Protect Your Pup from Ticks this Spring

Whether the snow is already thawing or you’re looking forward to warmer days, chances are you—and your pup—are itching to get outdoors. From long walks and playing fetch in your favorite park to road trips and scenic hikes, enjoying nature is one of the best ways to bond with your pup.

Unfortunately, ticks have the same idea. So, when you venture outdoors, ready to have a rollicking good time with your canine companion, you may run into one of the most dreaded little creatures in the foliage. Worse still, an undetected tick bite can actually make your dog sick!

What can you do to protect your pup from ticks this Spring? We’re glad you asked!

Read on to learn what you can do to prevent ticks and what to do if you happen to find one on your dog.

Preventative Measure

The best way to deal with ticks is to not deal with them at all, right?

Thankfully, there are numerous options on the market that can help prevent ticks from ever hitching a ride on your furry friend. Before picking up a random product from your local pet store, though, you should speak to your vet to get a specific recommendation. This will ensure that whatever flea prevention option you choose will be effective and safe.

Tick treatments include collars, oral medications, powders, shampoos, spot-on treatments, sprays, and more. With such a variety to select from, it is no surprise that many pet parents feel a bit overwhelmed.

The important thing is to work closely with your vet, carefully read the label of whatever tick prevention product you’ve chosen, and be mindful of the potential dangers. If you are thorough and practice safe tick prevention that is appropriate for your pup, you can reduce or eliminate tick problems this Spring!

Lawncare Matters

Ticks love overgrown shrubs, long grass, and unkempt trees. So, by simply keeping your lawn in good shape, you can drastically reduce the potential of your pup picking up a tick.

If performing routine lawncare doesn’t noticeably reduce your tick problem, you may want to consider a more aggressive approach. There are loads of household and yard products designed to eliminate ticks. Be careful, though—many of these treatments use chemicals that could be dangerous to both people and pets.

Sometimes, it’s best to hire a professional exterminator. Someone who is experienced and trained in tick prevention can address your needs more specifically than over-the-counter solutions.

What to do with a Tick

When you check your dog for ticks—which you should do frequently during the Spring and Summer seasons, especially after spending time outside—be sure to look in a few certain areas. Ticks love to hike in ears, in your dog’s “armpits,” deep beneath fur, and in other sneaky areas (like between toes!).

Hopefully, you find the tick before it has a chance to bite your pup and become attached. If, however, the tick has already managed to anchor itself to your dog, you will need to remove it.

Removing ticks is notoriously difficult, and there are numerous methods that can be used. In fact, tick removal is sometimes a topic of debate. We recommend asking your vet for their advice or finding a guide online from a reputable source. The important thing is to ensure that the entire tick has been removed. Failure to remove every part of the tick can lead to a sick pup!

Once the tick is safely removed, it is prudent to keep it. It’s gross, we know, but securing the little bloodsucker in a plastic bag and taking it to your vet for analysis can alert you to any diseases the bug may have been carrying. This information is vital when striving to keep your dog healthy and strong after a tick bite!

There you have it—a brief guide to one of nature’s least favorite parasites. We hope that it helps you as you keep your pup tick-free this Spring. After all, a tick-free pup is a happy pup!