GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — With the weather getting a lot nicer, we’re all spending a lot more time outside with our pets, and if you don’t want to end up spending time at the veterinarian's office, you’re going to have to be extra vigilant about tick prevention again this season.
“So, pretty much if it's above freezing, you should be on the lookout for ticks,” Dr. Elaine Sheikh told me.
Which means that time is right now.
And Dr. Sheikh at the Animal Emergency and Specialty Hospital of Grand Rapids has already been on tick patrol.
“Every year is a bad season for ticks," Dr. Sheikh said. "Unfortunately, the warmer our winters become, the further the tick spread is, and the longer their active season is.”
Just like with humans, dogs can get Lyme Disease from ticks common here in Michigan, but the good news is, it can take a few hours to happen.
“For a tick to pass Lyme disease to a dog, it typically needs to be embedded and attached for greater than 12 hours," she said. "Oftentimes, we're seeing up to 24 hours. So if a dog has a tick that has gotten onto them or is recently embedded, if you're able to promptly identify and remove it, the chances of it passing Lyme disease onto the dog are quite low.”
To avoid that, Dr. Sheikh recommends giving your pet an oral or topical tick treatment and doing a bug check immediately when your pet comes back inside. And if you do find a tick, don’t panic – seeing a tick is different than being bitten by one.
"We recommend that you get tweezers or a tick removal tool from the pet store, and very carefully, just ease back on the tick," said Dr. Sheikh. "Don't twist it, making sure that you pull it straight out and get the entire head and mouthpiece out."
If you have any issues, that's why Vets like Dr. Sheikh are here.
"If it looks like there's a head or mouth piece left embedded, that's time to call your primary care veterinarian," she said.
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