The warmer weather is here and that means ticks are as well and that's bad news for everyone including your pet.
Animals are extremely susceptible to ticks and are often an easy target for a tick. Roxane Plett from the Dauphin & Ste Rose Vet Clinic says she has been noticing that ticks are even worse this year than they have been in past years.
"We absolutely do experience a lot of ticks on animals, it's a reality for pet owners and pets themselves," said Dr. Roxane Plett. "They are definitely out and about."
After that next walk or even during it, you should be checking your animal. You can never check them too much but it is recommended that you check at least once or twice per day.
If you do spot a tick on your animal it's always best to remain calm while taking the tick off.
"When you're pulling off ticks you need to grab it as close to the skin as possible and pull it off," said Plett. "Don't traumatize the tick otherwise you may actually cause them to transmit disease. Gently pull them off and I usually put them into a jar of alcohol and that kills them. After that, wash your hands thoroughly just to make sure no diseases are spread."
Plett says the biggest worry is the 'deer tick'. They are very small and you will usually see them in the brush and they transmit Lyme Disease.
"Most commonly you should check your pet's ears, armpit area and around their head."
If you are planning on going out for a walk, you can prepare and make sure you're ahead of the game.
"We have some great products that work for up to 12 weeks that will help to prevent ticks," added Plett. "The best bet is to stop in at the clinic and we will gladly help you pick the best product for your pet, we'll get you covered."
Warm Weather:
While ticks are a definite worry, so is the hot weather for animals. Temperatures are expected to rise as hot as plus 36 on Monday and into the 30s over the weekend. That means if it's too hot for us to be outside, it's also too hot for your animal to be outside.
"If you have them outside, they need access to shade and lots of fresh water to drink," said Plett. "It's also best to avoid the heat of the day walks and if you have a little pool for them, that would be good as well."
You also should not leave your furry friend in a vehicle when it's that hot.
"Vehicles heat up so incredibly fast," said Plett. "It can cause heat exhaustion and it could kill them."
