17/04/2024
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Today's Parasite Month Post: A crash course on ticks 🕷
Ticks and your pet - what do you need to know? 🤓
🩺 In Ireland, ticks thrive between April and October.
🩺 Ticks are most commonly found in long grass and wooded areas, but can exist almost anywhere.
🩺 Ticks feed off blood.
🩺 Some pets may display symptoms (itchy/hair loss) if a tick is present on the skin but some pets will display no symptoms, which is why it is important to check your pet for ticks.
Why are Ticks relevant to my pet? 🤓
🩺 Ticks are vectors for disease.
🩺The 'sheep tick' and 'hedgehog tick' are the most common ticks affecting dogs and cats in Ireland and can transmit 'Lyme disease' and Anaplasmosis (both of which are bacterial diseases).
🩺Less commonly found ticks can transmit Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis.
Lyme Disease - the basics. 🤓
🩺 Research in Ireland is limited in this area, but the UK has seen a rise in diagnosis of this disease in dogs.
🩺 Causes fever and enlarged lymph nodes along with shifting lameness in some patients.
🩺 There are many conflicting opinions, but the ESCCAP guidelines state that ticks must be attached/feeding for 16-24 hours to transmit this disease.
What can I do?
🩺 Regular treatment of your pet with anti-parasitic medications (recommended by your vet) can help prevent/treat tick infestations. 👨⚕