Mary Allen
Every dog owner knows it: With spring comes not only the crocuses but also the annoying bloodsuckers – the ticks.
But how dangerous are they really? And what can you do against the little beasts to protect your dog?
In this article, you will learn how to remove a tick from your dog, how to protect it, and why a new species of tick is the terror of all dog owners.
In a nutshell: are ticks really that dangerous for your dog?
If you discover a tick on your dog, you need to act quickly. They can be dangerous disease vectors.
Of course, a tick doesn’t mean an instant death sentence for your dog. However, you should remove them correctly as soon as possible.
Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, which is dangerous for dogs.
Infected ticks can also infect your dog with deadly babesiosis. Contrary to popular belief, babesiosis is no longer a Mediterranean disease but has recently found its way here.
What to do if you spot a tick?
Ticks can now be found almost everywhere. Whether in the forest, city park, or in your own garden.
Therefore, you should know the most important tips to protect your dog from ticks:
- Avoid tick hotspots
- Pay attention to a complete, consistent tick treatment
- Check your dog for ticks after every walk
Tick removal
If you discover a tick on your dog, you should remove it as soon as possible.
Ticks transmit pathogens by sucking. The sooner you stop this, the fewer pathogens will be transmitted to your dog.
How to remove a tick correctly
Step 1: Grab the tick just above the skin with fine tweezers
Step 2: Slowly and steadily pull the tick straight out
If the tick’s head gets stuck, you can try to “scrape it off” with a credit card.
If this doesn’t work, mild inflammation will develop and the head will be shed.
It is advisable to have a tick card or tick tweezers in the household. This tool greatly simplifies tick removal.
What diseases do ticks transmit?
The most dangerous diseases for your dog, which are transmitted by ticks, are:
- Lyme disease
- anaplasmosis
- babesiosis
- Ehrlichiosis
- TBE (early summer – meningocephalitis)
Babesiosis – the underestimated danger
For a long time, babesiosis was only present in the Mediterranean region. Therefore, it was also one of the so-called middle vein diseases.
What many dog owners don’t know: The carrier of this disease, the Auwald tick, has now arrived in Germany!
An undetected Babesia infection is fatal for most dogs.
The Auwald tick differs from our ticks in appearance. She is not brown or black as usual, but has colored markings on her body.
Babesia reproduce in red blood cells. Since these are also destroyed by the Babesia, the dog suffers a shock without treatment.
If further complications arise, the dog dies.
My tip: protect not only your dog, but also yourself
I know it from me: People often think more about their own dog than themselves. Nevertheless, good protection against ticks is IMPORTANT FOR YOU, as it is for your dog!
This is how you protect your dog from ticks
There is now a wide range of effective tick protection.
IMPORTANT: Make sure that you use the protection without gaps!
Start protecting before the season. Ticks are not only active from spring, but almost all year round.
If you live in a so-called tick hotspot, consult your veterinarian. He can recommend a range of good and effective remedies to you.
The following 3 products best protect your dog from tick bites:
- spot on
- tick collar
- chewable tablets
If your dog is acting strangely a few weeks after a tick bite, is lame when walking, or has a fever, an urgent visit to the vet is advisable.
Conclusion
Tick bites are mostly unavoidable. With a thorough check after the walk and good, consistent protection against ticks, serious diseases can be avoided very well.
Unfortunately, there are many dogs who do not like tick removal at all and cannot stand still.