What to do if you find a tick on a dog or cat
For pets, blood-sucking parasites are just as dangerous as for people, and sometimes more. Pets can catch diseases from ticks, but owners do not always have time to notice this in time.
In the “ Yod ” telegram channel we tell you how to take care of your health based on evidence-based medicine.
It is more difficult to detect a parasite on a dog or cat than on yourself. This often happens when the animal has already shown the first symptoms of infection.
Here’s what your pet can get sick with:
- tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease);
- dog mange;
- ear inflammation after an ear mite bite;
- cheyletiellosis;
- demodicosis;
- thrombiculosis;
What to do if a tick bites a dog or cat
If you notice that a parasite has attached itself to your pet, the bloodsucker must be removed immediately.
Tatyana Shmonina
Veterinarian, work experience – more than seven years.
It is necessary to take the animal to the nearest veterinary clinic or call a doctor at home in order to properly remove the tick, treat the wound, and immediately submit the parasite for analysis. If this is not done, the bite may result in death.
If it is not possible to take your pet to the doctor, try removing the bloodsucker yourself: the procedure is practically no different from removing a tick from a person.
To do this, you will need a twister, fine-tipped tweezers or thread.
If your dog or cat won’t sit still, ask someone to hold it. Otherwise, you risk accidentally crushing the parasite or tearing its body away from its head.
When to take your dog or cat to the vet
If you did not do this immediately after the bite , then carefully monitor the animal’s well-being for at least three weeks. Signs of infection do not always appear immediately. Sometimes this happens after 7–21 days.
The first symptom is loss of appetite.
Here are a few more common signs that make you urgently need to rush to the clinic:
- weight loss;
- change in gum color;
- discharge from the eyes or nose;
- vomit;
- back or neck very sensitive to touch;
- convulsions;
- diarrhea;
- uncontrolled urination;
- brick-colored urine;
- swollen lymph nodes;
- swelling of the limbs or joints;
How to protect your dog and cat from ticks
Carry out prevention especially carefully in May and June – this is the peak of parasite activity in Russia. But do not forget about protective measures throughout the season – from March to November.
Any products for animals should be chosen taking into account their age: some are contraindicated for puppies and kittens. Be sure to consult your veterinarian first.
The veterinarian will give balanced recommendations and advise the required dosage or frequency of use of the chosen remedy. Employees at veterinary pharmacies and stores often do not have sufficient knowledge to give advice about your pet’s health.
Also note that the options described below are separate for dogs and cats. Be sure to check this information with your veterinarian before purchasing the drug. Do not treat your cat with anti-tick shampoo for dogs, and do not give your dog tablets for cats.
All products contain repellents or acaricides. One way or another, these substances are toxic to animals: any drug can cause allergies if you overdo it. Therefore, always follow the instructions on the packaging. Use products (except tablets) so that your pet cannot lick them from the fur.
Keep any anti-tick medications out of the reach of children. Do not allow your child to touch the treated animal for at least the first three days.
Be sure to carry out the procedure with rubber gloves and do not forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
1. Inspection
This is the simplest thing you can do. After walking in the forest or park, be sure to inspect your pet so that you can immediately notice and remove the tick.
If your pet has thick, dark fur, it is difficult to see the parasite. Therefore, comb the fur with your fingers or a special flea comb with fine teeth, while feeling the animal’s skin. Do this with gloves.
2. Shampoos
They can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy specifically for a cat or dog. This is an inexpensive method, but labor-intensive: you will have to bathe your pet about once a week. Be sure to check the instructions for the exact frequency. After bathing, wait until your pet’s fur is completely dry before letting him go for a walk.
Shampoos only repel parasites with their smell, but do not kill them. So this is a weak method of protection. Suitable for cats and small dogs that only walk in the yard of the house, where the likelihood of picking up a tick is low.
Validity period: 5–7 days.
3. Insect-acaricidal collars
They mainly protect the neck and head of the animal. The back, belly, paws and tail remain at risk. This remedy is unlikely to help large dogs; collars are more suitable for small, smooth-haired pets.
The tapes are treated with a special liquid that repels parasites. The collar comes into contact with the fur and transfers active substances to it. This does not happen right away; you need to wait about two days before going for a walk with your pet.
Make sure you can fit two fingers between the collar and the dog or cat’s skin. It should not be tight or, conversely, hang around your neck.
Validity period: 4–6 months.
4. Sprays
They will come in handy if you are going somewhere where there is a high probability of ticks. For example, in a forest or field. The spray begins to work when it dries completely on the fur – about two hours after application.
Read the instructions before use. Do not spray the product on people or other animals. Be careful not to splash any splashes on the dog or cat’s face.
Do not bathe your pet for 2-3 days, otherwise the spray will be washed off. And if the animal has been in water or rain, reapply the product.
Duration of validity: acaricidal preparations protect your pet for about a month if you bathe him no more than once a week. There are also sprays based on essential oils, the effect of which lasts for a maximum of 7 days. These options work worse, but are allowed for puppies and kittens. It is better to check the duration of activity of different sprays at a veterinary pharmacy.
5. Drops
Sold in bottles with pipettes. Apply drops to a dog or cat along the ridge and neck line, spreading the fur. After about a day, the substances of the drug will be absorbed into the skin and begin to act. But for at least the first three days after application, do not let the animal into the water.
Validity: approximately one month.
6. Tablets
They are considered a reliable method, but it is better not to buy them yourself, but to consult a veterinarian.
The tablets begin to take full effect after four hours. The active substances are absorbed into the blood: even if a tick bites an animal, it will die immediately. This product is suitable for large and active pets who often walk in the forest. For example, huskies or greyhounds.
Manufacturers usually make tablets with different flavors. Therefore, there should be no problems: the pet will swallow the pill. Otherwise, mix it with food.
Validity: about three months.
7. Vaccinations
The only vaccination you can give your cat or dog is against babesiosis (piroplasmosis). But keep in mind that this will not protect against tick bites. The vaccine will simply make it easier to get through the disease. Therefore, you will still have to treat your pet with protective agents.
Immunity from the vaccine does not develop immediately, so the animal should be vaccinated in January-February, a couple of months before the tick season. Be sure to discuss the frequency of the procedure with your veterinarian.
Animals under five months old, as well as pregnant and lactating animals, cannot be vaccinated.
Validity: about six months.
8. Combinations of several products
This will make the defense more effective. But the tablets must be used separately.
Other drugs can be combined as follows:
- Collar + spray or drops. Suitable for those who go into the forest, as well as for large dogs for whom a collar alone is clearly not enough.
- Drops + spray. Dog breeders often do this when the effect of the drops has worn off, but the pet urgently needs reliable protection.
Ask your veterinarian about how to properly combine specific products. Some active substances do not combine well with each other, which can cause allergies.
Tatyana Shmonina
Veterinarian.
All anti-tick medications are reliable and safe if selected together with a veterinarian. Only collars are inferior in effectiveness to other means.
Also try to keep your garden and lawn tidy. If you trim the bushes, get rid of excess grass and treat the trees for parasites, ticks are unlikely to appear. Then your pet will have less chance of picking them up.
