With milder winters, ticks are now active almost all year round. They are more than a nuisance: they pass serious diseases to your pet — and sometimes to you. The good news: prevention and the right habits cut the risk considerably.
Why take them seriously?
Ticks thrive in woodland, gardens and long grass, lying in wait for a passing host: dog, cat or human. They can transmit:
- piroplasmosis (or babesiosis) in dogs, which destroys red blood cells;
- Lyme disease, which affects dogs and humans alike;
- ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis, less well known but serious.
Which signs should alert you?
The first signs are often subtle and appear days to weeks after a bite: tiredness, fever, loss of appetite, lameness and — the alarm signal of piroplasmosis — dark urine.
Removing a tick properly
Use a tick hook: slide it under the tick and twist gently so it comes away whole, rather than pulling it off sharply. Then disinfect the spot, and note the date: if symptoms appear over the following weeks, that information helps us.
Mistakes to avoid
- Burning the tick or coating it (ether, oil…): under stress it regurgitates, which raises the risk of transmission.
- Pulling it off with your nails or crushing it: the head can stay embedded.
- Not checking your pet after every walk in a risk area.
- Using a ‘dog’ tick product on a cat: some (permethrin) are toxic, even fatal, to cats.
Prevention
A suitable parasite treatment (collar, spot-on or tablet) greatly reduces the risk; check the coat after every outing and remove any tick as soon as you can (the longer a tick stays attached, the higher the risk of transmission).
The key points: regular parasite prevention, a check after every walk, prompt removal with a tick hook — and a few weeks of watchfulness after any bite. Ticks concern the family as much as the pet.