The Top 10 Facts To Know About Dog Ticks

Ticks on dogs are a type of parasite that can live on the outside of a dog. It lives on the blood of a dog and is capable of being a serious health risk. Understanding how to recognize if your dog has a tick can help you in that it increases the chance that it will cause no serious problem for your dog. The main thing that you want to watch out for is any signs of paralysis that can be seriously endangering to your dog. Below are the top 10 facts you should know for keeping your dog safe from ticks.

1. Dog ticks are dangerous for two reasons. The first is that several varieties of ticks inject a paralysis toxin when they bite into a dog and this can even stop their heart if it progresses too far. Ticks can also carry diseases such as Lyme Disease that may pose a serious health risk to a dog or their owner.

2. Ticks live in areas of dense vegetation and wait where they can become attached to their victim. If you ever take your dog for a walk in the wilderness, it's possible you can come back with them attached.

3. If a dog becomes paralyzed by a tick, it generally starts in the rear legs before spreading to the rest of the body. You should also look for signs of laziness or loss of appetite.

4. If a dog catches a disease through a tick they will also have various symptoms. Lyme disease can cause pain, swelling, fever or loss of appetite.

5. The easiest way to protect your dog from ticks is to stay away from areas that might be infested with them. This includes areas with thick vegetation, lots of shrubbery or tall grass.

6. It's a good idea to use tick repellent if you travel to areas that might be infested with ticks. There are tick repellents that contain eucalyptus and flea medications that can help repel ticks.

7. Making sure your dog is well groomed will make it easy to prevent ticks being a serious problem. This makes it easy to search for ticks and they are less likely to become attracted to your dog. Having a well groomed dog also allows you to apply tick repellent more easily.

8. You should check your dog every day if you don't already. This makes it easy to notice any change, especially if you live in a tick infested area.

9. Ticks are usually found around the nose, eyes or ears. If your dog is shaking their head, it might mean a tick is inside their ear.

10. If you find a tick, never touch it but use gloves and tweezers to remove it. Make sure your grab it by the head and pull out the entire tick so nothing is left attached.

If you want to learn more about treatment for ticks on dogs and other related topics take a look at this page.