Vet Blog

Ahhh… nature.  A walk in the woods, a nap in the tall grass, these activities certainly make pets happy, but they may also return with a few unwanted hitchhikers. Dogs and to a lesser extent, cats that spend time in the great outdoors are at risk for picking up ticks. These parasites not only have a strong “ick” factor, but also can transmit potentially deadly diseases (e.g. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis) and make pets itchy and uncomfortable.

If finding a tick on your pet is a one-time occurrence, you can remove the parasite yourself. Grasp the tick’s head with a pair of tweezers as close as possible to where it is attached to the skin. Pull slowly and firmly to remove the entire tick, including the imbedded mouthparts, and immediately flush the tick down the toilet. Wash your hands and the tweezers thoroughly when you are done. Immature ticks and the adults of certain species can be quite small so make sure you carefully check over your pet’s entire body before declaring it “tick-free.”

When ticks are a recurring problem or if you are travelling to an infested area, tick prevention is the way to go. A single application of Frontline® or K9 Advantix® can kill the parasites for up to a month, while a Preventic collar® may remain effective for even longer. Of these three products, only Frontline® is safe for use on cats.

Post by:
Jennifer Coates, DVM graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado and is the author of several short stories and books, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms, Vet-Speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian. Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and a menagerie of pets.