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| Ticks - HEALTH CARE - THE DEN - Canine Corner | ||||||||||||
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Robi Pack Leader 
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Ticks are categorized in the class of Arachnida, phylum Arthropoda. Even if your Latin is rusty, you might recognize Arachnida as the class of creature that also includes insects such as spiders, scorpions, and mites. Arachnida are characterized by four pairs of segmented legs and a body that is divided into two regions. There are over 800 species of ticks worldwide and they all feed on the blood of mammals, birds and reptiles. The two families of tick are called Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae (soft ticks). The Ixodidae have a hard dorsal scutum (shield). Argasidae have a soft exoskeleton with no scutum. While one would seem to be weaker, both groups unfortunately have the ability to transmit disease. The saliva of the hard tick has an anesthetic effect at the site of the bite. The saliva also helps keep the blood flowing by keeping it from clotting while the tick is feeding. In many hard ticks, the saliva also acts like cement, helping to anchor the tick in place and making it harder for you to remove it. Most ticks are three-host ticks, which means they feed on a separate host for each stage of the life cycle, larvae, nymph and adult. The tick can spread different diseases, namely Lyme Disease, to your pet. Each tick host can last for over 200 days without feeding. It is important to treat your dog against ticks. Tick Diseases Dogs are susceptible to the diseases that ticks carry. Even with a strict regimen of preventative products, ticks can still turn your perfect pooch into one sick puppy. Here are the big ones to watch out for. Lyme Disease is probably the most recognizable tick-borne illness. For you ancient Romans and scientists, it is caused by the bacterium “Borrelia burgdorferi”, which is transmitted to humans and pets by the bite of infected deer ticks. In 2002, there were over 23,000 cases of Lyme Disease reported in humans in the US. The bearer of the disease is a member of the Ixodes family and uses a three-host life cycle. The ticks parasitize small mammals (think rodents) in their immature stages and larger mammals in their adult stage (think you and your pet). These ticks are very small; in fact, they are no bigger than a pinhead during their immature stages. Ticks feed by inserting their mouths into the skin of a host and slowly take in blood. During feeding, “Borrelia burgdorferi” can be transmitted to the host. Tick Paralysis is caused by a neurotoxin found in tick saliva. An infected pet will show signs in five to nine days after tick attachment. The typical symptoms are general loss of neuromuscular function, starting most often from the back end of the animal and then moving forward. Diagnosis of tick paralysis is usually based on clinical signs, presence of ticks, and ruling out other causes of paralysis. Luckily, the clinical typically resolve soon after tick removal. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is most commonly transmitted by the American dog tick and, though is sounds like it could be a John Denver song; it’s a pretty miserable experience for your furry buddy. Symptoms appear in three to 12 days after tick contact and include sudden onset of fever, headache, and aching muscles. A rash usually develops on the wrists and ankles on the second or third day of fever. The rash then spreads to involve the rest of the body, including the palms and soles. The microorganism Ehrlichia canis causes Canine Ehrlichiosis. The tick Rhipicephalus sanguineous can transmit Ehrlichia to dogs when feeding on their blood. Once affected, dogs may have enlarged spleen, swollen legs and pale gums. In terms of behavior, which is easier to monitor, an affected dog may become lethargic and experience weight loss. Hepatozoon Canis is a protozoal organism that is transmitted when a dog ingests an infected Rhipicephalus sanguineous tick. Red flag symptoms for this disease are fever, poor body condition, stiff gait, muscle pain and eye and nasal discharge. Canine Babesiosis is caused by the protozoan parasite, Babesia canis and, like other diseases, is transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Clinical signs of infection include severe anemia. With almost any sickness in any animal, a dog that feels bad will probably act like it. Keep a keen eye on your pet’s behavior. If your dog loses appetite, starts acting lethargic or has any of the specific symptoms above, take him to a veterinarian. TICK REMOVAL Tick's mouthparts have reverse harpoon-like barbs, designed to penetrate and attach to skin. Ticks secrete a cement-like substance that helps them adhere firmly to the host. If you find that a tick has bitten you or your pets, it is important to remove it properly. Tick Removal Procedure: 1) Use fine-point tweezers to grasp the tick at the place of attachment, as close to the skin as possible. 2) Gently pull the tick straight out. 3) Place the tick in a small vial labeled with the victim's name, address and the date. 4) Wash your hands, disinfect the tweezers and bite site. 5) Mark your calendar with the victim's name, place of tick attachment on the body, and general health at the time. 6) Call your doctor to determine if treatment is warranted. 7) Watch the tick-bite site and your general health for signs or symptoms of a tick-borne illness. Make sure you mark any changes in your health status on your calendar. 8) If possible, have the tick identified/tested by a lab, your local health department, or veterinarian. If the mouth parts break off in the skin - should I dig them out? One viewpoint states that the mouth parts can cause a secondary infection, and should be removed as if it was a splinter. A pediatrician in a hyper endemic area shared another viewpoint. He states that parents can do more harm by trying to hold down a child and dig out the mouth parts with a needle. He instructs his families to leave the mouth parts, and that they will come out on their own as the skin sloughs off. CAUTIONS: Children should be taught to seek adult help for tick removal. If you must remove the tick with your fingers, use a tissue or leaf to avoid contact with infected tick fluids. Do not prick, crush or burn the tick as it may release infected fluids or tissue. Do not try to smother the tick (e.g. petroleum jelly, nail polish) as the tick has enough oxygen to complete the feeding. To reduce ticks on your property: 1) Reduce the humidity in your property. Ticks are susceptible to dehydration. You can reduce humidity in property by: pruning trees, clearing brush, removing litter, mowing grass short, and letting it dry thoroughly between waterings. 2) Move shrubbery and overgrowth farther away from areas frequented by people. You can do this by frequently mowing and landscaping such areas. 3) Make your property unattractive to animals that are hosts to ticks. Accomplish this by: eliminating birdfeeders, birdbaths, and salt licks; erecting fencing around the property; clearing away wood, garbage, and leaf piles; removing stonewalls that provide homes to wildlife. 4) Have your property chemically treated. You can kill ticks on your property by applying the following chemicals: cyfluthrin, chlorpyrifos, and carbaryl. Seek professional advice before application from either your local agricultural station or lawn and garden center. *There are two forms of prevention of Lyme Disease. The most important is tick prevention. Using insecticides made for dogs that are applied once a month to repel ticks is the best method. Keep your pets and yourself away from grassy areas with lots of shrubs and brush. The second form of prevention is vaccination. Since no vaccination is 100% effective, tick prevention is also necessary along with the vaccination. Treating the yard where the dog stays is another form of prevention that will help keep ticks off the area where the dog spends most of its time.
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| Canine Corner > THE DEN > HEALTH CARE > Ticks | |
