Why Ticks On Dogs Can Be So Dangerous
Hidden among your dog's fur coat, there might be something that doesn't belong. Your dog might have encountered a tick that is now attached to his or her body. A tick needs to be removed or it will continue to parasite off your dog's body. Also, ticks are known to spread many harmful diseases.
Common Diseases Spread by Ticks
One of the most common diseases spread by ticks is Lyme disease. This disease can be found throughout the United States but is most common in the Northeastern portion of the country. Other diseases, such as ehrlichiosis, are found in almost every state and is especially common in the south.
Lyme disease is one of the most common diseases that dogs contract. However, only a minority of dogs suffer from Lyme disease. Dogs who are suffering from Lyme disease will suffer from lameness due to inflammation of the joints. They will also usually experience a general sense of malaise. However, some dogs can suffer more serious complications such as damage to the kidneys, nervous system and heart.
Ehrlichiosis does not show immediate symptoms. However, if your dog is not able to fight off the symptoms, he or she may enter an acute stage. Dogs in the acute stage can suffer from lethargy, fever, eye inflammation, bleeding, lymph node enlargement, and poor appetite. Unfortunately, some dogs can contract a chronic form of the disease and the longer the condition persists, the harder it is to treat.
Properly Removing a Tick
To remove the tick from your dog, make sure to use tweezers that have a fine tip. Otherwise, the tweezers will not be able to grasp onto the tick effectively enough. Grab the tick as close to your dog's skin as possible. Also, you won't want to tear because the tick may have its mouthparts remain inside your dog. This can lead to an infection. Instead, you will want to pull at the tick until it lets go. Squeezing a tick either with the tweezers or with your fingers can inject material into your dog that is infectious.
Visiting an Animal Hospital
Another option is to take your dog to an animal hospital if he or she has a tick. While this might seem drastic, this is the best way to ensure that the tick is removed safely. Also, this approach allows the veterinarian to test your dog for signs of infectious diseases.