All About Ticks
Ticks are a common parasite of both dogs and people. Tick species are found worldwide and may infest dogs in very large numbers, especially during certain times of the year. Ticks as well as fleas and mosquitoes act as vectors of disease. Three stages of the tick (larvae, nymph and adult) parasitize animals and humans. When a tick feeds, it cuts an opening in the skin of the host with the teeth on its chelicera and then pushes its hypostome (feeding tube) into the hole. At the same time, the tick secretes a “cement-like” substance in and around the opening. The barbs on the hypostome and the cement anchor the tick to the skin. While feeding, ticks inject saliva-containing anticoagulant into the blood. The saliva may also contain disease organisms. Ticks may carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, several types of ehrlichiosis, Babesia, and other potentially deadly diseases. Prevalence of these diseases may be quite high in certain regions, making tick control a definite medical concern for veterinarians and dog owners.
Tick-borne Diseases: Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, tularemia
Risk for biting ticks is increased if:
- Tick-borne diseases have been diagnosed in your region.
- You take your dog camping, hiking or hunting where ticks are found.
- You have removed a tick from your dog in the last few months.
- Your dog is exposed to wildlife that are tick hosts (deer, rodents, raccoons, etc.).
- Your yard has dense shrubs, tall grass or leaf litter – common tick habitats.
- You take your dog to wooded areas or grassy meadows.