The tick
The tick clings to mammals to gorge itself on their blood. If its sting is painless, it is not as harmless as one might think! And a lot of received ideas circulate about it… By a true-false, let’s try to clarify the received ideas:
Ticks can transmit potentially serious diseases to pets.
TRUE
As in humans, the tick can transmit Lyme disease to mammals. Similarly, certain species of ticks in the United States and around the Mediterranean can cause piroplasmosis, a disease that infects red blood cells and can be fatal. It is therefore important to inspect tick remover for cats after each walk-in nature. Removed within 24 hours of its “stowage”, the risk of disease transmission by the tick is rather reduced.
After a few days, the tick falls off on its own.
TRUE:
Before becoming an adult, the tick first passes through a larval stage (almost invisible to the naked eye), then it becomes a nymph of one or two millimeters. It needs a blood meal at each of these stages. Generally, the adult tick remains attached to its host for a week. Once she has eaten enough, that is, when she is engorged with blood, she drops down… until her next meal-host.
Ticks are mostly caught in the summer.
FALSE:
Ticks in our regions prefer humidity and relatively cool temperatures (but not extreme cold!). They are therefore a little more active in spring and autumn. That said, it is quite possible to catch them in winter and summer, especially when the latter is not particularly hot… which often happens with us! In addition, many dog owners take advantage of sunny days to take longer walks in nature with their four-legged friend, increasing the risk of encountering the embedded fully ticks on dogs.
To remove a tick, it must first be dabbed with ether or alcohol.
FALSE:
Especially not! This “aggression” stresses the tick which risks regurgitating its saliva inside the pet’s body… If it carries pathogenic bacteria, infection is guaranteed! To facilitate the removal, you can put a little petroleum jelly, less irritating for the tick, but it is not mandatory.
There is a way to properly remove a tick.
TRUE:
If you spot a tick on your animal, it must be removed correctly, so as not to break the rostrum, the species of mouth in the shape of a trunk with which it clings to its host. Grab the head of the tick, preferably with special forceps (available in pharmacies), and pull perpendicular to the skin, making small rotational movements. You can use the natural tick remover for dogs to get the job done.
It is possible to prevent ticks from attacking your pet.
TRUE:
There are acaricidal products (anti-ticks and anti- fleas), on sale in pharmacies. In the form of lotions, shampoo, or necklaces, these long-term preventive treatments are effective… provided they are repeated or changed regularly. Indeed, over time, their effectiveness decreases. Pipette products are applied between the shoulder blades, an area that is difficult for pets to lick and rub. The product crosses the skin and diffuses to the whole body via subcutaneous fat.
Down the fleas!
It is difficult to have a pet without being, sooner or later, confronted with fleas, the most common skin parasite. How to spot them? And, above all, how to get rid of them?
“Without treatment, all furry pets (dogs, cats, hamsters, etc.) have fleas,” warns Tanguy Marcotty, veterinarian and parasitologist, from the outset. “Like ticks, fleas are blood-sucking parasites. That is, they feed on the blood of their host.” Little “vampires”, in short! Their bites are itchy, causing your four-legged friend to scratch, bite, rub, or lick. There are other reasons that cause an animal to scratch. So how do you know if it’s fleas?
Identify fleas
You can first take a close look at your pet’s coat. “Fleas are small, dark brown flattened creatures, the size of a pinhead, that can be seen jumping or crawling,” says Tanguy Marcotty. They can be anywhere on the pet’s body, but they are more easily seen on the belly, because there is less hair. Things become difficult if the fleas are puzzled with the color of the coat. Then do the following test: place your animal over a light surface, a sheet of white paper, for example, and rub its fur. Small black grains fall from it? Wet them and crush them: if red traces appear (blood), no doubt: these are flea excrement, and your four-legged friend is infested!
Getting over it:
Although fleas are more numerous from March to September, the ideal conditions that reign in our interiors allow them to reproduce and develop throughout the year. “Adults live and lay on their host, but their eggs fall to the ground and can accumulate in the animal’s basket, carpets or even the folds of armchairs”, explains the veterinarian. “That is the reason why it is important to also care for the environment.”, regularly vacuum carpets, armchairs, and cushions, and put insecticide tablets in the vacuum cleaner bag. “If this is not enough, consider changing your pet’s habits. Examples: changing his basket, no longer letting him lie on the mats or in the armchairs or covering them with a rubber foam mat.
A flea infestation?
It happens that a house or apartment is suddenly invaded by fleas. Before accusing the neighbor’s dog or your mother-in-law’s dog, know that this often happens when houses are empty for a certain period (during holidays, for example). Flea eggs that were their hatch while your pet is away, and the hungry fleas are just waiting for one thing: for the first guest to come through the door! They then throw themselves on him (or on you) like misery on the world! However, it is a good way to rid your home of these undesirables: put a pet at their disposal. The latter will then serve “flea sponge”. Then, administer an anti-flea treatment to eliminate them.