Ticks — Another Tough Customer
Ticks are another external parasite that seem to battle back. These are tough arachnids (eight-legged creatures) that not only eat blood meals but may carry many serious, life-threatening diseases. They come in a variety of sizes (all small, though), and the primary species vary from region to region. Ticks can be differentiated from fleas in that they are rounder and they either walk or are firmly fixed to your dog's body. Most are brown, but some, such as deer ticks, are very small and whitish in color. Female ticks get very large after a blood meal and their color changes from brown to a grayish shade.
The Life of the Tick
The ticks most often found on dogs are the dog ticks, Dermacenter and Rhipicephalus, and the deer tick Ixodes. These ticks go through four life stages. Female ticks lay eggs after they engorge with a blood meal. The eggs may be deposited in cracks and crevices or on the ground. The eggs hatch into larvae that climb up on grass, hitch a ride on a host, and take a big blood meal themselves. The next stage is a nymph and another cycle of hitching a ride on a host, a blood meal, and on to the next stage — the adult.
Some ticks, such as Rhipicephalus, may spend their entire lives feeding off only one species — the dog. Other ticks feed off many types of hosts. For example, deer ticks may feed off mice, other rodents, lizards, dogs, coyotes, or people who happen along before they get to their definitive host, the deer. Some ticks use birds as an intermediate host as well.
The Heavy Load They May Bear
Unfortunately ticks aren't only a threat for the blood-sucking damage they can do. Many ticks can carry one or more deadly diseases. The list includes Lyme disease, canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, even Rocky Mountain spotted fever (which isn't confined to the Rocky Mountain area anymore). These diseases may show up as problems in the blood with immunity deficits or anemia; swollen, painful joints; rashes; fevers; and damage to the heart. These sidekicks have the potential to kill your dog. You are susceptible to many of these diseases as well, if a tick feeds off you.
Mare Battle Plans
Like fighting fleas, fighting ticks is a two-stage battle — removal and prevention. If you find ticks on your dog, they need to be carefully removed. There are special tweezers made to remove them, and you should wear gloves to prevent infection. Do not use a lighted match or pour gasoline on the tick. It doesn't work and is dangerous to your dog. If the head is left in your dog's skin, a localized infection may result. Your veterinarian can help you treat those spots.
The best plan as always is to prevent tick infestations to begin with. Many of the topical agents and collars used for flea control will also work against ticks. You want something that will kill the ticks almost immediately — they must feed for twenty-four to forty-eight hours to pass on most diseases. Better yet, some products will repel them from your dog to begin with. If you live in an area with ticks or plan to travel where ticks are common, you need to discuss with your veterinarian the best and safest method to protect your dog, as this may vary with different dogs.
