Ticks in dogs: everything important about tick protection
Unfortunately, spring brings not only rising temperatures and longer days, but also an increased activity of ticks. Especially for dogs, these tiny parasites represent a considerable danger, which is why the topic of tick protection is very important in the warmer months of the year.
What consequences an infestation with ticks can have for dogs and where the little bloodsuckers especially like to lurk for their victims, you will learn in the following. We also explain what you need to know about tick protection for dogs and why not all tick repellents are a good choice.
Which ticks infest dogs?
Ticks are an order of mites. As so-called ectoparasites, they attack the skin of their hosts, pierce it and feed on the blood of their victim. More than 900 different species of ticks are known worldwide. Most of them are counted either as shield ticks or leather ticks.
By no means are all ticks are a danger for dogs. In Europe, the common wood tick and the alluvial forest tick are mainly responsible for tick bites in dogs. In addition, the hedgehog tick and the sheep tick can also partially infest dogs.
The brown dog tick, on the other hand, is mainly common in Southern Europe. However, it can be introduced during holidays and survive at least in the protected environment of an apartment or a dog kennel and thus occasionally infest dogs across Europe as well.
When is the risk of ticks in dogs particularly high?
In general, it is said that in Europe, the time between March and October is tick season. However, ticks only need a sufficiently warm temperature of about seven degrees. When ticks actually pose a risk to dogs and humans therefore depends on the weather. In mild winters or generally warmer regions, tick bites in dogs are therefore quite possible outside the typical tick season.
Why dogs are attacked by ticks so frequently
Ticks prefer damp and shady places, while they usually avoid dry places with direct sunlight. Some tick species wait in tall grasses as well as in bushes and trees for potential victims, while other ticks actively seek out potential hosts such as dogs.
Ticks also pose a serious risk to humans. However, when walking, dogs are usually much more likely to be in the direct territory of the small bloodsuckers, while humans usually move through bushes and undergrowth far less frequently. The probability of an infestation with ticks is therefore particularly high for dogs.
Ticks in dogs: how a tick bite occurs
If a tick succeeds in getting onto the dog's body, it will look for a suitable place there for its blood meal. Although one generally speaks of a tick bite in dogs, strictly speaking, it is a tick sting. In order to pierce the skin of their victims, ticks have a stinging trunk, which in many cases is equipped with barbs as “teeth”.
When a tick has stung its victim, it first releases a secretion. This contains various substances with anti-inflammatory, anaesthetic and anticoagulant effects. This prevents the dog from noticing the tick bite.
With male ticks, the blood meal usually lasts a few days. Female ticks can even remain on the dog's body for several weeks, as they require additional nutrients for the production of their eggs and therefore need to absorb more blood.
Ticks in dogs: vectors of dangerous diseases
The body of a female tick can grow to a size of up to three centimetres through the blood meal. Nevertheless, the amount of blood the dog loses when bitten by a tick is very small and in itself completely unproblematic.
Nevertheless, the small parasites pose a considerable danger. This is because ticks can carry a number of pathogens and infect dogs with them during the sucking process.
The following diseases can be caused by ticks in dogs:
- Lyme disease
- Babesiosis
- Ehrlichiosis
- TBE
- Anaplasmosis
Borreliosis due to ticks in dogs
It is estimated that about 30 percent of all ticks in Europe carry borrelia. Not surprisingly, Lyme disease is therefore one of the most common infectious diseases in Europe, which are caused by ticks in dogs.
The incubation period is between two weeks and several months. Initially, the infection with Lyme disease in affected dogs is only noticeable by a spreading reddening of the skin around the tick's bite. However, this wandering redness is difficult to detect through the coat.
In the further course of time Lyme disease can manifest itself in dogs through the following symptoms:
- More or less regular fever attacks
- Loss of appetite
- Lassitude
- Pain and inflammation of the joints
- Muscle aches
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- Lameness
- Problems with the kidneys and heart
In severe cases, Lyme disease transmitted to the dog by ticks can take a chronic course and lead to permanent nerve damage. As a rule, antibiotics are used for treatment. A borreliosis vaccination reduces the risk of infection and can at least usefully supplement tick protection in dogs in severely affected regions.
Babesiosis caused by ticks in dogs
Babesiosis is another disease that can be caused by ticks in dogs. The babesias responsible for the infection are mainly transmitted by the alluvial forest tick and the brown dog tick.
Babesias are unicellular organisms that destroy the red blood cells of the affected quadruped. This leads to anaemia and initially manifests itself through quite unspecific symptoms.
The following symptoms can indicate an infection with babesiosis in dogs:
- Recurring fever attacks
- Loss of appetite
- Lassitude
- Pale mucous membranes
- Low blood pressure
- Jaundice
- enlargement of the spleen
Untreated, babesiosis transmitted by ticks is fatal for dogs. A timely visit to the vet can prevent this in many cases. Babesiosis is treated with antiprotozoals.
Ehrlichiosis caused by ticks in dogs
Ehrlichiosis is mainly transmitted by the brown dog tick. Compared to other diseases like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis in dogs is therefore quite rare in Europe. However, there is a risk when travelling on holiday with a dog as well, as through imported ticks.
Ehrlichiosis is caused by the bacterium Ehrlichia canis. Approximately 10 days after the infection, the acute phase of the disease begins. This manifests itself with symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, swollen lymph nodes and sometimes muscle twitching.
After about two to four weeks, the symptoms subside. However, the ehrlichiosis can later turn into a chronic phase of the disease.
