Ticks: Prevention and Treatment

Oct 05, 2015

As the warm summer months approach you are more likely to start seeing more ticks. Many of us think of these pests as gross, but what we don’t always think about is the number of disease that they spread. Ticks are a huge health risk for both humans and their pets.

Ticks are often thought to be insects, but are actually arachnids and more closely related to mites and spiders. They are parasites that survive by feeding on the blood. Ticks go through several life stages including nymphal, larval, and adult. All life stages feed on blood from a host. Generally males will attach to the host take a blood meal and detach, while adult females will attach for several days and engorge with blood.

Ticks are most prevalent in our area in the warm months, but ticks can be found all year. Some ticks will even move indoors in the winter months. Therefore prevention should be used year-round.

Ticks transmit more diseases than any other arthropod and are second only to mosquitoes for the public health and veterinary impact. Some of the more commonly seen and important diseases spread by ticks to humans and their pets include: Lyme disease, Babesia, Anaplasma, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichia, other Rickettsial diseases, and can even cause paralysis by merely being attached to the host. Ticks do not transmit these diseases immediately after biting the host, but often 12-48 hours after. This is why it is important to use tick prevention that kills ticks in 12-24 hours. These tick-borne diseases can cause a variety of signs including loss of appetite, lameness and joint pain, fever, lethargy, bleeding disorders, kidney problems, and paralysis.

Removing ticks can be difficult and if done incorrectly the result in local inflammation/irritation if the head is left behind or more importantly can also cause spread of the diseases we are trying to prevent by removing the tick. There are myths that a lit match, fingernail polish, or petroleum jelly will help remove of kill the tick. Not only are these not effective, but they can cause injury to the animal. The best way we have found to remove ticks by is using a “tick spoon” which are available over-the-counter or at our clinic. Alternatively, tweezers or hemostats can be used, but care must be taken to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull or roll outward with steady pressure. If you have any concerns about removing ticks please call the office to make an appointment and we are happy to remove the tick for you.

There are a variety of tick preventions on the market. Our have several options at our clinic. Products options include collars (Seresto), chewables (Nexgard), and topical (Frontline and Advantix). Any pet with a history of ticks should be on prevention year-round or if you live or walk near woods or tall grasses tick prevention should be heavily considered.

If you haven’t read enough about ticks and would like to delve a little deeper into a few of these diseases please continue reading. If you have any concerns about tick-borne diseases in your pet please call the office or set up an appointment.

Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and is spread to people, dogs, horses, and likely cats by the bite of a tick. There have been cases of Lyme disease in our area. In animals Lyme disease can affect the joint, heart, kidneys and/or nervous system. The most common clinical signs associated seen are recurrent lameness, loss of appetite, fever, lethargy, and swollen lymph nodes. Kidney failure is the second most common syndrome associated with Lyme disease. Lyme disease can be tested for in our clinic with a small blood sample. More advanced tests to also be sent to laboratories we work closely with. Not all animals are severely affected by Lyme disease, depending on clinical signs animals can be treated with antibiotics. Prognosis depends on clinical signs and progression of disease animals. This disease cannot be spread from animals directly, but must be passed through a tick.

Rickettsial organisms make up another large group of tick-borne disease. These include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis. There are multiple organisms that cause Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis. Clinical signs of these diseases vary, but most commonly include fever, bleeding and clotting problems caused by thrombocytopenia (low platelets), loss of appetite, depression/lethargy, weakness or stiffness, low numbers of white and red blood cells, and can also effect the kidneys, eyes, spleen, and nervous system. Diagnosis of some of these diseases can be done in our clinic, others require blood samples to be sent to a laboratory. Some types can be very difficult to diagnose and treatment may be initiated prior to diagnosis if the pet is not doing well. On the other hand, not all pets develop clinical signs and treatment may not be initiated in all cases. As with Lyme disease many of these diseases can affect people, but are not spread directly from dogs and cats, but must be spread through a tick.



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