Tick in a dog: symptoms and treatment of diseases carried by parasites, first aid for a pet
In the spring, ticks begin to wake up from hibernation. During this period, they are the most dangerous and aggressive: the feeling of a head after waking up makes them actively look for a victim. Not only a person, but also an animal can suffer from their bite, while it is no less dangerous for a pet. Every breeder should know in advance if a dog is suddenly bitten by a tick.
Content
- What happens if a dog is bitten by a tick
- How to understand that a dog has been bitten by a tick
- How to find a tick in a dog
- First aid for a dog with a tick bite
- A dog after a tick bite: when to contact a veterinarian
- What diseases do ticks carry?
- Symptoms of a tick bite in a dog and methods of treatment depending on the type of external parasite
- A dog was bitten by a tick: symptoms and treatment, drugs depending on the type of subcutaneous parasite
- How to rid your dog of ticks: recommendations for prevention
- How to remove ticks from a dog: folk remedies
- Can a person get infected
- Can a dog die from a tick bite?
- How dangerous is it if a tick bites a pregnant dog
What happens if a dog is bitten by a tick
The consequences can be the most unpredictable. It is possible that nothing will happen: the pest may be non-contagious or the virus will not be transmitted to the dog.
How to understand that a dog has been bitten by a tick
Often, dog breeders do not turn to the veterinary clinic in a timely manner because they simply do not know that the dog was attacked by a bloodsucker. During the tick season, vigilance should be exercised and due attention should be paid to the inspection of animals and their state of health.
Dog tick: photo
Signs of a dog bite
Sometimes the signs of a bite are non-specific, and if the bloodsucker was not found on the body, they may not be given due importance.
What does a tick bite look like on a dog?
Dog behavior after a tick bite
Behavior after a bite can change immediately, or maybe after a few days - it depends on the type of infection and the characteristics of the animal's immunity. The animal becomes lethargic, loses interest in its surroundings, does not want to play and generally behaves restlessly. As a rule, he loses his appetite and refuses to eat.
How to find a tick in a dog
As mentioned above, inspections should be carried out after each walk and during it if it is long. Examine the body of the animal carefully, pushing the hair apart with your hands.
First of all, you need to look at the areas where ticks stick most often: the area behind the ears, head, mucous membranes, abdomen, groin, between the fingers, in the thighs.
If a bloodsucker is found, the inspection should be continued, as the dog could be attacked by several ticks at once. You should also look for parasites that have not yet had time to stick, for this it is better to use a comb if the dog is not smooth-haired.
First aid for a dog with a tick bite
It is necessary to start active actions immediately after the bloodsucker has been detected, since the longer it is on the body of the animal, the higher the risk of infection.
How to get a tick out of a dog
First of all, you need to get rid of the parasite. To do this, it is advisable to contact a medical institution, but you can do it yourself. To do this, you should prepare special tweezers (if you don’t have it, you can use regular tweezers), a container with a tight lid for the tick and protect your hands with medical gloves.
The procedure is as follows:
- push the hair at the site of the bite and capture the pest as close to the skin as possible;
- gently, without sudden movements, begin to unscrew it in any direction;
- effortlessly pull the tool up a little and remove the pest.
The basic rule is that you must not pull the tick, try to pull it out by force or crush it.
There was a head of a tick in a dog what to do
If the pest is not properly removed, its body will tear and the head will remain under the skin. You can see this with the naked eye: a black dot will be visible in the middle of the bite.
However, if during this time signs of inflammation, suppuration appear at the site of the bite, and it is noticeable that this causes discomfort to the dog, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
Full instructions and technology for extracting a tick from a dog - here to register:.
How to treat a tick bite in a dog
After removing the bloodsucker, the bite site should be treated with alcohol or any antiseptic:
- iodine;
- zelenka;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- chlorhexidine.
They removed the tick from the dog: what to do with the parasite
It is recommended to take the extracted parasite for analysis to a specialized laboratory for analysis in order to identify it as infected with infections. If there is no such intention, the pest must be burned. It is forbidden to throw it into the garbage and sewers - this will not kill it and may attack someone else.
A dog after a tick bite: when to contact a veterinarian
After a tick bite, you should carefully monitor the condition of the animal for 7-10 days. If the following alarming symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a specialist:
- any, even slight, increase in temperature;
- gastrointestinal disorders: vomiting, diarrhea;
- change in the dog's mood
- lethargy, decreased activity;
- discoloration of the mucous membranes;
- discoloration of urine, the presence of traces of blood in it.
