Dog Tick
Your pooch just came for his rub and landed on your lap. While you are giving him his usual rub, you feel a little bump on his skin, by his neck. Being the responsible parent you are, you decide to take a closer look. You noticed a small red scab, possibly caused by a dog tick.
A dog tick is one of dog owner’s worst nightmare. The most obvious sign of a dog having ticks is a constant scratching. Other less obvious signs include constant head shaking and some fever. If you happen to see one dog tick in your house, say on the furniture or bed, you should not take it as an isolated case. Your dog has ticks and you need to take action soon. Ticks are not good news for your pet. Not only do they cause constant itching but they pose a serious health threat to your pooch.
Life Cycle of a Dog Tick
A tick starts off as an egg, then it goes to larva, nymph, and finally, an adult. The adult female lures on your backyard, waiting to rub off on your dog. Ticks require a mammal to obtain blood to feed their eggs while they have not hatched. The female lays uninfected eggs. These eggs hatch into larvae which will feed on your dog until it becomes an adult.
Effects of the Dog Tick
As mentioned before, ticks pose a health risk to your dog. Diseases caused by a tick on your pet include:
- Lyme Disease in dogs
- Ehrlichiosis. Probably the most common one caused by a brown tick.
- Anaplasmosis
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Babesiosis
- Hepatozoonosis
How to Get Rid of Ticks
There are several ways of getting rid of ticks.
- Spot-on Medication: these medications that you can buy over the counter, at your veterinarian, or online, can keep ticks at bay for at least a month.
- Oral Medication: in the form of pills, dogs are given these every month or every three months.
- Shampoos and soaps: ingredients in dog shampoos and soaps will help get rid of the tick. You will need to repeat the process every two weeks.
- Tick Collars: these usually protect your dog for up to six months by creating a protective barrier that repels ticks.
In Dogalize, we want you to take proper care of your four-legged friend. This is why we have a large number of resources for you to check out. Visit us to find out more.