Son of a tick
/The weather is warming up, the ground is thawing, and spring is here! As much as most of us have waited all winter for this, it also means tick season is coming.
So why do we care? Well, unfortunately, ticks can carry nasty diseases like Lyme disease, or cause tick bite paralysis, among other things. Lyme disease affects both animals and humans (but is not transferable from an animal to a human, it can only be contracted from the tick itself).
There are two common types of ticks that carry Lyme disease in North America – the western blacklegged tick, and the blacklegged tic (deer tick).
The good news is based on current evidence collected by the government of Alberta, they have listed the risk of Lyme-spreading ticks as low, but there are other diseases that can be transferred by ticks. It’s always good to be on the lookout, especially if you travel with your dog, camp in wooded areas, or frequently take your dog hiking.
So what are you looking for?
Well, ticks are small, spider-like creatures. The most common ones looks like this:
Ticks will cling to you and your pet, and it’s easy to overlook them. Thorough checks of both you and your furry friend when leaving a potentially infested area can minimize the risk of these little hitchhikers coming home with you. (Trust me, you don’t want to see one of these crawling around your house.)
This however, is easier said than done, especially depending on your dog (fur thickness/colour, for example). While you may not find any ticks when you check your pooch, there are a few signs/symptoms your dog may have a clinger.
1. If you feel a small bump when petting your pup, DON’T ignore it. Part their fur and check it out. If you find a tick, don’t panic. Tips for removal are just below.
2. If your pooch is shaking their head a lot, that could be a sign of a tick in their ear canal. The ideal environment for a tick is a warm, damp place. This means a dog’s ears and their ‘underarms’ are both favourite spots for ticks.
3. Scabbing is also a sign your pup may have a tick. Ticks lodged in your dogs skin are irritating for them, so they tend to do what we all do with bug bites – scratch at the area (and in your dog’s case, bite at it as well). This can cause tearing, and produce scabs. Closer examination can help determine if your dog has a tick bite.
4. Finding a tick in your home is a skin-crawling experience. Been there, done that. Unfortunately, seeing one can mean there are several more you don’t see. Check yourself and your dog thoroughly if this happens, and then make like Sherlock Holmes and inspect your house top to bottom.
Now, how do you get rid of the pesky blood-suckers.
The important thing to remember when removing a tick is you need to get the whole thing out. Ticks will latch onto the surface of the skin, make a cut, inserts their feeding tube, and hold on. Some ticks can even secrete a substance similar to cement to help it stay in place. This makes removal a challenge, however it is doable.
First off, DON’T use your fingers. Not only are they going to be unable to grip the tiny body of the tick, you also risk exposure to any disease they might be carrying. Even if the tick is on you, resist the urge to get it off as fast as possible, because in the long run it will make it worse if you try and use your fingers.
Get a pair of tweezers, or a tick remover tool (available in some stores, and online). Place the end firmly against the skin outside of the tick. The key is to try and get a hold of the head/mouth of the tick, since that’s the part adhering to the skin. Once you’ve got the tick gently in your grasp (you don’t want to squeeze the tick as you may pull it apart and make removal more difficult), pull STRAIGHT UP. This is important. Don’t twist or jerk, as you’ll risk ripping the tick. You want to make sure you get the whole thing out.
Inspect the removal site closely to make sure the entire tick has been removed. Then you can clean the area with soap/antiseptic. Washing your hands is recommended.
DO NOT – apply matches, cigarettes, or petroleum jelly to the tick. These will not help remove the tick, despite what you may have been told.
KEEP THE TICK. Place it in a clean, empty container. Don’t put air holes in the container, but you can put a small damp tissue in the container to prevent the tick from drying out.
If you pulled the tick out of your dog, bring it to your vet for inspection. If it came out of you or another person, bring the tick to an Alberta Health Services Environmental Health Office (call first to make an appointment to drop it off). Submitting the tick for testing helps keep everyone up to date on the state of tick infestation, as well as aware of any potential outbreaks.
Your vet can help prevent your dog from tick bites and the various diseases they can transmit with oral or non-systemic treatments (topical). Talk to your vet to discuss your options.
For yourself or other people, stick to the trails as much as possible. Light-coloured clothing will help you see the ticks, hopefully before they find any skin to feed on. Covering up as much as possible will also help, as well as limiting any access points the ticks may have to get to your skin. A hat, long sleeved shirts, and long pants tucked into socks or boots will help prevent skin exposure.
Ticks are pests, but are avoidable. Keep yourself and your pets safe this season by keeping informed, and being aware.