Far more than just a mere annoyance, ticks can cause serious health issues. After attaching themselves to animals and people, these hard-bodied external parasites feast on blood meals and can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis. They cause anemia, heart damage, rashes, fevers, and painful joints.

Locating Ticks

The spring and summer months are usually considered tick season. If your dog has returned from an outdoor romp or a walk in a woodsy area, don't be surprised if he comes back with a tick clinging to his chest, neck, or head. Check him over for any ticks before letting him back into the house. At first glance, a tick looks as if a black flattened spider stuck to your dog's coat, but a closer look reveals a head and legs.

These eight-legged insects live in woods, tall grass, weeds, and brush. After climbing onto low hanging plants, they wait to attach themselves to people and pets when they pass by. Ticks cling to a dog anywhere they can grab onto, but they particularly like the head, neck, ears, or feet. It's also not surprising to find a tick stuck to a dog's chest or back.

Fighting Ticks

To prevent ticks from plaguing your dog, follow the same precautions for avoiding fleas by maintaining his health through a good diet and frequent grooming. Also keep your dog out of woodsy areas and trim bushes and cut any low-hanging branches in your yard. Many of the newer oral and topical products that prevent and sterilize adult fleas also work on ticks. Give these seasonally when the chance of flea and tick infestation is high.

Removing a Tick

If you find a tick on your dog, don't panic and don't touch it. Calmly gather some fine-point tweezers, some latex gloves, rubbing alcohol or cooking oil, and a small jar. Use the following steps to safely remove the tick:

• Using the tweezers, grasp the tick firmly near the head as close to the dog's skin as possible.

• If the tick is difficult to lift, put a little alcohol or oil on it.

• Pull the tick gently but steadily to release if from the dog's skin.

• Drop the tick in the jar and fill it with alcohol or oil to kill the tick.

A month later, take your dog to the veterinarian to check if the tick bite infected your dog. Catching a problem early on and treating it with antibiotics can prevent more serious disease.