How to detect a tick on the dog?
Mites become especially active from April to July and from September to November. In extreme heat they are less active in the cold, either. But to pick up this parasite at any time of the year when the thermometer rises above zero.
After each outing thoroughly inspect the dog's coat. And this must be done not once, but at some interval. If the animal has a thick coat of dark color, then it mite difficult. Can help brushing against the grain with a thick comb.
Once on the dog, the tick can last several hours not to cling, but to look for a suitable place. During movement it is possible to notice. Mites choose to bite the place with the most delicate skin. So often they stick in the base of the skull, ears, paws, belly.
The tick size is 0.5 cm, he has 8 legs, a small head, on the back flap. The color of the tick is usually brown or black. Juveniles can be light brown. Catching the tick, it must be destroyed.
A tick that has sucked, looks like a bloated pea gray, dirty-yellow or pink hue.
What if the stuck tick?
Scary that the mite sucks the blood of the dog, and the fact that he is a carrier of many infectious diseases and can infect a dog. But not every tick is infectious, and even infected the parasite will not necessarily reward the animal disease. The less time he will spend on the animal, the less chance of infection. Therefore, the tick need to be removed immediately once found.
If you have the opportunity to immediately deliver the dog to the veterinary clinic, where the specialists will take care of everything.
But you yourself can pull of the parasite. Most importantly do it quietly and without panic. No need to try to get his hands to pull. You can detach the torso, and the head remain under the skin and occur the inflammatory process. To remove the tick have tweezers or a special device for removing ticks is the tick Twister. The tick should be fixed, but not to crush and pull, turning clockwise or counterclockwise.The bite should be cauterized with iodine.
After removing the tick for the dog you want to monitor. The parasite could infect an animal piroplasmosis, symptoms of which can appear on day 10, if not later. It is desirable during this period daily to measure dog temperature. If she rose above 39, you need to see a vet necessarily saying that the dog was bitten by a tick.
How to protect dog from ticks?
Unfortunately, 100% protection against this parasite is not. But to treat the animal still needs to be regularly. Better if it will be a comprehensive protection. For example, drops on the withers once a month, spray the coat once a week and a special collar that has a protective function for 6 months. It is desirable that these remedies were based on different active ingredients.
Remember that no matter how expensive any remedy for dog mites it can't be stopped. Therefore, the inspection of pet fur after every walk!