Springtime is upon us, and as the weather warms and outdoor adventures return, so do uninvited guests – ticks. These tiny parasites catch on to your pet quickly and can carry lots of infections. But with the right measures taken, this can be avoidable.
We spoke with veterinary experts to share 5 essential tips to help you and your furry friend head into tick season feeling confident and prepared.
1. Prevention, Prevention, Prevention!
Tick preventives are your pet’s strongest ally during tick season. Whether your vet recommends a monthly chew, topical treatments, or a collar, staying consistent with their preventive keeps ticks from latching, feeding and spreading diseases.
2. Avoid Certain Areas
Ticks thrive in cool, shaded and humid environments – especially dark and leafy patches. Staying on an open, clear path during tick season will prevent exposure, since ticks wait on tall grass or leaves to latch on to passing animals.
3. Keep Fur Manageable
Although we all love our pets looking fluffy, dense coats make the perfect hiding spot for ticks. Regularly brush your pet’s coat using a slicker brush and stay up to date with their grooming and trimming to keep their coat length at a manageable level.
4. Check For Ticks Daily
Check your pet’s coat for ticks after every walk or hike, or frequently if they spend a lot of time outside. Most common hiding spaces for a tick are between the paw pads, ear lobes, gum line, perineum and armpits.
5. Be Prepared
Always carry a tick removal tweezer with you while venturing outdoors. This can help extract ticks anytime, anywhere. If you do spot a tick, use the Tweezerman Tick Removal Tweezer or the Dual-Ended Tweezer, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upwards to completely extract. Avoid squeezing the tick, which can lead to the spread of bacteria.
Don’t let tick season intimidate you from exploring with your pet! With the right precautions and the right tools, you and your furry best friend are all set to venture out into the wild!
