Sunday, May 8, 2011

TICKS




Maui, privileges us with consistent tropical climate.  Our warm and tropical foliage, however, are  inviting to ticks.  This open invitation to the American dog tick is most infectious as an adult.  These dog ticks attach themselves, then become bloated as they feed.  They bury their heads beneath the pet's skin and stay there for days as they suck blood.  You'll see a lime-bean-size leathery  pest that balloons as it becomes full.
REMOVAL OF TICKS:  Use a blunt-tipped tweezer.
                                           Grasp the body very close to pet's skin
                                           and pull it straight out, slowly and 
                                           gently in the opposite direction from 
                                           the mouth's end.
 DISPOSE OF TICK:        Either drop the tick into a container
                                            of rubbing alcohol, or flush it down 
                                            the toilet.
FOLLOW-THROUGH:  If possible, a good idea, to wash the 
                                           tick bite with an antiseptic liquid soap,
                                           or swab it with some 3% hydrogen
                                           peroxide to remove residual tick parts.
FOUND WHERE:           The sparsely furred and hard-to 
                                           reach regions of a dog's body like
                                           the ears, armpits, and between the
                                           toes, are tick targets;  but ticks can 
                                           be found anywhere on the dog' body. 
Prompt removal can prevent most diseases..  Ticks don't hop off the dog and onto another host, so it's nearly impossible to catch something from your pet.


TICK BORNE DISEASE:     Many diseases are spread by ticks because their saliva transmits microscopic organisms when they bite.  Usually however, a tick must be feeding on a pet for at least 12 hours   The Veterinarian should diagnose the problem, but disease -specific medications usually take care of the illness.
It's easy to remove ticks at home,  therefore it's seldom necessary to see your Veterinarian unless you suspect that a tick has given your dog a disease.

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