Dog ticks are one of the most unwanted pet parasites, and they can cause a host of health problems for your dog. In this article you will learn what the more common ticks are, the signs of ticks, and common diseases they cause. Most importantly you'll learn the best ways to treat and prevent ticks on your dog with natural options.
So what exactly is a tick? Well it's a parasite that feeds on the blood of mammals, being attracted to your dog's heat, and movement. The ticks are often found in brushy, wooded areas; they attach to your dog walking in the dense vegetation. Most ticks have 4 life stages (egg, larva, nymph, adult), and during the adult stage they can lay up to 6000 eggs. Ticks need a blood feeding to progress to each stage. But they are extremely hardy, and can survive for years until a mammal comes by for them to attach to. The adult female tick feeds for 10 days, falls off, stays inactive in the winter, then lays all the eggs in the spring to continue the cycle.
There are three common species of ticks found in North America. The tick of biggest concern is called the Deer Tick, or Black legged tick, known as Ioxodes Scapularis (in the east) or Ioxodes Pacificus (in the west). This is the tick responsible for carrying and transmitting Lyme disease. It is extremely small, not much larger than the tip of a pencil, making them difficult to find. The Brown dog tick, known as Rhipicephalus sanguine, is far more common and easier to identify.It starts out being small, red-brown in color, but when it has a blood meal and is fully engorged, it is very large, and a gray/green color. The American dog tick, known as (Dermacentor variabilis) or its cousin, Rocky Mountain wood tick, known as (Dermacentor andersoni, are hard shelled, brown, being about .5cm long. They can cause paralysis in dogs known as tick paralysis by releasing a neurotoxin into their hosts.
The most common tick borne diseases in dogs are: lyme disease, canine ehrlichiosis, canine babesiosis, and tick borne paralysis. These diseases take hours to days to be transmitted to your dog, but the current topical insecticides do not always work fast enough to prevent transmission of disease. The signs of serious tick illness vary, but here are the bigger ones to be aware of: weakeness, tiring easily and pale gums suggesting anemia. Flu like symptoms, lameness, joint swelling, fever suggestive of lyme disease. Then there is a rapid progression of neurologic sigs, with turn into paralysis; in this situation your dog is unable to walk, and this is suggestive of tick paralysis.
Tick treatment and prevention is very controversial, primarily as many of the common conventional pharmaceuticals can have serious side effects, such as the tick collar containing an insecticide called amitraz. It can cause lethargy, weakness, disorientation, vomiting, and if ingested, lead to coma and death.
So what do you do to prevent and treat dog ticks naturally? First you've got to regularly check for ticks on your dog, especially after walking in the dense grasses, and during the peak times of infestation (in the spring). Carefully look in the cracks and crevices, such as behind your dog's ears. If you find a tick, you want to remove it immediately. Use tweezers, and grab the tick at the mouth parts where it is attached to your dog. Pull slowly, but firmly straight out, not twisting it, and if some of the skin comes off, that is fine. Clean the area with a disinfectant scrub (such as chlorhexidine or black tea), and dispose of the tick being careful that you don't touch it.
Shampooing your dog with some of the holistic anti-tick shampoos can eliminate ticks. You need to look for shampoos that contain these ingredients: Neem oil, Eucalyptus and Cedarwood oil. Ticks are extremely resistant to most products, but these essential oils appear to have some effect on preventing their life cycle.
A relatively non-toxic natural substance, has been shown to be effective in the eradication of ticks in dogs is cedarwood oil spray. I encourage you to be cautious in spraying excessive of essential oils on your small dogs. It is best to only lightly mist them; following that use a flea comb to spreading the spray. A cedarwood oil spray that I have had success with tick treatment in dogs is: Triple Sure Natural Flea and Tick Spray made by Natural Wonder Products.
Keeping your grass short, and reducing the amount of dense vegetation around your home is one of the easier, and simple ways to lower your dog's chances of getting ticks. Ticks prefer tall grasses, and low overhanging bushes while waiting for their next host to feed on. Regularly remove fallen leaves (leaf litter), and create a natural buffer by putting down wood chips between your lawn and the wooded areas to keep ticks away. Lastly consider discourging deer from coming into your yard, as the deer tick is the carrier of lyme disease; motion controlled water sprinklers can be very effective.
Then there are the use of natural topical outside, such as Diatomaceous earth- it consists of the skeletons of microscopic algae. Spread the diatomaceous earth at the edge of your lawn, acting as another natural barrier preventing tick infestation.