What diseases do ticks carry?
The above symptoms indicate that the dog is infected with a tick infection. Symptoms, treatment, and features of diseases carried by pests are described in more detail below.
Symptoms of a tick bite in a dog and methods of treatment depending on the type of external parasite
Not only those ticks that live in forest areas can bite. There are several varieties of bloodsuckers that choose dogs as victims.
Ixodid ticks
Ixodid ticks are the most dangerous parasites for mammals. It is they who carry the diseases described above.
Tick bite in dog symptoms
Common symptoms of an ixodid tick bite:
- temperature increase;
- lethargy and apathy;
- loss of appetite, rapid weight loss.
How to treat a dog after a tick bite
If you experience anxiety symptoms, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. It is impossible to treat tick-borne infections at home, and time may be lost.
Treatment depends on the type of infection, the stage of development of the disease and most often includes antibacterial and anti-inflammatory therapy, support for the vitality of the animal.
There are no specific treatments for tick-borne encephalitis, only symptomatic therapy.
Ear mites
Ear or scabies mites cause otodectosis disease. Parasites are microscopic up to 0,5 mm, form colonies in the animal's ear.
Symptoms in a dog after a tick bite
Otodectosis does not manifest itself immediately after infection with parasites. Symptoms occur when the mites begin to actively multiply. Pests feed on the epidermis of the ear canal and lymph.
Signs that your dog is being bitten by ear mites:
- profuse secretion of earwax;
- the animal actively itches, shakes its head, tilts its head to the side;
- there is irritation of the skin, scratching;
- stench of infected areas.
If a dog is bitten by a tick, how to treat
If these symptoms occur, contact your veterinarian. Since the manifestations of otodectosis are similar to the symptoms of other diseases, it will be necessary to establish a diagnosis using laboratory methods. As a rule, ear drops and other topical preparations are used to treat otodectosis. If the disease is advanced and a secondary infection has joined, antibiotics are prescribed.
Heiletiella
Cheyletiellosis is a rare but highly contagious animal disease caused by a superficial scabies mite called cheiletiella. These are small parasites, the body length of which does not exceed 0,5 mm. Another name for the disease: "wandering dandruff."
Tick in a dog symptoms
Parasites look like dandruff on the animal's fur. At the initial stages of the development of the disease, it does not cause discomfort to the animal, as it develops, the following symptoms occur:
- itching due to the constant bite of chelicerae, as the colony of parasites increases, itching intensifies;
- specific scales appear on the skin and wool - these are pieces of keratinized epidermis, the result of the vital activity of the tick;
- hair loss, redness of the affected areas;
- the appearance of a large amount of dandruff on the coat;
- dead skin areas appear, scratches on which dirt sticks, which causes the attachment of a secondary infection.
Tick in a dog what to do after a bite
Treatment consists of the use of anti-tick drugs in the form of drops, injections, shampoos or tablets. It is mandatory to process all contact animals, as well as their personal belongings.
Argas parasites
Argas mites live mainly in desert and semi-desert areas with hot climates. They hide in the crevices of outbuildings, animal burrows. Most of all, they are similar to ixodid ticks, but have a number of features.
What are the symptoms of a tick bite in a dog?
In contrast to the ixodid bite, the argas tick is more painful for the animal, and in its place there is a noticeable trace in the form of a red nodule with a pale inflammatory corolla. Argasaceae carry a number of dangerous diseases: relapsing fever, borreliosis, piroplasmosis, and so on.
Dog bite symptoms:
- lethargy, apathy, lack of interest in what is happening;
- loss of appetite, weight loss;
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- fever.
Treating a dog after a tick bite
As with tick-borne infections, treatment will depend on the type of disease and its stage of development. Antibacterial therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of droppers and injections are most often used. It is important to start treatment in a timely manner, since these diseases are extremely dangerous for the dog and can cause her death.
A dog was bitten by a tick: symptoms and treatment, drugs depending on the type of subcutaneous parasite
Not only external parasites, but also subcutaneous ones can affect a pet. Pests feed on blood in areas near the hair follicles, causing many problems for the animal.
Sarcoptoid parasites
Sarcoptic mange or itchy scabies is caused by the scabies mite Sarcoptes scabei. You can only see them under a microscope. Pests settle in the epidermal (upper) layer of the skin and feed on lymph, tissue fluid, exudate, and dead epithelium.