Timely treatment with antibiotics usually allows for quite good progress in treatment. However, depending on the strain of bacteria, the disease can also take a severe course. Effective tick protection for dogs is therefore very important, especially when travelling to risk areas.
TBE through ticks in dogs
FSME (early summer meningoencephalitis) is a viral disease that can be transmitted by ticks, especially in countries in Central and Eastern Europe. TBE occurs primarily in humans and can cause permanent neurological damage.
However, ticks can also infect dogs with TBE. In affected animals, the disease usually takes a severe course, often resulting in the death of the quadruped.
Typical symptoms of TBE include muscle tremors, dizziness, fever, paralysis and overstretching of the limbs and trunk. For dogs with TBE, treatment options are limited to alleviating the symptoms and in many cases, permanent impairment persists.
Anaplasmosis caused by ticks in dogs
Anaplasmosis is widespread in Europe. In our country, the anaplasms responsible for the bacterial infectious disease are primarily transmitted to dogs by the tick species Common Woodbuck.
Although studies suggest that 20 to 50 percent of all dogs may be infected with anaplasmosis, only a small percentage of dogs actually contract anaplasmosis. When this is the case, symptoms such as joint inflammation, lameness, loss of appetite and fatigue occur.
In some cases, anaplasmosis in dogs can also lead to bleeding of the mucous membranes and coagulation disorders. If a dog also suffers from Lyme disease at the same time, the clinical picture can become significantly worse. The treatment of anaplasmosis requires the administration of antibiotics for several weeks.
Effective tick protection for dogs
In view of the considerable risks that tick infestation poses to dogs, effective tick protection during the warm months of the year is very important. In this context, it is particularly important to prevent tick infestation from the outset, or to remove already existing parasites from the dog's body at least as quickly as possible.
Removing ticks from dogs correctly
When ticks get onto a dog's body, it usually takes a moment for them to find a suitable place to bite. In addition, several hours usually elapse before pathogens are transmitted via the bite.
By regularly checking your dog for ticks and removing them immediately if present, the risk of infection can therefore be significantly reduced.
Where ticks bite dogs
If a dog is stung by a tick, this happens very often on the chest, shoulders, neck and head of the quadruped. Dog owners should therefore pay special attention to these areas of the body when controlling ticks.
In some cases, however, tick bites can also occur on the dog's legs or back, so we recommend a thorough check of the entire body, especially after walks in risk areas.
Completely remove ticks from your dog after the bite
If the tick has already bitten the dog, it must be removed immediately. It is important that the body of the parasite is not crushed with the fingers. This can accelerate the transmission of possible pathogens.
This also applies to the use of glue, nail polish remover or petrol to kill the tick during the sucking process. A professional removal is usually only possible by using tweezers or special tick tweezers.
This is the right way to remove ticks from your dog:
- Expose the tick between the dog's hair
- Place the tweezers or tick forceps as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull the tick slowly out of the dog's skin.
- A slight twisting motion can help to keep a steady hand.
- Make sure that the head of the tick does not get stuck in the skin.
- Kill and dispose of the extracted parasite with due care.
If you are unsure how to remove the tick from your dog, consult a veterinarian. This also applies if the skin reddens in the weeks following the tick bite or if you notice possible symptoms of illness in your dog.
Tick protection by tick repellent for dogs
The use of special tick repellents for dogs is especially useful in areas with a large number of ticks. As the owner, you have various possibilities to support the protection of your dog against ticks in this way.
For example, special tick collars and spot-ons, which are dropped on the neck of the quadruped, are common. In addition, there are now also natural tick repellents for dogs.
Possible problems caused by chemical tick remedies for dogs
Classic tick remedies such as collars and spot-ons usually contain insecticides. These are intended to kill any ticks present on the dog's body and thus protect it from possible infection with pathogens. What sounds reasonable in theory, in practice has two major problems.
Firstly, insecticides are poisons that not only kill ticks, but also put a considerable strain on the health of dogs and in the long term can even cause paralysis and liver and kidney damage.
On the other hand, the use of a chemical tick repellent can lead to the killing of ticks during the sucking process and even accelerate the transmission of existing pathogens.
Natural tick repellents for dogs as a safe alternative
As you can see, chemical tick repellents can damage your dog's health and in some cases even increase the risk of infection with diseases such as Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. We therefore recommend that you give preference to natural alternatives for protecting your dog against ticks.
Tick protection for your dog with ZEComplete from Bellfor
With ZEComplete Spray from Bellfor you will find a well-tolerated tick repellent with natural ingredients in our range. The spray contains various fats and oils with a high lauric acid content.
Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid whose replicating (deterrent) effect on ticks has already been proven by studies (*). If the spray is applied to the dog's coat before going for a walk, the smell of the quadruped will change, which can significantly reduce the risk of tick infestation.
Unlike classic tick repellents for dogs, ZEComplete does not cause any side effects thanks to natural ingredients such as insect fat and coconut oil. To support the effect of the spray, ZEComplete is also available in the form of tasty soft bites and dog biscuits as a supplement to tick protection.
The most important facts about ticks in dogs at a glance
Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites that become active from an outside temperature of about seven degrees. Since ticks can infect dogs with dangerous diseases such as anaplasmosis or borreliosis, reliable tick protection is very important during the warm months of the year.
Besides the timely removal of existing ticks, various tick repellents for dogs can be used. Since classic preparations against ticks in dogs usually contain highly toxic insecticides, we recommend the use of a natural alternative such as Bellfor ZEComplete.
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