Ticks are a rather difficult external parasite to prevent and treat, but there are many things that you as an involved dog owner can do. There are a few very potent conventional tick medications, but concerns of side effects of these has lead many a dog owner to try some of the holistic options. These include common sense environmental ones, such as keeping the dense vegetation down, and maintaining a natural 'tick' barrier with wood chips. Lastly there are the specific shampoos, such as Neem oil, along with effective sprays containing cedarwood oil.
Dr Andrew Jones is the author of a Free Ebook, Dog Health Secrets, which gives you over 100 safe, natural and effective at home remedies to solve your dog's health problems quickly and easily at home. He reveals what Vaccines to AVOID and what to give, The BEST food to feed, plus HOW to save money on veterinary fees. Your FREE DOG HEALTH SECRETS BOOK is at http://www.theinternetpetvet.com.
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Winter has arrived, the days are short and the temperature has dropped to the point that it is cold outside. We have the heat on, a fire in the fireplace, a hot cocoa to drink but what about our best friend and loving companion, our dog. We need to take special precautions for them as well as ourselves.
If your dog has to stay outside, be sure to equip her with a dry, warm, non-drafty place or structure. Even though an outside dog has long fur and is of sufficient size, these dogs need the protection of an appropriate shelter. In addition to proper clean bedding (not hay), supplemental heat (heat disk, heated bed or heat lamps) will be required if conditions are severe. As a precaution, electrical sources of heat should be professionally installed so that wiring is not exposed for your dog to chew and the heat source is in the proper place. There have been instances when improperly installed heating devices have caught the dog house on fire.
Precautions need to be made for the inside dog as well. The typical house dog is usually smaller with generally a shorter coat. These dogs may need the extra warmth of a dog coat. Be sure to get one that is easy to put on. Most dogs prefer that their legs not be restricted. Any type of garment with legs will not be accepted easily and is will be difficult to put on. If your dog resist wearing its coat, try putting it on for short durations with lots of praise and plenty of treats. This way she will associate good with the coat and gradually, you can increase the time. Dog coats and booties will be necessary in severe conditions for a house dog when they go outside. Short exposure to extreme weather can bring on an illness.
Whether you dog is a house or a yard dog, both will require more calories during the winter months. During these months you will need to feed more and supply treats during the day. With a few precautions, observation and preparedness, your dog will stay warm this winter.
To enable you and your dog to get the most from your relationship, David Duane Wilson would like for you to look at the information on "Dog Behavior Problems" You are invited to join us at http://www.adoptshelterdogs.com and read the great information and tell us your story.
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The winter months can be harsh for dogs of all sizes, and could be quite difficult to manage for some pet owners. If you're considering looking at a heating source to keep your beloved canine pal warm, consider looking into a variety of different options available. There is a great selection for people of all backgrounds to consider. You don't have to worry about the task of purchasing an option, as it is quite simple to find heating for dogs, especially during the winter months. When looking at selections for your pet, consider the following 3 options, as they can help narrow down the search or institute a brain storming session.
Using Straw - Many people look into this option as a way to keep dog warms, and it has worked for many years. You pile up this matter into a kennel or underneath a cushion of sorts, and a dog will stay warm for hours. The straw has been known to be a great substance that holds heat well and can help with the heating for dogs with relative ease.
Heated Beds - Amongst the many beds that you can choose from, one of the better options is a heated option. Heated dog beds are plentiful and can provide a world of greatness for pets that are going to be in colder temperatures. The control settings are interesting, and can be changed on the fly. It's important to be careful with these options as they can get quite warm and become uncomfortable, but with temperature controls you can adjust the warmth and coolness accordingly.
Covers - You could always use blankets or covers to keep a dog warm. You just need to layer them on top of an existing bed and your pet will know what to do. They'll most likely adjust them on their own and go underneath them for a quick snooze, or they will lay down on top of them. The covers will work just like they do for adults, keeping pets warm through colder drafts and temperature changes that happen in the winter months.
Among other options to consider, you can look into getting a stand-alone heater. A space heater can be warm and help keep a room from getting to stale or cold. If a room happens to have a lot of drafts, or the home gets really cold, it's important to consider getting a small space heater to push in warm air. Be careful where you place this option, as it can heat up quite high and cause injury or even fire if you don't place it in a good location.
Summary:
Whichever option you choose, make sure that you take your time in searching, as there are many alternatives that you can look forward to getting for your dog. Heating for dogs is not a hard thing to acquire; it just takes some time, and patience. Shop around, compare prices, and make sure that whatever you end up choosing, your dog loves it. If they don't like it, you will know right away, so make sure to take into consideration what they might or might not like.
Earl L. White - Owner Tails Pet Supply
Referred by Wagging "Tails" Everywhere
http://www.tailspetsupply.com - Since 2009 we have been serving the pet enthusiast with quality products for all your pets.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6699924
