In the world of insects are full of tiny creatures that can bring to our pets a lot of huge troubles. Among the inhabitants of parks, forest belts or overgrown lawns there are sometimes some dangerous representatives of arachnids, which should be given the closest attention. In this article we will touch upon such an important problem as the fight against ticks. The most urgent problem is in the spring and summer time, as well as in the beginning of autumn, when we most often travel with pets to the nature and visit summer cottages.
How dangerous is the meeting with ticks?
These parasites, despite their extremely small size, are able to detect the victim from afar. Your dog will be ten meters from the bush with a tick, and he will already begin to prepare for the attack. Not having eyes, insects perfectly feel the approach of our pets or a man by smell. Sitting in a comfortable position, placing the limbs in the sides, the mite clings to the passer-by and gets into clothing or fur. They are also able to crawl on the body of the victim during the rest, when she lies down on the lawn, relaxing under the rays of the sun. The most common attack mites in the dry and warm season, more passive parasites in the rain and freezing, trying in a secluded place to wait out the bad weather.
It is not so much the insect itself that is dangerous, as its ability to carry pyroplasmosis with saliva, which is an extremely unpleasant disease . Pyroplasm, when ingested in dogs or humans, attack red blood cells, causing their decay. Because of this, the spleen, kidneys, liver, brain and other organs suffer terribly. These unicellular organisms have learned to live in the saliva of the host and are transferred to its prey when bitten.
How correctly to get a tick from a dog?
Some people, discovering a parasite, try to immediately pull it out in any way, causing their actions to harm the animal. So first let's list the manipulations that can not be made in this case, in order not to aggravate the situation.
What is undesirable to do with the tick?
- Do not pull the body of an insect, sudden movements can break the body and his head, most likely, will remain inside.
- Simple picking with a pin or a needle is not the best way to get a tick from a dog. A dirty tool can cause infection and not every animal will endure such torments for a long time.
- Producing a squeezing of the body of the parasite is undesirable, so you will provoke a reverse flow of blood and more piroplasmosis pathogens into the blood of the pet.
- Often people recommend lubricating an insect with oils, applying compresses or ammonia with gasoline, even burning a creature with a cigarette. Such folk methods of removing ticks are rarely successful and only increase the time of contact of the parasite with the victim.
How to safely remove the tick?
It is most easy to get rid of the parasite by the special device Tick Twister, which many call "tick tick". Its shape allows you to easily unscrew the body of ticks from the bite. In addition, the tweezers of a curved shape or the usual strong thread are suitable for this procedure. In any case, act cautiously, slowly, protecting yourself from possible infection with gloves.
If you use tweezers, then grab the insect closer to the head and try to pull it slowly on yourself, using rotational movements. After a couple of turns it will come out. When tweezers are not around, use a thread, tying it in the form of a knot near the proboscis of the tick. The parasite should not be pulled out sharply, but as if swinging, so as not to tear the body from the head.
How to get the head of a tick from a dog?
Alas, but not always this procedure is successful, sometimes the body of the insect is torn and the proboscis remains inside. Removal of the remains of the parasite is reminiscent of working with a common thorn. First try to pick up the head with tweezers and unscrew it. If this does not work out, treat the wound with a disinfectant, and then try to cope with the problem with a sterile needle. In the end, grease the affected area with a green or iodine solution. If you could not get rid of this work with all the efforts, then immediately contact the veterinarian. By the way, it is not recommended to throw live tick or its remains into the street, it is best to send the parasite's body to the laboratory for serious analyzes or gently burn it when there is no such possibility.