Effective ways to protect pets from ticks

Due to the extremely warm winter, increased tick activity is observed this year, so if you are often in the forest or near bodies of water, you should carefully inspect it after each walk and remove the sucked tick as soon as possible, according to the report.

“It is best to grasp a vacuum-mite with tweezers as close to your head as possible and gently without twisting it. To unhook it, it is recommended to move sideways and slowly remove it by turning it counterclockwise. It is important to disinfect the bite site with an alcohol solution. Pulling the tick is not always successful, there are cases when the body of the tick separates from the head. Then you should contact your vet as soon as possible to get rid of it safely. After removing the tick, it is important to closely monitor the pet and see a veterinarian if they notice signs of deterioration, because when treatment is started on time, the animal generally recovers, “said Sigitas Siriukaitis, Advisor to the Division of SFVS Veterinary Drugs and Food.

According to an SFVS specialist, one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in pets is babesiosis. It is a malaria-like disease caused by protozoa that parasitize the blood called babesias. The main symptoms of babesiosis are fever, apathy, general weakness, loss of appetite, and weight. A sick pet may also experience diarrhea, vomiting, discoloration, and discoloration of urine. As the disease progresses, symptoms worsen, a pet may experience seizures and even a coma, and untreated animals may die. Dogs and young animals with a weakened immune system, high levels of parasites, or other infections are more susceptible to babesiosis. Immunity does not develop if the pet develops babesiosis.

Erliquiosis or anaplasmosis is quite common with babesiosis. Therefore, ingestion of a single tick can infect various diseases. The most common symptoms of these diseases are fever, loss of appetite, apathy, weight loss, discharge from the eyes and nose, bleeding from the nose and swollen extremities. Some animals may vomit, have diarrhea, cough, and shortness of breath. Another disease that tick-borne bacteria can cause in dogs is borreliosis or Lyme disease. When infected, it can develop inflammation of the joints and the animal becomes flabby, as well as swollen lymph nodes, loses appetite, and is sensitive to touch. Signs of the disease may appear 1 to 2 or even 5 months after the infected mite is ingested.

All of these diseases can affect not only dogs but also cats, but they have milder symptoms. For example, in Lyme disease, a cat generally limps slightly and recovers fairly quickly when treated. Feline babesiosis is a more serious disease that causes cats to lose their appetite, lose weight, and develop anemia. Sometimes jaundice, vomiting, and shortness of breath may appear. Diseases like erlichiosis and anaplasmosis are very rarely detected in cats in Europe.

To prevent various diseases, it is necessary to take protective measures against possible tick infestation. The most effective way to protect pets from tick-borne diseases is to avoid contact with bloodsuckers. Ticks are repelled by special antiparasitic preparations: necklaces, drops, sprays, special tablets. The vet is best advised on which tool to use in an individual case. Tick ​​repellents must be purchased from a veterinary pharmacy.

“For example, ticks to repel ticks must be inculcated in the skin of the pet’s neck, distributed on the skin after the coat has spread, because they begin to act when absorbed into the skin and into the animal’s bloodstream. When choosing a spray, it is recommended to spray it directly onto the coat. Other effective measures are special tablets and antiparasitic collars that can protect your pet from ticks for several months or even half a year. The collar is waterproof, so your pet can enjoy water entertainment. And if the collar is too long, it can always be shortened so that the animal does not chew, “said S. Siriukaitis.

According to him, although today the variety of antiparasitic measures is extremely wide, all the measures are preventive and cannot guarantee the total protection of animals against tick-borne diseases, although the risk of their use is reduced.