While it’s always important to protect yourself from ticks, we can’t forget about our furry friends! Ticks are VERY small, therefore they can be easy to miss and are sometimes latched on for days before we come across them. Both cats and dogs can be infected with Lyme disease and cats are especially vulnerable to tularemia, haemo-bartonellosis, and babesiosis. Dogs, similar to people, can contract Rocky Mountain spotted fever, hepatozoonosis, which is contracted by eating an infected tick.
How to Check Your Pet for Ticks
When performing a tick check, always inspect your pet’s head, neck, feet, in between toes, armpits, and ears very closely. When walking your pets, stay away from forests, wooded areas, leaf litter, and tall grasses. Always groom your pets carefully and remember to check yourself after you check your pets. Ticks can climb onto you very easily when looking for a meal. Remember to spray monthly between the months of April and November to help limit the amount of ticks on your property.
Another way to reduce risk for your pets is to consider installing an invisible fence, which limits the area a dog can roam, but defines where we can spray thoroughly. Spraying alone will not keep ticks off your pets, ask your vet a tick control product such as Frontline or Advantix.
If you do find a tick on your pet, grab a pair of tweezers, and remove the tick carefully by pulling on its head. Lastly, after four to six weeks, take your pet for a screening and remember to always keep an eye out for symptoms.
If you have any questions about how to keep ticks off your pets or want to schedule a yard spray to help prevent ticks from latching onto you and your family, call East End Tick Control® today at (631) 287-9700.
Protecting Your Pets from Ticks in NY
Serving Southold
