Ticks have become a VERY common external parasite for animals in Western New York.
They are found everywhere, not just in wooded areas or forests.
Ticks DO NOT die in the winter, they just become dormant. They become active with any temperature 45 degrees and above. This means that ticks are a YEAR ROUND problem.
Ticks can transmit several serious diseases including Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, tick paralysis, Ehrlichiosis etc.
The best treatment and prevention of ticks and tick diseases is a multi-layered approach
- Tick prevention: there are many safe and effective products available to help prevent ticks and tick transmitted diseases. Please consult your veterinarian on what products are best for your pet. Do not use anything without discussing with your veterinarian.
- Tick removal: Examine your pet closely for ticks anytime you come in from the outdoors. Prompt removal of the ENTIRE tick is important to lessen the chance of disease transmission. You can use tweezers or a tick removal tool to grasp the tick as close to your pet as possible, while gently and steadily pulling the tick free.
- Lyme vaccine: There is a very safe and effective vaccine for dogs that helps to prevent Lyme disease. Please consult with your veterinarian whether your dog would benefit form the vaccine based on their risk factors and lifestyle.
We are routinely testing for tick transmitted diseases concurrently with Heartworm tests.
If you find a tick on your dog, we recommend testing for tick diseases 6 weeks after exposure. If done earlier, the test will commonly be a false negative.