Ticks

There is nothing more important than the health of our family and our pets. There are some very important human and veterinary diseases that can be transmitted by ticks. Ticks are small arthropods that feed on blood of their hosts. Our pets are exposed to ticks outside in yards or tall grassy areas. When they come in contact with ticks, the ticks attach to pets and feed on their blood. During this feeding process a small amount of saliva is injected back into the host. This saliva from the tick can transmit unwanted diseases. Because different species of ticks carry different diseases, it can be important to identify which type of tick you are dealing with. On the back of the tick is a shield, called a scutum, which is helpful for identifying species of ticks.

The most successful management of ticks includes four basic steps: housekeeping, pet treatment, indoor treatment, and outdoor treatment. The homeowner must vacuum the home and kennel to remove debris. Please consult your veterinarian for the most appropriate treatment and prevention for your pet.

Check your pets regularly for ticks and consider using a preventative for your pets. To protect themselves, we encourage people to wear long pants and tuck their pants into their socks when hiking. Pest repellents can also be useful when spending time outdoors. Infestations may be reduced by keeping grass mowed shorter than three inches. Regular mowing will also reduce rodent populations. Pro Pest Care is pleased to offer a lawn treatment to eliminate ticks from the source. The optimum time for lawn applications is in early spring to reduce the number of larvae that survived the winter.

Deer ticks are a very important tick species because they transmit Lyme Disease. Lyme disease is the most important tick borne disease in the United States. It causes illness in both humans and dogs. The deer ticks that carry this disease are very tiny. They are found in grassy areas, open fields, and areas where fields meet wooded areas. They prefer white tailed deer as their host but will also commonly be found on small mammals such as field mice as well as humans and pets.

Dogs are the favorite host of the American dog tick. It is the largest of the eastern wood ticks. They will feed on humans and medium to large mammals. They have few predators. They can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, tularemia and can cause tick paralysis. Thankfully, they do not survive well indoors.

The brown dog tick is the most common tick found indoors. These ticks typically feed behind the ears and between the toes of dogs. Young ticks will feed along the back of a dog. Dogs do not normally get these ticks directly from other dogs. They usually pick up ticks as they rub along an infested area. The ticks live on tall grasses and vegetation where they come in contact with your pet.