We’ve all heard the stories about ticks, and the impact they have on household pets.

Key Points:

• Know what you’re looking for, when it comes to ticks and pets.
• Remove them straight away, as soon as you see them.
• Make sure you use the correct medical treatments to prevent ticks.
• Listen to the full conversation in the player above.

Veterinarian Dr. Martine Perkins caught up with Salt 106.5’s Jordana to help make sure we all know what to look out for, this tick season.

Dr. Martine shares her top tips for keeping our pets safe this summer:

1. Know what you’re looking for

Animals present with some specific, if subtle symptoms, when a tick is on board.

“Being alert to the symptoms is very important,” she said of the issue which is every pet lovers’ nightmare.

“The common things that we see, particularly in our dogs and cats, is wobbly hind legs.”

She recommends pet owners take action “if your dog is maybe having some difficulty walking up the stairs or hesitating to even jump up on the couch or the stair or go up the stairs or stumbles a bit on it.”

Unfortunately, it can be harder to identify these symptoms in cats, due to their independent nature.

“In a cat… often the first signs we see is a funny, grunty kind of breathing.”

Pet owners should develop the habit of observing their pets closely for any deviations from typical behavior, especially during these high-risk periods, Dr. Martine advises.

2. Remove them straight away

Once you’ve realised your pet has a tick, it’s important to act quickly.

Contrary to some myths surrounding tick removal, Dr. Martine says delaying action to perform any additional steps before visiting a vet could prove detrimental.

“The paralysis tick is like a little gray blob that sits above your pet skin, it’s more sort of round and plump, like a sort of grey drop sitting on top of your pet,” she said.

“In terms of what you should do, first thing, have a look for a tick, and if you find it, get it off.

“If you’ve got the cool little tick twisters… that’s wonderful.

“You can use those, but otherwise just get your fingernails close to the skin and pull the thing out.”

Importantly, bringing the removed tick to a veterinarian is vital for determining the threat level based on the tick’s characteristics.

Responding quickly could mean the difference between a mild reaction and severe paralysis in pets, so Dr. Martine advises pet owners to act quickly and confidently.

3. Prevention is better than cure

With Summer hot on the heels of Spring, pet owners need to be vigilant in doing whatever they can to avoid a tick infestation.

“I would really recommend using one of the really good new long-acting preventative treatments,” Dr. Martine said and highlights the importance of checking our pets regularly.

Pet owners are urged to conduct “daily tick searching.”

Dr. Perkins stresses the necessity of adopting a preventive approach and points out that increased risk is found in “bushy areas,” reinforcing that geographical awareness also plays a role in safeguarding pets.

By combining pharmaceuticals, regular pet inspections, and environmental management, pet owners can form a robust defense against tick threats.

“Ticks kill,” Dr. Martine adds..

“My final piece of advice would be to do daily tick searching.”

Listen to the full conversation in the player above.

Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro