Ticks

Ticks

When the weather gets warm, you need to guard against pests that can harm your pets. Here are some common questions we get concerning fleas and ticks.

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Ticks

Turns out, these tiny ticks are very resourceful. Rather
than dying off in the winter, they seek shelter among
fallen leaves in the wooded areas they normally inhabit.
At the first sign of milder weather, they emerge in search
of a meal. Some disease-carrying species of ticks may stay
active as long as the climate remains above freezing and isn’t
too icy or wet.

Ticks latch on to pets and people by burrowing into the skin, producing a glue-like substance to stay attached and feeding on their host's blood for days. Without regular prevention, it can be hard to stop a tick from attaching to an animal. It’s important to know that your pet can encounter ticks outside the woods too. They can be found in trees, woodpiles, grass, and under leaves. Since pets are low to the ground, ticks can attach to their fur quickly and crawl down to the skin, where they will attach.

In addition to Lyme disease, a variety of other tick-transmitted diseases and infections could harm your pet. Regardless of whether you think your pet is likely to come in contact with these harmful pests, it's crucial to provide year-long protection.

• Ticks are not insects; they’re arachnids related to spiders and scorpions.

• Ticks crawl; they don’t jump, fly or drop from trees. That’s why pets are so susceptible.

• Some ticks inject a substance that acts like a local anesthetic, so your pet unwittingly provides the tick with dinner and a ride.