Austin Vet

Preventing Cats and Dogs from Getting Ticks

Ticks are a major problem for many cat and dog owners and they may be able to be avoided by taking proper precautions. Pets that are especially vulnerable to ticks are those that play outdoors. Ticks latch on very easily to pets and they can come from many different outdoor sources. Woods, parks, and even your own back yard can be a place where ticks can latch onto your pet. Some ticks hide in places where they are not seen easily, and some live in plain sight, such as fences, trees, and tall grass. Ticks can attach to any pet that comes near them, so it is important to know how to check your pets for ticks and what to do if you locate one.

Where Ticks are Found

Ticks are usually found in woody areas that have a lot of brush and tall grass. The best way to prevent fleas is to limit your pet's play-space to your own yard, and treat your yard regularly for ticks. With the use of pesticide, ticks can be exterminated from your yard. However, it isn't possible to control the prevalence of ticks in public areas such as parks or friends' yards, so you should check for ticks on your pets after visiting such places.

Treating Your Home for Ticks

Another way to prevent ticks is by treating your home for them. All carpet and furniture, as well as all rooms should be treated for ticks. Ticks can hide in baseboards and even climb walls, so you can't treat your home too thoroughly. Closets, the garage, storage areas, and everywhere else you can think of should be treated for ticks. Don't underestimate the tick.

Tick Preventatives

In addition to treated specific areas for ticks, it is possible to provide your pet with a tick preventative that will kill ticks that attach to your pet's skin. These tick preventatives work by poisoning ticks; they do not, however poison your pets. There are different types of tick preventatives that you can offer your pet, including collars. Check with your Austin Vet to find out what options you have available. Your Austin Vet will also likely be able to provide you with the tick preventative. When a tick is found on your pet, it has to be removed or it will grow larger as it sucks your pet's blood. This sounds harsh but it is the truth. Ticks live on blood and they seem to have an unquenchable appetite.

First, pull your pet's hair away from the tick so that you have better access to it. Some pet owners choose to remove ticks with their bare hands, but using tweezers is best. When grabbing the tick, try to grab it as close to its head as possible. Then DO NOT squeeze the tweezers, but rather pull up on the tick, which should remove it from your pet. It is best to do this process slowly so that you do not break off the head of the tick. The head can stay in your pet's skin for an indefinite amount of time if it is broken off from its body. Once the tick is removed, flush it down your toilet so it is forever gone.

If you are unsure of your ability to remove a tick or if your pet has many ticks, take your pet to your Austin Vet for professional treatment.