Dangerous and deadly
tick diseases are becoming more and more of a concern for dog lovers,
especially in the spring, summer and fall. That’s why Earth Heart Inc., has put
together the following information to help dog lovers better understand the
importance of keeping ticks off your dog, while still enjoying the great
outdoors.
Did you know?
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) can be transmitted to a dog from an infected American Dog Tick or the Lone Star Tick in 2-5 hours?
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) can be fatal to your dog if not treated quickly?
- Lyme disease can be transmitted to your dog from a bite by an infected Black-Legged Deer Tick or the Western Black-Legged Tick in less than 6 hours?
- Lyme disease can present reoccurring symptoms over the life of your dog once they have been infected, reducing the dog’s quality of life?
- Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis might be transmitted to your dog from an infected Brown Dog Tick or Lone Star Tick in 24-48 hours?
- Little is known about a new tick disease, Canine Hepatozoonosis, found in the southeast regions of the United States, and is thought to infect your dog if it ingests an infected Gulf Coast Tick or Brown Dog Tick?
Did you also know?
- Chemical laden pesticide based topical, and flea/tick collars for dogs can take up to 2-3 days to kill a tick attached to your dog, rendering them ineffective in preventing an infected tick from infecting your dog with dangerous tick diseases?
- If your dog ingests an infected Gulf Coast or Brown Dog tick, it is thought that no flea/tick preventative can help from potentially contracting Canine Hepatozoonosis?
How
do you combat the nasties?
There is only one way to safely keep ticks
off your dog: by making your dog less attractive to them.
Tips
to keep dangerous tick diseases from being transmitted to your dog:
- Treat your yard or lawn. Diatomaceous Earth (food grade only) is a wonderful, healthy and safe powder product that you can sprinkle in your yard to effectively kill tick.
- In addition, concentrated Garlic Spray can be sprayed around your yard, effectively repelling ticks.
- Ticks are attracted to a host by body heat, odor from the skin and carbon dioxide that people and dogs exhale. Using an essential oil based spray on your dog with neem seed oil as the main ingredient can make your dog unattractive by altering its scent.
- Check your dog immediately after being outside, time is critical.
- If you don’t immediately find a tick, check again after 1.5 hours, before several tick diseases can be transmitted.
- If you find a tick, safely remove it by using round-tip tweezers. Grasp the tick firmly at the base of the head. Then gently and steadily pull on the tick. Be careful not to break the mouth parts of the tick off and leave them inside your dog because infection is likely.
Earth Heart strives to help you and your dogs live healthier, happier lives. We hope this information helps you understand and prepare for the second tick invasion during late summer and autumn.
