In the Tick of Things!!

Yes, that’s right – we are ticking down the moments to tick season!! 

Any day now those pesky critters will be attaching themselves to us and our dogs, seeking out a warm-bodied food source.  When I moved here from Calgary three years ago I was not accustomed to dealing with ticks.  My crash course of learning to look for and dispose of these little creatures occurred early one spring morning when I discovered one on my husband’s back after walking the dogs. Since that day, every spring for a couple of months, my husband and I diligently check our dogs head to toe and tail after every outing and we check ourselves as well, especially if we have been out hiking.  We have learned to quickly identify the common dog (wood) ticks with the white (horseshoe like) markings on their backs, but will not hesitate to take a tick in to our veterinarian for identification if we are unsure.  It is actually only the black legged tick (deer tick) that carries the bacteria that causes lyme disease.  These ticks can be distinguished from other more common ticks by their reddish/orange colouring and smaller size.  If you want a tick identified – preserve the tick in 70% alcohol in a water-tight container, after removal, and take it to your local veterinarian.  The easiest way we have found to remove a tick is put a drop of dishwashing liquid directly onto the tick that is attached to the human or canine body – wait a few seconds and then remove with tweezers.  Take special care to remove the tick as close to where it is attached to the skin as possible.  Grasp tick with tweezers, but do not squeeze, and slowly pull tick out.  Do not jerk back, or twist as this could cause tick mouth parts to remain embedded in the skin.  You may want to check with your veterinarian for a monthly preventative that you can give your dog for tick control, or if you want to take a more natural approach (as we do), simply check your dogs (and yourself) all over every time you come in from an outing.         

                                               Canine Consultant Jackie McGowan