Watch out for ticks

We found a tick on Rackham’s ear last week.   It wasn’t easy to spot because it was grey and blended in really well.   Rackham likes to go out ‘wild-wooding’ so he is a cat who is especially at risk from these nasty parasites.   It’s possible any pet to pick them up though and while they are more common in woods and countryside, they do lurk in the garden and yard too.

We check all our animals for them regularly.   The ticks look like small blobs, ranging in size from little pin  heads  to as big as a bluebottle.   When they are red in colour it’s because the tick has been feeding – that’s your pet’s blood in there!    Ticks are not just inconvenient and irritating, they can transmit serious illnesses, to pets as well as people.    We’ve had stray dogs come in absolutely covered in them.   Rackham had just the one though.

We treat ticks with Frontline – a quick spray and that’s it, they die off.  Make sure you spray according to the instructions though, it has to be effective,  if you miss one your pet will still be in trouble.  Using Frontline regularly is said to prevent tick infestations as well as fleas.    If you don’t want to spray you have other options.   Getting veterinary advice is recommended.   You can pull the tick out using a special gadget but if you leave any part of the mouth in there, an infection is likely to follow.   Your vet will remove the tick cleanly and easily.    There are other remedies but they are difficult to do – burning the tick off with a cigarette- you might burn your pet too!   Don’t try to pull them off with your fingers – they are hooked in and you can’t get all of them.  This is a meal ticket for them and no way are they going to let go.   While the ticks are alive you should take care that they don’t jump off your pet and on to you.   It’s been known to happen, although they do like dog and cat blood best though.

If your dog or cat has been bitten by a tick, you need to watch out for signs of illness.   We kept Rackham confined to quarters for several weeks after his encounter with the tick.   Symptoms to watch out for are the animal going off his food, becoming lame or having a temperature.    If your dog or cat is off colour at all, it’s best to check with your vet, just to make sure.   Ticks can make humans very ill, Lyme Disease is one of the more well known diseases to follow a tick bite, there are a lot more.

Ticks hide in crevices and dark places and wait for a warm body to come along – hey, it’s meal time – one jump and they are hooked on.    There is only one sure way to get rid of them and that is to keep guinea fowl.   They love to eat ticks and a few guineas will clear a couple of acres in no time and without any ill effects.