Keeping pets safe from ticks

Bryan-College Station—The mere mention of the word “ticks” may send shivers down the spines of all within earshot. These minuscule parasites have garnered an infamous reputation for latching onto the flesh of cherished pets and unsuspecting owners, alike, on their summer morning walks through grassy trails.

Despite their seemingly harmless size, ticks can carry various diseases with much larger consequences for animals and their owners.

Dr. Dana Kneese, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, describes how pet owners can equip themselves to handle the unwanted presence of ticks and their potential disease transmission.

Identifying The Problem

Ticks are parasites in the arachnid family, which means they have eight legs; while the nymph stage brings bites that are often undetected due to their poppy-seed size, they are easily identifiable once they reach the adult stage and continue the search for an unsuspecting animal to latch onto for their next meal.

“They have an oval body that’s flat but can be distended if it’s engorged with blood from its host,” Kneese explained. “The capitulum, or head, contains extended mouthparts that embed and anchor the tick in its host to feed on a blood meal.”

Once an owner has discovered a tick feasting on their pet, identifying the tick species can help gauge the level of potential harm, as some that carry more risk of certain diseases over others.

To identify a specific type of tick, owners should consider several factors.

“The Brown Dog Tick is reddish brown in color, smaller but more elongated. The American Dog Tick is brown with white markings,” Kneese said. “The Black-Legged Tick, most commonly known as the deer tick, has a brown body with dark legs. Lone Star Ticks are named for the single white spot on the backs of adult females.”

Geography also has proven useful in identifying the severity of tick-related diseases. For instance, in recent years Massachusetts has seen an uptick in tick-borne Lyme disease, which is contracted by both animals and humans from black-legged (deer) ticks.

Other diseases carried by specific ticks include:

Babesiois, an infection of red blood cells leading to malaria-like symptoms, carried by black-legged (deer) ticks and castor bean ticks.

Ehrlichiosis, an infection leading to potentially fatal flu-like symptoms, carried by lone star ticks, and black legged (deer) ticks.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, an infection leading to fever, loss of appetite, and rash, carried by American Dog tick, Rocky Mountain Wood tick, Lone Star tick, and Brown Dog tick.

Lyme disease, an infection leading to joint pain, lethargy, and fever, carried by black-legged (deer) ticks, and castor bean ticks.

Educated Resolutions

In addition to knowing the types of ticks and which diseases they carry, Kneese said it’s also important to understand the basics of how these diseases pass from ticks to animals.

“If the tick is carrying any disease, the longer the tick remains embedded in your furry friend, the higher the likelihood of transmitting diseases when taking a blood meal,” Kneese stated.

To ensure the safety of your pet, do not try to crush, burn, or use alcohol to remove a tick that has latched onto an animal. These commonly assumed resolutions can, in reality, act as a catalyst for a disease to be transmitted, according to Kneese.

“What you want to do is use tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. With steady and sustained motion, pull on the tick until it’s free from the skin,” Kneese said.” Most of the time if the head stays in the pet after removal of the tick, the pet may have an inflammatory reaction in that area, so it's important to monitor the site. If your pet develops any lethargy, abnormal behavior, or reaction at the site of the bite, call your veterinarian.”

Safeguarding Against Ticks

The best thing an owner can do to ensure their furry friends stay happy and healthy is to schedule a consultation with a veterinarian to discuss tick, flea, and heartworm preventatives. After all, it is the owner’s responsibility to stay vigilant of the possible bloodthirsty invaders lurking within the fur of our pets.

“It’s also important to check your pets for ticks, especially if they have been romping around in the woods, near wooded areas, or tall grass,” Kneese said.

Whether exploring new terrain on vacation, moving to a new area, or remaining in a familiar community, it is vital to stay aware of the prevalence of ticks and the potential diseases they carry that can harm the health of furry friends.

SOURCE School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University