After the long and harsh winter that hit many parts of the country last year, it’s highly likely your dogs are already feeling bored are restless. Playing outdoors under the spring sun is a good way for them to release some pent-up energy.
But before you let your dogs out the door, you need to protect them from tick infestation with these practical animal health tips:
- Check your dogs for ticks whenever they come in from the outside. It takes hard work, but it’s worth the effort because it means preventing a tick infection before it even starts.
- Remove all ticks you find. Ticks multiply fast, so the sooner you get rid of them, the lower the chances of an infection from happening. Use tweezers with a fine end for easy captures.
- Bring your dogs to the vet for a regular checkup. The trained eye of a professional may be able to catch ticks that you didn’t know were lurking there.
- Chat with your vet about the dangers of ticks and the preventive measures you can take. These doctors are experts in their field, so it’s best to listen when they’ve got something to say about your dogs.
- Ask specifically about Lyme vaccine and whether or not your dogs need it. If Lyme disease is prevalent in your area, your dogs may be at a higher risk of contracting it if they’re not adequately protected.
- Use anti-tick products like sprays and other forms of repellants when your dogs are scheduled to go outside. These products add a layer of protection against ticks.
- Wash your dogs with tick shampoo. A thorough bath gets rid of whatever ticks that are still hanging in there after manual inspections.
- Put a tick collar around your dogs’ necks. These accessories are both fashionable and functional; they come in many colors and designs, and they can also protect animals from ticks for weeks or months.
- Improve tick-prone areas in your home. Ticks flourish in moist and dark areas, so if you have such spaces in your home, make them as tick-unfrlendly as you can.
No one else suffers as much as your dogs when they get tick infection, so in the case of animal health, the old adage still rings true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.