With tick season underway in B.C, it’s a good time to protect your pets against the parasites.
Veterinarians say that prevention is key, especially since ticks have been carrying more diseases than they did 20 years ago.
And this prevention comes in many shapes and forms.
“We have a chewable that’s administered monthly. There are also some companies that have a topical preparation, and there is one new one out this year that’s an injectable as well,” Dr. Karen Ward, the chief veterinary officer of the Toronto Humane Society, told CityNews.
With warmer temperatures year-round, she recommends having those products on hand 365 days a year.
Experts say that tick-prevention treatments for pets can even benefit their humans’ health.
“Our animals can act like a little bit of an environmental sentinel for us,” Ward explained.
“When we see the dogs testing positive for exposure to these tick-borne diseases, it really makes us more aware of them because we travel in the same place as our pets do, we’re encountering these same ticks, and that’s a risk to our health. If you have your dog and your dog has tested positive for exposure to those tick-borne diseases, you can tell your health-care professional if you’re not feeling well.”
Related:
She adds that ticks can attack pets very easily when they are outside as parasites wait on blades of grass, and dogs or cats will grab onto whatever comes by.
“Ticks have an organ that senses vibration, humidity, carbon dioxide, and heat. The ticks live in the leaf litter. Pets are likely at higher risk than we are because they’re encountering them in the environment more,” Ward said.
According to the B.C. government, there are more than 20 different kinds of ticks in the province, while only three species can be dangerous to humans.
The highest exposure to ticks is during spring and early summer.
Two ticks are predominantly present in B.C., with the Rocky Mountain wood tick roaming the province’s Interior and the western black-legged tick posing a danger in the highly populated areas of B.C.’s coastal areas.
It is recommended to seek medical help when people develop fever, rash, or flu‑like symptoms and they experience troubles with swallowing, speaking, or breathing.
Preventive measures for humans can include wearing long clothing, as this keeps ticks from attaching themselves to human skin.
Additionally, checking for signs of the parasites on the body, including the pet’s fur, can prevent ticks from entering homes.
– With files from Audra Brown.