Ticks and Your Dog

When a tick picks out your pet for its next meal, you might feel little more than irritated that you
now have to pull it off your dog’s coat. But these tiny parasites pose a much greater threat than a
simple aesthetic nuisance.

Ticks are members of the Acarina order and, along with mites, are in a class all of their own. In the
United States there are two families of ticks that can prey on your dog. These two families are the
Ixodidae (hard tick) and the Argasidae (soft tick). Both can carry serious diseases which can affect
both animals and people.

The most common disease carried by ticks is Lyme disease. Tick’s transfer this disease when they feed
on infected deer or other wild animals and then choose to feed on a pet or human. If you are not convinced
that it is worth spending money on effective tick control for your pet, remember that you are not only
protecting your animal, you are protecting your family and yourself.

Tick Removal

If your dog has ticks, your first step should be heading to your local vet or pet store to buy tick
protection. Frontline and Advantage are two reliable brands that can treat both ticks and fleas on your
dog. If there is an infestation of ticks on your dog, buy a recommended brand of flea and tick shampoo
to kill the ticks already on board.

To learn more about controlling ticks on your dogs and providing it with the care it needs,
contact your Austin Vet Clinic today.