By Marti Hohmann

 

Texas is warm enough for fleas and ticks to be present year-round, but they are especially prevalent in the spring. Here are a few tips on how to deal with them.

 

1. Check for ticks often. Brush your fingers through your dog's fur. If you feel a bump, separate the fur and take a look. An embedded tick may vary in size and will be black or brown. Depending on its size and location, its legs may also be visible. Engorged ticks look like fat seeds. Ticks attach anywhere, even in the paws, so check everywhere. Sometimes several ticks will take hold and feed in a very small place.

 

2. If you find a tick and want our help, call us. If you want to remove it yourself, do so, but quickly. (Tick-borne infections usually begin 48 hours after the tick attaches itself to your dog.)

 

3. To remove a tick, protect your hands with latex gloves. Grasp the tick with tweezers. Get as close to your dog's skin as possible. With a steady motion, pull the tick's body off your dog. Make sure you get the tick's head out. Flush it down the toilet and clean your dog's skin with soap and warm water. Never use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish or motor oil to remove a tick.

 

Sound gross? It is, and we'd be glad to remove ticks for you. It takes a steady hand, and often two people, to do it right. (Ask yourself if your dog will sit still during the entire procedure; if not, call us.) We also have flea and tick preventatives that will minimize the likelihood you'll find a tick in the first place. 

 

Note that dogs from shelters or rescue organizations may have ticks, or have had them. This doesn't mean you shouldn't adopt shelter dogs --quite the contrary. They need you more than ever. It just means you should alert us to their history so we'll check them carefully for parasites during their first visit. We'll also be happy to tell you about the tick-borne diseases we'll help you avoid through preventative care.