Ticks Bite! Get the Facts!
Ticks are pesky little creatures whose bite can cause big problems for your furry friend. While most people associate ticks with a grassy and wooded landscape as we have here at camp, they actually can be found anywhere - even in the city.
A tick can be as tiny as a poppy seed or as large as a blueberry. They feed on blood and can pass harmful illnesses such as Lyme disease onto your pet. For this reason, it is very important to always check your pup for ticks immediately after being outside and if found, remove them as soon as possible. The longer a tick is able to feed on your dog’s blood, the higher the risk of it passing along an infection.
How to Check for Ticks:
Comb through your dog’s fur with your fingers and press gently on the skin checking for any bumps (remember - these can be tiny).
If you do find a lump, part the fur so that you can see the skin.
Look for a tick which can be black, brown or grayish in color. You might only be able to see the body and/or legs if the “mouth parts” (commonly referred to as the “head”) have gone under the skin.
Carefully remove the tick using fine point tweezers or a tick hook/stick.
Be sure to remove the entire tick as it is possible for the “head” of the tick to break off and get embedded under the skin.
Never use your fingers to remove a tick and always wash your hands thoroughly after removal.
Clean the infected area on your pup and disinfect the tool that you used to remove the tick.
Where to Look for Ticks:
While you can find a tick anywhere on your furry friend, there are some locations where ticks prefer to hide and can often get overlooked. Be sure to carefully check:
Around the tail
In and around the ears
Under the collar
Around the eyelids
Under the front legs
Between the back legs
Between the toes
At camp, we take many precautions to prevent ticks from lingering on our canine campers and are very vigilant to spot them on a pup before they bite. We thoroughly look over the dogs daily but also recommend that owners look over them again when they arrive home. Our best advice is to keep your pup current on Flea and Tick preventative and always check them (and yourself) after playing outside.