Tick bites in dogs often go unnoticed
Dog owners know it well: Your dog loves to roam through tall grass or bushes and often brings back small, unwanted bloodsuckers from its exploration tours. Ticks are active from February to October and generally at around 6 degrees Celsius. Therefore, escaping them is difficult.
Especially in the dense, →long fur of your four-legged friend, ticks can hide well. Often, they crawl over the dog's body first, making them easier to spot. It is therefore worth checking the fur of your dog after every walk. Also, take a look at the head, as the bloodsuckers particularly like to latch on here. During the regular →fur care of your dog, it is also worthwhile to check its skin for ticks. Even →puppies are not spared. It’s best to get your four-legged friend used to patient stillness early on, so you can search him without stress.
Removing ticks from dogs: Here’s how to do it
Have you discovered a tick on your dog? Then don’t wait, it’s best to remove it before it bites down or rather, before it has bitten. If that has already happened, there are special tick tweezers, tick hooks, or tick cards for removal, but you can also use a pair of tweezers.
Our tips for removing ticks from your dog:
1. First, hold back your dog's fur so that the tick is not covered.
2. Proceed very carefully to avoid accidentally crushing the tick. Pressure can cause pathogens in the tick's body to enter the wound and infect your dog.
3. Do not treat the tick with oil or nail polish, as it may also release pathogens into the wound when stressed.
4. Take the tick tweezers or one of the tools and grasp the tick as close to the bite site as possible.
5. Gently remove the bloodsucker by twisting (the direction of twist doesn’t matter) and make sure to remove it along with its head and mouthparts.
6. Even though it’s not pleasant, it’s best to crush the removed tick before disposing of it. Ticks are very robust; they can survive in water for up to three weeks and crawl back up from drains.
7. After successfully removing the tick, it is helpful to disinfect the area with disinfectant or alcohol. This soothes the irritated skin of your four-legged friend. After a tick bite, a small inflammation can occur quite quickly.
Which home remedy works best against ticks in dogs?
To spare your furry friend from ticks, there are some options. In addition to chemical-synthetic methods, some home remedies can also be suitable for repelling the little bloodsuckers. If in doubt, it’s best to consult your veterinarian about what to consider →with tick remedies. Especially in puppyhood, you should inform yourself precisely about what your furry friend can tolerate and what is still too early.
We present three home remedies that can reduce the risk of ticks while also being a healthy dietary supplement.
1. Black cumin oil
A superfood that you can use as a natural repellent is →black cumin oil. It helps your four-legged friend to strengthen its immune system and supports fur health. Mixed into food, black cumin oil supports your dog's vitality and forms a fragrant film over its skin due to the particularly high content of essential oils. It can also be distributed in your four-legged friend's fur.
2. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is also considered an absolute superfood for humans and dogs. It can be mixed into food or applied to your four-legged friend's fur. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is said to repel ticks, causing them to drop off. Rub your furry friend with the oil on the ears, neck, and back before the walk.
3. Cistus herb
Cistus is a flower from the Mediterranean region that secretes a strongly scented, aromatic resin. →Cistus tabs can easily be mixed into your dog's food or consumed in soft snacks. The essential oils form a fragrant film on your furry friend's skin, which is said to repel ticks.
Vitamine, Mineralien & Nahrungsergänzung für deinen Hund
Are ticks dangerous for dogs?
Ticks are usually not dangerous for your dog. If a tick goes unnoticed, it usually falls off by itself after a few days. However, some particularly stubborn bloodsuckers cling to your furry friend's skin for up to two weeks. The bite can cause an inflammatory reaction in the skin. The wound itself can also become inflamed. In most cases, these small, local inflammations are harmless and heal on their own. However, if the tick transmits diseases to your dog with its bite, it can become dangerous.
What diseases are transmitted by ticks?
A tick bite can transmit various diseases. Whether your dog has become infected can be tested at the earliest after 10 days. The following four diseases can be life-threatening and should therefore be treated by a veterinarian.
- The bacterial disease Lyme disease leads to severe joint inflammation and paralysis in your dog. Fever and lethargy may occur.
- →Anaplasmosis is also a bacterial disease that results in anemia, fever spikes, and bleeding from body openings.
- In babesiosis, your dog suffers from feverish episodes, shortness of breath, and vomiting. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal.
- TBE: In tick-borne encephalitis, your four-legged friend experiences inflammation of the brain membranes. The central nervous system is affected.
When should my dog see a veterinarian after a tick bite?
About 7 to 14 days after a tick bite, first symptoms of an infection may become noticeable in your furry friend. If you notice the following signs in your dog, you should have him treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. In individual cases, the following symptoms may only appear months later:
- Lethargy
- Mild to high fever
- Fatigue or restricted movement
- Loss of appetite or refusal to eat
- Swelling of lymph nodes
- Joint swelling and/or lameness when moving
- Joint inflammation
