Ticks are becoming more and more prevalent in North America, and they’re now being found in areas where people and pets didn’t previously encounter ticks. These parasites aren’t just a nuisance; they can cause serious—and sometimes deadly—diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and tick paralysis. Contact us immediately if your pet starts coughing or has joint pain, trouble breathing, fever, weakness, or loss of appetite, weight, energy, or coordination.
Ticks are active after 4 degrees; however, they are tricky little critters. If the sun is shining on an area of leaf litter and warms that area, the ticks will become active. Ticks tend to be found anywhere there is long grass, leaf litter, bushes/shrubs, etc. This means they can be found in the city or in the country. Ticks will travel when they get onto a patient before they attach to take their blood meal. Usually they will go to area where they are least likely to be disturbed. Usually they enjoy areas of long hair, around the face, under/in ears, between toes etc. Sometimes pets will bring ticks into the house and the tick falls off and you will find it around your house.
With preventions ticks must take a blood meal to be killed, so usually you will find them partially engorged or dried and dead on the pet if they are on preventions. It is always good to complete tick checks on dogs after walks.
Ticks need to be removed in a certain way if one is found attached to a patient. and we are able to remove attached ticks for a fee.
To transmit Lyme disease a tick must be attached and feeding for 24–48 hours, during this time the tick is taking its blood meal into it’s stomach and back spitting blood back into the host which transmits the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. This is why it is important to remove any attached ticks as soon as possible. There is a vaccine available to reduce the risk of dogs getting Lyme disease.
Ticks are more aggressive during early spring and early fall. (March/April/Early May, Mid-August, September and October) however we are advising clients that it is important to stay on year round tick prevention in Ontario as historically our winters are getting warmer and warmer which means the ticks aren’t becoming dormant as they once were.
The common ticks in Ontario that we need to be worried about are:
- American Dog Tick
- Brown Dog Tick
- Black Legged Tick/Deer Tick
Due to migratory birds, there is the odd chance that either the Lone Star Tick or even the Gulf Coast Tick can be found on your pet. While they are not completely established in our ecosystem here in Ontario as of yet they have been spotted more frequently in the last few years.
Please reach out to our staff if you have any questions.
