If You Find Ticks on Your Dog Here’s What you Do
It’s still summertime and the weather is gorgeous. The sun is shining. The pool is refreshing. But it’s also a time when your pooch is going to love roaming around your yard and most likely a whole bunch of different places. And unfortunately that could mean something negative: ticks. So what can you do as a dog owner to prevent ticks but also if your dog does get a tick, remove them?
1. Always perform tick checks – Most people go for walks in the park and don’t think twice about checking their dog for ticks afterwards. Make this a habit. Always groom your dog after you take him for a walk. One of the dangerous things about ticks is that they usually become burrowed pretty deep in the skin and if they haven’t latched on yet, they can get to you or your children.
2. Getting rid of a tick – Make sure you have the proper tools to get rid of a tick. Don’t just rush into it. A pointy tweezer will do. Same thing you’d use to remove a splinter. According to Dogster:
Disinfect the area with rubbing alcohol.
Grab the tick’s “head” as close to the skin as possible.
Once you’ve grabbed the tick, you should use a slow, steady motion to pull upwards to remove the tick.
Disinfect the area again.
3. Do your research and see a vet if concerned – The types of tick bites your dog gets are extremely important in terms of figuring out what can happen healthwise to your pet. Be sure to consult a vet if your dog is bitten by a tick. They will be able to test your dog to determine what type if any disease your dog could have contracted.
*You can also help others in tick prevention by posting picture to Tick Spotter.
