One thing that comes up a lot in the summer month is ticks - how to manage, how to prevent etc so first of all what are they are why are they a problem. Ticks are parasitic arachnids that are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, species, and "fullness" they are external parasites that live by feeding on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.
Exposure can occur all year round but are most active during the summer months when it is warmer in the Northern Hemisphere that is between April - September and in the Southern Hemisphere September - April. Ticks are most active during periods of high humidity, especially after rain.
Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals and spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own garden or neighbourhood where they travel in via a host from other areas.
After you return home always check your clothing to make sure no ticks are hitching a ride! Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing as well as on your skin or that of your pets. Check yours and your dog's body for ticks daily after being outdoors it is easy for them to hide and I’ve lost count of the times human patients have presented to me thinking they have a new mole and it is a tick. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body.
Shower soon after being outdoors and there is no reason that should not apply to your pet too. Evidence on the CDC website suggests showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check. I like to use On Guard handwash to wash my dogs.
After the tick has attached to the host animal it sucks blood and then secretes a toxin that can cause severe illness, or even death, in cats and dogs. Dogs and cats of any age can be affected. A tick swells up making it look very different which is why people often mistake them for new lumps.
If you find a paralysis tick on your dog or cat, remove it immediately. To do this grasp it with tweezers around the head and pull it out. Specially designed tick hooks are also available that will remove ticks with greater ease. If you don’t manage to remove the head, don’t panic. You have killed it and removed its body preventing any serious risk of disease transmission but residual parts can still lead to an infection at the site.
DO NOT apply anything to the tick to force it to withdraw (like alcohol or a match) as it generally encourages it to inject more of its saliva into the body they are attached to potentially causing more likelihood of disease.
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tick remover is an easy tool to have available and assist removal
Lyme disease in dogs is one of the most common tick-transmitted diseases in the world, but it only causes symptoms in 5-10% of affected dogs. So some dogs may have it, but never show symptoms. The signs of Lyme disease vary; many animals can have Lyme disease and show no signs. In dogs, the most common signs include fever, loss of appetite, painful or swollen joints, lameness that comes and goes, swollen lymph nodes, and lethargy. If Lyme disease is left untreated it can lead to damage in the kidneys, nervous system, and heart. Lyme disease affecting the kidneys is the second most common syndrome in dogs and is generally fatal. Facial paralysis and seizure disorders have been reported in the disease form affecting the nervous system. The form of the disease that affects the heart is rare.
Over 95% of tick bites in Eastern Australia and most tick-borne diseases are due to the Paralysis Tick. Signs of tick paralysis include: loss of coordination in the hind legs (wobbly or not being able to get up) which may progress to the front legs, change in bark, retching, coughing or vomiting, loss of appetite, or laboured or rapid breathing. Any of these signs may indicate the presence of a paralysis tick. If your dog shows any of these signs you should seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.
Prevention is always better than cure.
TerraShield can be diffused, or applied topically – Not for internal use. I love this formula but it is available in 2 forms depending on where you live. The new formula is labelled “Repellent Blend”. The older formula will say “Outdoor Blend” and is still a great option pest control but you will need to add 2 drops of either peppermint, geranium or turmeric to the 30ml bottle (the spray one) for good tick prevention or to maximise it's ability 2 drops of each. The new formula already has tick repelling properties to it see pic.
For horses, cattle, sheep, and goats, use topically undiluted every 6-8 hours as needed or mix up in a 50% dilution.
For dogs over 12kg put a few drops on your hands and rub down your dog prior to going outdoors. Or you can create a spray with 50% TerraShield (if the original Outdoor blend this can be used with no further dilution) and 50% carrier oil or filtered water (Shake before applying).
For dogs under 12kg dilute 25% Terrashield with carrier oil (if original blend - dilute 50%) and then use 1-2 drops in your hands to rub down dog prior to going outdoors.
For cats, diffusion is preferred of either old with added tick repelling oils or new.
Support for the Immune System if bitten
Once removed apply an oil directly to the area as soon as possible - the following oils are suitable either neat or diluted as a quick way to support the immune system - copaiba, lavender, frankincense, melissa or helichrysum or apply blend as mentioned below if already made up.
This advice is not instead of veterinary advice but designed to support veterinary care - don't delay in seeking specialist advice should any symptoms start to occur or a rash develps
If they have been bitten by ticks, On Guard is going to be your pal.
For dogs over 20kg use the On Guard Plus 1 of them twice a day for 5-10 days.
If they have been diagnosed with Lymes Disease, On Guard Plus 1 softgel twice daily for 14 days, and the Deep Blue Polyphenol Complex capsules as needed for pain for dogs over 20kg. - you could also add in Zendocrine to support the detoxification process
For dogs under 20kg, just ½ of one twice daily same as the Deep Blue Polyphenol Complex, and give 1 drop each of On Guard and Melissa twice daily for 14 days with food - also consider Zendocrine half dose
Optional additions DDR Prime – for dogs over 20kgs , give 1 softgel or 3 drops 1-2 times daily. For dogs under 20kgs, give 1 drop twice daily with food.
For Paralysis Tick Support
Use the same as above but add in 1 drop of Helichrysum orally too in dogs over 10kg under 10kg use a toothpick amount.
Consider a blend along the spine with Helichrysum, Melissa, Thyme and Copaiba appropriately diluted for the size of dog but no more than 1 drop of Thyme in 10ml of FCO as it is a hot oil.
Information given here is not intended as a substitute for medical or veterinary consultation - the author has no liability nor responsibility with respect to any issues occurring out of use such as damage, loss, injury.