Ticks
If you have a dog, cat, or other domestic animals, chances are, it has caused you to wonder about the threat of ticks on your animal, as they can cause various issues with your pet, and once they are brought in contact with humans, can even feed on them and cause many issues, as well.
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What Are Ticks?
Ticks are parasitic creatures that thrive mostly on the outside of animals. These 3 to 5mm long arachnids are mainly reddish-brown in color with either a hard-shelled or soft-shelled teardrop-shaped body, depending on their species, and eight legs that remain out of sight when they are immobile. They also have sharp, pointy mouths, similar to a bird's beak, located either on the front or the underside of their bodies, depending on the species, which they use to pierce and then extract blood from their prey.
Ticks are usually found outside, especially in warm, high moisture climates because they require a certain level of humidity to thrive. They also do not jump, fly, or ride the wind's currents to access a host. Instead, they rest on nearby foliage, the height of the foliage equivalent to the size and height of the chosen host, with their free legs extended, which enables them to clench onto the passing host that they track by sensing their exhaled gasses, such as carbon dioxide, which can remain in well-traveled areas for days. |
Once, on the host, they produce an adhesive-type substance that helps them remain attached, after which time, they will painfully insert their mouthparts into the host's skin and then quickly fill their abdomens until their body swells.
The tick may remain on the host for several days to several weeks, depending on the species, as well as their stage of development, or it may drop off the host where it will remain in your home until it is ready to feed again.
The tick may remain on the host for several days to several weeks, depending on the species, as well as their stage of development, or it may drop off the host where it will remain in your home until it is ready to feed again.
What Risks Do Ticks Pose?
The main threat that ticks pose to both pets and humans is they are known to carry infectious diseases, such as Lyme disease, which in pets can cause inflammation and arthritis in their joints, which can render them unable to walk, and flu-like symptoms, weakness in the arms and legs, and joint pain in humans that are bitten by the tick.
The spot where the tick has attached can also have irritation and itchiness, which can cause both you and your pet to scratch, creating open skin for germs to get into and cause an infection.
If left untreated, ticks can ingest so much of your pet's blood that it can cause the to develop anemia. Toxins are also made by some female ticks that have been shown to cause muscle weakness and paralysis in dogs.
The spot where the tick has attached can also have irritation and itchiness, which can cause both you and your pet to scratch, creating open skin for germs to get into and cause an infection.
If left untreated, ticks can ingest so much of your pet's blood that it can cause the to develop anemia. Toxins are also made by some female ticks that have been shown to cause muscle weakness and paralysis in dogs.
How to Treat Ticks
Since ticks originate outdoors, mostly in areas where the lawn meets untamed woodlands, one way to help prevent ticks on your pet and in your home is to keep your pet away from unlandscaped greenery.
You should also be sure to remove any leaf debris and weeds from your yard, as ticks like to use the shaded, moist greenery to deposit their eggs in the spring, so the hatch-lings can easily make their way to well-traveled areas once they emerge.
Having your yard treated by a professional pest control service can also help create a barrier around your property to help deter ticks from attaching to your pet. They can also treat the inside of your property for any existing ticks, which can survive in your home for up to 18 weeks or more without eating and become a reoccurring problem.
It is also important to have your pet treated by a veterinarian regularly for ticks, which will help prevent ticks from attaching to your pet, as well as also alert the veterinarian to any early signs of disease and other conditions already caused by ticks.
You should also be sure to remove any leaf debris and weeds from your yard, as ticks like to use the shaded, moist greenery to deposit their eggs in the spring, so the hatch-lings can easily make their way to well-traveled areas once they emerge.
Having your yard treated by a professional pest control service can also help create a barrier around your property to help deter ticks from attaching to your pet. They can also treat the inside of your property for any existing ticks, which can survive in your home for up to 18 weeks or more without eating and become a reoccurring problem.
It is also important to have your pet treated by a veterinarian regularly for ticks, which will help prevent ticks from attaching to your pet, as well as also alert the veterinarian to any early signs of disease and other conditions already caused by ticks.
