Has your dog ever had a tick before? This is something that is common from spring to Autumn in the UK. This is referred to as tick season and you will find these small bugs like to crawl onto your pet. You have to be really careful and check your dog for ticks. Not only are they creepy crawly, but they can actually carry disease. This includes Lyme disease, which can be dangerous for your furry friend. Here are some tips on how to stop ticks from becoming a problem for your dog.
Consider a Tick Treatment
If you know that ticks are a problem where you live, perhaps it is time to consider a tick treatment. There are a lot of products that are recommended for your pooch on a regular basis, such as joint supplements, wormer treatments and probiotics. So, you should consider adding tick treatment to the list. This can be available in many forms. For instance, you can choose a spot-on treatment that you put on your dog, a tablet to put into food or a collar that your dog wears when out on walks. You can decide the one you prefer to prevent ticks from becoming a problem for your pooch.
Examine Your Dog
When you have been out for a walk with your furry friend, you want to examine them when they get home. In other words, you want to ensure that they do not have any ticks attached to them. If you are able to catch them early, they may only be crawling over your dog and you can get them off. To check your canine, start on the legs and paws. Then you want to check their groin and belly. In particular, ticks like to get around the head, back and ears. So, make sure that you are thorough.
Avoid High Grass
If your dog loves to roam off leash, you will find they love to get into high grass and explore. But, this is something that you want to avoid during the warmer months of the year. You will find that a lot of ticks will be around here, especially if deer graze in the area. Unfortunately, you will not see ticks until they are attached to your dog. So, the best thing you can do is stick to trails and pathways, keeping your canine out of high grass and vegetation. This is not to say that you will not find ticks in short grass. But, it is less likely and the most important thing you want to do is minimise risk.
Get a Tick Hook
Imagine that you come back from a walk and there is a tick on your dog. Before you panic, if you have the right tools, you might be able to quickly get the tick out. We are talking about using a tick hook. This is a simple and small plastic hook that is like a pair of tweezers. It can allow you to grab the tick. They only cost a few pounds and they might be able to save you a trip to the vet. But, if you use a tick hook and you do not think you have removed all of it, make sure to get an appointment to avoid your canine getting sick. For example, you may have managed to get the body but the head can still be attached. Your vet is going to be able to deal with this. So, make an appointment straight away so that you can avoid your dog getting Lyme disease.
Take Care of Your Garden
A lot of people are surprised to hear that dogs not only get ticks when they are out on walks. They can actually get it from their own back garden too. That is why, during the warmer months of the year, you have to make sure that you take care of your garden. In other words, clean up on a regular basis. If you have grass, ensure that you cut it back regularly so that it does not become long. This means that ticks are not going to hide in it. In addition, make sure that you trim plants back and remove any organic matter lying around. Again, ticks like to roam around these areas. So, if you do not have them lying around the garden, it is going to be less likely that your pooch will get a tick.
