When you pet heads outdoors, ticks are a concern.  Just like tick’s can latch on to people, they can also latch on to pets, and just like with people, ticks can carry diseases that can harm your pets.

So, the first thing to do is to regularly check your pets for ticks.  Those living in warmer climates, and in areas that are more prone to ticks should check your pets daily for any ticks.  In doing your checks make sure to spend time on all the sharp curves on your pet’s body such behind the ears and where the legs connect to the torso.  With some pets, the color of their fur can also introduce additional challenges by allowing the ticks “blend” in – be sure to use both your eyes and your hands when checking your pets!

If you find a tick on your, just like with removal of a tick from a person, be sure to use care so as not to accidently cause any of the fluids within the tick to be released into your pet (or for that matter on to your person).  Generally, the recommended way to remove a tick is by using a sharp pair of tweezers, clamping down as close to the body of your pet as you can, and then pulling firmly and evenly directly away from the body of your pet.  After removing the tick you should apply rubbing alcohol.

After removing the tick you should then regularly monitor your pet to see if there is any lethargy (unusual tiredness) and also to review the area(s) of the tick bite to ensure that there is no unusual skin tone or rashes developing around the area of the original bite.

In addition to regularly checking your pet for ticks there is also a wide range of products available to help prevent ticks from attaching to your pet, to begin with, and for many people regularly treating your property for ticks is also an attractive decision.