one of these, which can result in your dog’s kidney failure, cardiac damage, and neurological issues like seizures. This can be fatal if left untreated.
Thankfully, Sound Dollar outlines how pet insurance usually covers medication for ticks under wellness coverage plans. However, keep in mind that this has a limit, so it’s best to consult your insurer for more information. Without insurance, consultation and treatment are very expensive. Vet visits regarding ticks can cost $200-300 yearly while medication can go up to $50 for a three-month supply.
This summer, keep your dog safe by letting them stay cool as we’ve said in our post Hot Town Summer in the City. But more importantly: have an eye out for ticks with our tips, as these pests can seriously harm your dog’s health.