Ticks On Your Dog: What to Do?

Once though of as a mere harmless but annoying pest, ticks are of growing concern for their Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease-carrying ability. Learn the facts, and keep your dog tick and disease-free.

Ticks are a despicable lot of parasitic bloodsuckers. They bide their time in wooded areas, stay close to ground level and wait for an unsuspecting mammal to shuffle on by so they can descend upon him and sink those nasty little teeth in for a long meal of blood, blood and more blood. Once a tick has embedded itself into your dog, it will hang on indefinitely, taking in copious amounts of blood until it is bloated and gorged. If you find a corn kernel-like object hanging from your dog's ear or elsewhere on his body that turns out to have legs, it's probably a tick that's been feasting for hours. Remove it immediately, check your dog thoroughly for more ticks, and then call your veterinarian for further direction and advice.

Check Your Dog Regularly for Ticks

If you live in or near a wooded area, perform a routine tick check on your dog. As a good dog owner who's been looking out for your dog's best interests and ensuring him a happy life, you should already be familiar with the "chassis inspection." If not, now is as good a time as any to get familiar with it. Have your dog sit down in front of you and run your hands all over his body. Check his ears and the undersides of his paws. Don't forget those out of sight areas like his belly and the place where his leg bends into his body. He won't like these intrusions at first, but if you're gentle and speak to him softly in that special voice reserved only for him, your dog will eventually grow to tolerate the tick inspection and may even enjoy it.

Tick Removal

If the tick is well-embedded into your dog's flesh, use a tweezer to grip it firmly, as close to the skin as possible. You want to remove the entire tick without leaving the embedded head behind (I know- disgusting, but necessary). If you take some skin along with the tick, that's okay- it's more important to get the head out than than fret over a little lost skin. If you find that the head has remained imbedded and you can't remove it, keep a close eye on the area. Your dog's immune system will likely create a small site of infection around the head as a way to dislodge it. That's perfectly normal; it's just his body doing its thing to ward off disease.

Once the tick is out, save it in a jar and send it off to school with your little ones for show and tell. Just kidding about the show and tell.... but you really should hold the tick captive in a jar if you can. You'll have it as a specimen to show your vet "just in case" your dog starts exhibiting signs of Lyme disease.

Complications of a Tick Bite

Ticks pose the threat of disease - not just mild illness, but serious, debilitating diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (prevalent in the western United States), Lyme Disease (prevalent in the Northeastern US), and other less commonly known bacteria-bourne illnesses that can lead to serious complications including paralysis and death.

You can choose not practice tick prevention, thereby engaging your dog in a little "Russian Roulette" each time a tick bites... or you can do the smart thing, which is keep him tick-free and consequently, disease-free.

Tick Control

Many of the same products that afford protection against fleas also repel ticks, particularly the "spot on" applications such as Frontline®, that can be applied to the skin between your dog's shoulder blades once a month for maximum protection. Ticks can also be controlled with the traditional flea prevention methods such as dipping, bathing, spraying and powdering.

Talk to your vet about which tick repellant is right for you, as he has access to your dog's medical history and can offer advice based on prior health records.

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Dina Giolitto is a copywriting consultant and ghostwriter with 10 years of experience writing corporate print materials and web content. Trust her with your next e-book, article series or web project, and make a lasting impression on your audience of information-hungry prospects. Visit http://www.wordfeeder.com for more information.

---

Training Your Dog To Jump The Rope Trick: Simple and Fun Dog Trick

To teach a dog to jump, with your right hand... Read More

Dog Jewelry: A Celebration of Mans Best Friend

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil... Read More

How to Feed and Care for Orphaned Kittens

Over the last 15 years, I have raised nine orphaned... Read More

Why The Horses Eyes Are So Important When Training Him!

They say the eyes are are the gateway to the... Read More

Picking Up A Horses Hoof

The idea of picking up a horse's hooves can intimidate... Read More

Determining Skin Disorders In The Aquarium

Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully,... Read More

The Geriatric (Older) Dog

Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according... Read More

Doggy Dental Care: Teeth Cleaning 101

Your dog's dental health is so important for his total... Read More

West Highland White Terrier - Picking the Right Breeder

Do you want a Westie as a pet? What are... Read More

Seeing Past Cuteness When Selecting the Best Dog Breed For You: Part 3 of 3

Are there so many great dog breeds out there that... Read More

Thinking of Getting a Lhasa Apso Dog?

One of the cutest looking dogs around is the Lhasa... Read More

Cushings Disease

As our horses enjoy a longer life and many live... Read More

Vaccinating Our Pets

I'd like to talk to you about pet vaccinations. I... Read More

Scottish Terrier Dogs - Important Facts

Scottish Terriers are short-legged dogs, at a height of ten... Read More

Treat Fleas Naturally and Avoid Vaccinations, for a Truly Healthy Dog

An essential to your dog's health is his/her regular annual... Read More

Personal Pet Check-Ups

For all pet owners, regular monitoring and "examinations" of your... Read More

Chicken Compared To Chicken Meal

When selecting the best dry food for your dog, why... Read More

What Your Cat Wants You To Know

If your feline friend could speak your language, here a... Read More

Indoor Dogfishing ? Fun Way To Exercise A Small Or Medium Size Dog

When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small... Read More

Starting a Home-Based Pet Related Business

If you're contemplating the idea of starting a home-based business... Read More

Hamsters and their quest for world domination

"Hamsters?!" I hear you say. "Who cares about some fury... Read More

Toby ? My Whirling Twirling Sheltie

Five years ago this August a funny little puppy came... Read More

Spaying or Nuetering Your Dog-Get The Facts... Be Responsible

Bringing a new puppy or dog home is a huge... Read More

Dog Training Collars -- Proper Selection Leads To Training Success

The proper selection of a training collar can have a... Read More

Does Your Dog Have Allergies?

Many people don't realize that their dogs, just like human... Read More

How to Start a Pet-Sitting Business

Everyday someone asks me, "How do you start a pet-sitting... Read More

Ten Most Popular Goldfish

You can't imagine the kind of varieties of Goldfish there... Read More

Protecting Your Child from a Dog Bite

Dogs make great loyal pets and are always pleased to... Read More

Christmas Gifts For Cat Lovers

The act of offering Christmas gifts is always enhanced if... Read More

Apistogramma , Dwarf Cichlids in the Aquarium

The real apistogramma's come from southern America, they all have... Read More

The Demand for Luxury Dog Beds

A pet can be as important a member of the... Read More

Biting & Nipping Behavior Can Kill Your Dog!

Dog bite injuries are alarmingly the most common condition that... Read More

How To Get Your Horse From Pulling Back While Tied

Some people have horses they don't dare tie. Why? Because... Read More