Everything You Need to Know About Dog Ticks in Lansing, MI

Everything You Need to Know About Dog Ticks in Lansing, MI

Ticks are a problem for pet parents across the United States. These pests can spread diseases and cause uncomfortable itching in your dogs and cats. The American Dog Tick which is also known as the wood tick is commonly found east of the Mississippi and in California. The climate promotes the growth of tall grasses and heavily wooded areas which fleas and ticks really thrive in.

The worst time for fleas and ticks is in the summer months. However, Pennsylvania Veterinary Care recommends flea and tick prevention in Lansing, MI all year long. If it is above 34 degrees ticks can attach to your pet. Fleas and ticks love moist, warm, and shaded areas and breed quickly in them. A flea is a small, bloodsucking parasite that live on the exterior of a host and spread diseases. Ticks are similar but they don’t typically lay their eggs and spread as quickly as a flea infestation would.

Tick Prevention for Dogs and Cats in Lansing, MI

The most important piece of prevention is to talk to your vet about what medication they recommend.

Medication

It could be a tick collar, a medicine taken orally, or a topical treatment. By using a medicated preventative, you’re greatly reducing the chances that your pet will attract ticks. Make sure you check the date on your products if they’ve been sitting in the cabinet awhile. Expired medications aren’t nearly as potent, and they lose effectiveness. When giving medication, it’s also critical to pay attention to what type of animal it’s for. Some medications for dogs are actually toxic to cats. Check with your vet if you have both types of pets in your house so that you don’t accidentally harm one of them.

Check Your Pet

If your cat or dog is outside a lot, you’ll want to check your pets often for ticks. Dogs and cats that go into wooded areas after rainfall are especially needing of a check. Rainfall brings out fleas and ticks due to the moisture and wooded areas are often where the pests thrive. They’ll quickly see the opportunity for a host and cling on. When your pet returns from his outdoor adventures, give him a quick brush and check around for bugs. Depending on what kind of coat your pet has, they could be easy or hard to spot. Light colors and short hair are the easiest to see, and dark, long coats are more difficult. Common places that ticks will lodge are the armpits, ears, groin, eyelids, and front legs.

How to Remove the Tick From Your Dog or Cat in Lansing, MI

Let’s say that you find a tick. What do you do next? You need to remove it from your pet making sure to get the head and body. Use fine-point tweezers and get as close to the skin as you can. Then clamp onto the tick and slowly pull straight upward as steady as you can. This helps keep the head attached to the body. If you have reason to believe the head is still lodged in your dog or cat’s skin, call your vet and ask for assistance.

Where Dog Ticks Live

For those of you with yards, you should keep your grass short and manicured during the warmer months. Usually ticks come out late March to early October but it is important to keep your dog on prevention all year long. By maintaining a short lawn, you’re giving these pests one less place to thrive and keeping your pet safe. It’s best in this area to mow weekly so that the grass doesn’t become a cool, shady place. Ticks don’t like hot and dry environments nearly as much. You’ll also want to remove any brush, leaves, or clippings from your yard. Piles of this attract ticks and other pests to come and live.

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