How do I prevent my dog from getting ticks?Yes! The sun is back, the parks and forests turn green again and fill with everything that is happy. One of these happy creatures is the tick, an insect that makes us as humans and dogs less happy, but which we can do a lot about, if well informed. |
What are ticks? |
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You may know that ticks can cause Lyme disease, but these critters don't stop there. Ticks are, after the mosquito, the insects that spread the most diseases among animals and people in the world. Ticks are related to spiders, they have eight legs and have been on this world a lot longer than dogs or humans (+/- 100 million years). They have flat, oval bodies that swell when they feed, and as you may know, they feed on blood. The blood of all kinds of animals, from birds to deer and from humans to our four-legged friends. Ticks are also very small. This means they are hard to spot and often go unnoticed when they crawl up your arm or pants. Ticks can't jump and don't just fall from trees. They are good walkers and climbers, which is part of the reason why they are so good at transmitting disease without getting caught. |
Where do ticks mainly occur? |
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Ticks are very sensitive to temperature and humidity differences. They thrive best in areas with dense vegetation. They need this to survive, reproduce and establish themselves. Areas such as forests, grasslands and heaths provide this type of vegetation layer and the appropriate number of blood donors. Ticks can also be found in city parks and our own gardens (our own gardens? YES our own cute little gardens). Ticks can be abundant within these outdoor areas as ticks feed on mice and other smaller animal species during their early life stages. These outdoor areas are used by many different animal species in addition to us, making it the ideal environment for ticks to live. For more information regarding drawing activity in the Netherlands, go to; the website of drawing radar. |
When are ticks active? |
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In the Netherlands (and in many other countries in Northern Europe) the activity of young ticks increases in the spring, with a peak from April to June. During this period, the chance of encountering a tick is greatest. Tick activity decreases during the summer months, but may increase again in early autumn as temperatures gradually return to mediocre. Ticks remain active until the winter months, but the chance of a bite or visit from a tick is much smaller. Unlike young ticks, adult ticks can be active all year round. |
How do I check my dog for ticks? |
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It is important to regularly carry out a tick check after a walk in the woods or park. The chance of a visit from a tick after a walk on the beach is minimal, so keep thinking for yourself when a check may be necessary. You perform a tick check by looking and feeling yourself for ticks that may have attached themselves between the hair and on the skin. Make sure you slide your fingers over your dog's skin during the check and check every suspicious spot. Check in particular: ● Between the toes ● Eyelids ● Under the collar / harness ● Armpits ● Head and ears ● Pubic area ● Tail It looks like you have to turn your entire dog inside out if you want to meet the above checklist, but the possible consequences and aftercare of a tick bite are a lot bigger than a small tick check after a walk. TIP: Start physical examinations on your pup as early as possible. As a result, he/she gets used to this form of touch, making it easier for you to perform a similar check in the future. This habituation of touch is also a useful feature for the vet :) . |
How do I remove a tick? |
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Research shows that the longer a tick has the chance to feed, the risk of transmission of Lyme disease increases. It is therefore very important that a tick is removed quickly and correctly after it has been found. The safest way to properly remove a tick is by using a tick removal tool or pointy tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible (be careful not to grab or squeeze the tick's body) and slowly and firmly pull the tick upwards. Do not twist or spin the tick! When this happens, the head of the tick can become detached from the body, which can significantly increase the risk of infection. We recommend that you always have such a tool at home as a precaution! The investment is minimal and it immediately gives you the opportunity to remove the tick without having to order or buy it first. From GULA unfortunately we don't have such a nice tool in our range yet, but our colleagues from the brands below offer sufficient solutions! Some good tools are: |
Prevention is better than… |
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Prevention is obviously better than cure... So how can you best ensure that your four-legged friend can stay tick free? Every dog owner has his preference in this and every dog also reacts differently to the suggestions below. Therefore, be careful in the choice you make to protect your dog against ticks. Drawing tapes Advantages: ● Works for a longer period of time, some work up to eight months ● Easy way to protect your dog ● No prescription needed and easy to buy ● In many cases also provide protection against fleas ● Quick and easy
● Higher initial costs ● Some dogs do not respond well to the anti-tick ingredients in the collar
● Seresto drawing tape (with anti-tick ingredients) ● Ceramic drawing tape – Look up for this Etsy or for example at small-scale entrepreneurs on Instagram Pipette treatments Advantages: ● Some pipette treatments have a repellent effect and thus prevent a bite ● Quick and easy to apply ● For sale without a prescription ● Also provide protection against fleas
● Owners must repeat the pipette treatment on a regular basis ● Liquid must be applied properly to the skin or it will not work ● Some dogs do not respond well to the anti-tick ingredients in the pipette
● Advantix Anti-tick sprays Advantages: ● Works immediately upon contact with the tick ● Enables owners to react quickly to ticks ● Can be sprayed in hard to reach places
● Only kills ticks on the dog at the time of application ● Does not provide preventative protection
● CarePlus Drawing tablets Advantages: ● Quick and easy to use (have a nice taste) ● Some work for up to three months
● Requires ticks to bite your dog before they work ● Owners must repeat the tablet treatment on a regular basis ● Often only available by prescription ● Some dogs do not respond well to the anti-tick ingredients in the tablet (rare)
● Bravecto ● Milbemax Draw shampoos Advantages: ● Kills and repels ticks on contact with your dog ● Enables owners to react quickly to ticks ● Also provide protection against fleas
● Kills only ticks present on your dog at the time of application ● Does not provide preventative protection
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