_ Removing ticks - when removing ticks
from your dogs (and cats) use tweezers and pull the tick straight out in
one move. Ticks excrete the organisms that cause Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever and Ehrlichia through their saliva and the more the tick is
manipulated the more of these organisms it will secrete in a short period
of time.
__* Don't manipulate
the tick or attempt to coat it with anything.
__* Don't touch
the tick with your bare hands. You are just as susceptible to the organisms
in the tick saliva as your pet.
__* Flush the
tick down the toilet.
__* Leaving
the "head" behind is not a huge problem. Getting the tick off eliminated
the source of the saliva. If the mouthparts or head of the tick are
left behind it will create a sore spot on the skin for a few days to
weeks but this will heal. Trying to dig this out can often cause more
of a sore than leaving it behind.
_Apply a topical tick repellant year
round. Ticks are a problem even in the winter. Talk to your veterinarian
about the most appropriate product to use. Many of the easily available
over the counter products are not very effective and have more adverse effects
than the products available through a veterinarian. There are no oral medications
against ticks.
