Protecting your pets from Ticks

Check your dog’s coat by brushing it, and look for small foreign bodies at the roots of the fur, attached to the skin.

Localised rash and swelling around the bite
Headache
Fever

There are around 20 known species of tick found throughout the UK.

Ticks in their infant, or nymph form are very small, the size of a strawberry seed and can swell as they consume blood from their host animal, becoming paler in colour the more that they feed. Adult ticks can grow to the size of a pea, with female ticks tending to be larger than males.

The Deer Tick (Ixodes Ricinus) and the Hedgehog Tick (Ixodes Hexagonus) are the 2 most common types of ticks found in central England, and differ slightly in size are colour.

Ticks are very sensitive to temperature and increased humidity. As such they are more commonly found in shaded, warm moist environments, such as woodlands, and areas with an abundant floor coverage, but can also be found in large gardens, especially gardens with a high diversity of wildlife and fauna.

Ticks are typically more prevalent during periods of moderate/heavy rainfall and warmer temperatures, hence are more prevalent during late spring and early autumn.

Ticks, cannot fly or jump and can be transferred by either coming into contact with an infected host, foraging in and around brush, or brushing up against medium height vegetation. Ticks usually cause no pain when they are attached/or biting and may go unnoticed for days before being removed, falling or climbing off onto a new host.

Ticks are far from innocuous as they are able to carry viral and bacterial infections. Although the majority of ticks do not carry infection and the risk of infection is low in England, Ticks that are infected can carry a variety of diseases, some of which can be transferred onto humans if bitten.

These infections are passed between hosts by infected blood and this transmission can be immediate. The longer a tick is attached, the greater the chance of infection.

Lyme disease if the most common infection associated with ticks, predominantly the Deer Tick. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be passed between animals and humans, and vice versa.

The first symptoms of infection is a circular rash around the bite, swelling of the area, headache and fever. Early intervention is best and can usually be treated successfully with antibiotics, however symptoms can last several weeks after the infection has been treated.

If left untreated Lyme disease can cause ongoing neurological and cardiovascular problems but is rarely fatal.

Tick removal tools can be readily purchased in pet stores and online, but you should always be careful to read and follow the instructions carefully. Alternatively you can contact a specialist. We carry specialist Tick removal tools and are trained in removing Ticks painlessly and with minimal risk to your pet. If your pet has been bitten by a Tick, you should seek veterinary advice as a precaution in order to avoid infection developing .