The ticks They are ectoparasitic arachnids, that is, parasites that live on the surface of another living being, and that can carry multiple diseases, some of them very serious. They have two phases: first they are small and they run through the animal’s skin producing an unpleasant tickle, which makes the animal desperate to scratch the area. In Spain they are known at this stage as the tick spider.
Once it is attached to the skin, that is when it sucks the blood of the animal or person and begins to inflate as it feeds. Once it grows, it reaches the size of a white bean, which makes it easier to detect. That is your second phase.
The tick attaches itself to the dog’s skin by hypostome (place where the tentacles, the gastrovascular cavity, etc.) and through the lambs. The hypostome is a structure that has harpoon shape and the lambs are another structure with a hook shape. The most important thing to keep in mind before ripping a tick out of your pet’s skin is that these structures, located on the insect’s head, don’t get stuck inside your pet’s skin, as this can lead to serious infection .
How to know if you have ticks
When ticks are small, detecting them is quite difficult, especially in those dogs or cats that have long hair. However, there are some warning signs that can give you a clue. Among those symptoms are redness in the skin of the animal, a itching very intense, rash, e swelling among others. In the most serious cases, if there is a generalized parasitosisthen the veterinarian will advise us to use veterinary prescription products, whose effectiveness is much higher.
Commercial tick remedies
• Anti-tick pipettes. These pipettes contain a liquid that is applied directly to the animal’s skin. These pipettes can protect your dog from both ticks and fleas.
• Edible tablets. The consumption of these tablets varies according to the weight of your dog. The protection against fleas and ticks it provides is for up to a month.
• Anti-tick collars. Without a doubt, this is the most durable and long-term remedy, since it can protect your pet for up to six months from its initial use.
• Products such as syrups, shampoos and sprays: These are much more specific and can be accompanied by the treatments of our specialist.
Of course, these remedies present an immediate, direct and effective solution. But if you are one of those who prefers natural and domestic remedies for the care of your pet, then take note of what is coming. Of course, before applying them it is essential that you consult the veterinarian, especially if your pets suffer or have suffered at some point from dermatological problems.
Now yes, we can continue!
A female tick can lay up to 4,500 eggs and these can take between two and 20 weeks to hatch, depending on environmental factors and humidity. If the temporary conditions are adverse, the eggs can wait up to three years to hatch. That is why we are not going to give that freedom to any happy family of ticks to lodge in the body of your pet. In Spain we have a flea and tick plague season that lasts approximately six months, its appearance coinciding with the arrival of spring.
There are two ways to remove the tick safely
one. One of them would be through special tweezers for ticksgrabbing it directly by the head, making a slight turn with the wrist as if you wanted to remove something by curving in the opposite direction to the direction in which the tick is embedded in the skin.
two. The other way is to do it with your hands. This is the one we like least and least recommend because of the possible consequences that the tick can infect you with any disease. So we suggest you use latex gloves and disinfect your hands as soon as you finish the job. But we want to show it to you equally in case you find yourself traveling with your dog, or in a situation where you cannot access the tweezers that we have mentioned, and you have no choice but to do it with your hands. The method is all about locating the tick and grabbing it with your fingers. It can spin it out, giving it three laps will be more than enough. Of course, you must do it with great care to prevent the head with its harpoons from staying inside, since this can cause a possible infection that would lead your pet to have serious diseases.
As you tear them from your animal’s skin, put them in a closed container or glass to keep them safe and you’ll decide how to get rid of them, because if you leave them alive and hanging around your house, you’ll probably all end up infested and your pet will suffer an even more serious infestation, since they reproduce very quickly and in large numbers.
How to prevent ticks
one. Apple vinager: its acetic acid, which gives it a sour taste, acts effectively not only against ticks, but also against fleas and lice. Mix the same amount of water as the apple in a container. That is, if we add 200ml of water, we will add 200ml of vinegar. Once mixed, we will introduce it in a clean cloth with which we will rub our pet’s skin very well and let it act for a few minutes before giving it a good bath.
two. Citrus: citrus fruits produce a high rejection in ticks. Both lemon, orange, grapefruit or lime are valid, but our favorite fruit for these cases is lemon, since its benefits are much broader and it also acts as a disinfectant and helps to better cleanse the skin. Boil a cup of water and put two lemons cut in half in it and cook the mixture over medium heat for an hour so that it infuses well. Let it cool and put the content in a sprayer. Apply it on your pet’s skin being careful to avoid contact with her eyes.
3. Chamomile: Prepare an infusion of chamomile, let it cool and with the help of a cotton pad, gently rub your pet’s skin. This repellent makes ticks flee from the body faster.
Four. Natural oils: oregano oil kills ticks, but since it is a spicy oil, it must be diluted in coconut oil, which is also very good since, in addition to causing ticks to feel choked and scaring them away, it hydrates your pet’s skin very well and leaves your fur clean and radiant. If you are going to use essential oils, we recommend that you only use two drops and dilute them in a large container of water.
It is very important that between spring and autumn you have your pet dewormed. We advise you to check it well after each walk, as this way you will be able to realize faster if it has ticks or not. Remember that in just 24 hours they can get hooked and transmit diseases.
Source: Lasexta
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
