The Terror Of Ticks

Ticks are blood sucking ectoparasites which are a member of the arachnid family and can pose a risk to your pet all year round but are particularly active during the warmer months between April-September. 

Ticks are commonly found within habitats with long grass and woodland but are often found in gardens with a high prevalence of wildlife such as hedgehogs and foxes. 

Presentation

Prior to feeding, ticks resemble small black spiders which crawl over your pet looking for a place to attach. Once attached, they feed on blood and their engorged abdomens can be distinguished via their grey/blue colour and can be easier to spot. 

Common sites of attachment include face, neck, ears, between toes and abdomen (often underneath). They can feed on a host for several hours to days with the length of attachment increasing the risk of transmissible diseases such as Lyme's disease. 

Signs of disease

Some signs of a tick-borne disease are weakness, lethargy, lameness, anaemia, joint swelling and loss of appetite so always get your pet checked by your vet if you have any concerns. 

What to do at home

  • Thoroughly check your pet all over for signs of ticks following walks or exercise
  • Keep grass short to reduce tick presence in gardens
  • Be mindful to select walks which may have less ticks (beach, pavement walks) if your dog is prone to tick bites.
  • Keep your pet up to date with their tick prevention treatments (please ask one of our team for further information on the best protection for your pet).

If you find a tick…..

  • Use a specialist tick remover tool and follow instructions on safe removal (avoid tweezers). NB: it is very important all parts of the tick are successfully removed including the mandible (mouth parts)
  • Clean area with dilute hibi-scrub or salt water to minimise infection risk.
  • NEVER smother tick or squeeze as this will aggravate it and cause regurgitation highly increasing the risk of disease. 
  • If unsure, call your vets as we offer specialist nurse clinics to demonstrate safe removal and we also sell tick remover tools.