Warm weather is here, and you’re spending more time outside with your favorite furry friend(s)? Great! While you enjoy your adventures together, it’s important to be aware of the warm weather dangers for dogs, including ticks on dogs. Ticks can bite your dog at a moment’s notice and, if left untreated, cause some nasty consequences for your four-legged friend. So find out all about tick control for dogs, including prevention, treatment and when to see a vet here on the Tractive GPS blog.
What are ticks?
Scary but true – ticks are those creepy little creatures which come out in the summertime and pester us and our pets. Part of the arachnid family, they are related to spiders and mites. Ticks are parasites; they attach to the skin of mammals including humans and dogs, by biting them, and then feed on their blood. In doing so they can transmit diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and more.
Ticks tend to hang out in areas where there is tall grass or forest. They cannot jump or fly; instead they cling to you as you pass by. Once they’ve found a host, ticks bury their teeth inside the skin and the feeding lasts for days. It typically takes 24 – 48 hours for a tick to transmit a disease to its host1. You should always remove ticks as soon as you find one.