Symptoms after a tick bite in dogs
Characteristic signs of itchy scabies:
- intense itching;
- due to itching, the dog constantly licks the wounds, as a result of which they become sticky, scabs form on them;
- the appearance on the skin of foci of inflammation, scratching, and later crusts;
- the chronic course of the disease leads to baldness of the areas, thickening of the stratum corneum and darkening of the skin.
Dog bitten by a tick: home treatment
Demodectic parasites
Demodex subcutaneous mites are microscopic parasites that live in the epidermis, hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands. The tick lives in the body of most animals, but most often does not manifest itself. Under adverse factors, such as lack of nutrition, exacerbation of chronic diseases, malignant tumors, changes in living conditions, the tick is activated and causes demodicosis.
Dog bitten by an encephalitis tick
Contrary to popular belief, dogs can get encephalitis.
Most often, infection occurs through a bite. ixodid tick: the pathogen enters the bloodstream of the animal along with the saliva of the parasite.
Further, with the blood flow, it enters the brain and spinal cord and causes inflammation of the meningeal membranes.
How to rid your dog of ticks: recommendations for prevention
Tick infestation cannot be completely eliminated, but the risk of their occurrence can be significantly reduced. To do this, you need to follow a number of recommendations.
| Vaccinate the animal | This method of prevention is recognized worldwide as effective. Even if the pet becomes infected, the disease will be much easier to bear. |
| Quarantine | Exclude communication with stray animals, as most often they are carriers of parasites. |
| Inspection | After each walk, inspect the animal for the presence of pests on its body. |
| Care | Provide your pet with a high-quality balanced diet, as this is the key to strong immunity. |
| Regularly protect | During the period of increased tick activity, use all possible ways to protect your pet from bloodsuckers. |
Most often, for the vaccination of dogs, the drugs Nobivak Pro and Pirodog are used, which create immunity to piroplasmosis. The likelihood of infection after the introduction of the vaccine is reduced several times. After the first vaccination, a second one is carried out after 1 month. Only a completely healthy animal can be vaccinated.
Collars are impregnated with special repellent (insect repellent) substances. This method of protection is quite effective, but it can cause local allergic reactions. If the pet has itching or hair loss after using the collar, it should be discarded in favor of other means. Also, the product should not be used for puppies younger than 2 months, pregnant and lactating females, as well as debilitated animals with chronic diseases.
Sprays and drops are much safer for the animal, but their effectiveness is slightly lower. Special drops are applied to the withers and along the spine so that the dog cannot lick them off. The spray should treat the entire coat of the animal completely. If the animal is long-haired, then a whole bottle can go at a time, so this remedy is not very economical.
How to remove ticks from a dog: folk remedies
Folk methods can become additional protection from improvised materials. As an independent method, they are not very effective, so you should not rely on them too much.
The following recipes are known.
| Facilities | Preparation |
| Wormwood Spray | 20 gr. dried wormwood or 50 gr. fresh should be poured 2 tbsp. water. Put the mixture on fire and bring to a boil. Strain the broth, cool, pour into a spray bottle and treat the animal's hair before going outside. |
| drops of garlic | Finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic and pour 750 gr. water. Leave the mixture for at least 8 hours. Treat the animal with the resulting product, but only at the withers and along the spine, since garlic is poisonous to dogs. |
| Do-it-yourself protective collar | Soak an ordinary dog collar with essential oil of juniper, grapefruit, myrrh or tar around the entire perimeter. The main thing is not to overdo it with the components: processing should be done with open windows, and you also need to monitor the condition of the pet. |
There are also several folk recipes for removing subcutaneous ticks:
- a decoction of wormwood and tar soap for bathing;
- ointment from the roots of celandine and vegetable oil: pour the roots of the plant with refined oil and simmer at a temperature of 40-50 degrees for 2-3 hours, then cool it into the scalp and ears of the pet;
- mask of sour apples and juniper berries: grind the components into a pulp and apply to the affected areas.
Can a person get infected
Almost all the diseases mentioned in the article are not transmitted from animal to person. The latter can contract tick-borne infections only from the ixodid tick, the risk exists only when the tick that attacked the dog bites the owner as well.
Only the scabies mite is dangerous - all mammals can become infected with it, so the patient with scabies should be isolated.
Can a dog die from a tick bite?
The cause of death may not be the bite itself, but the infection that is transmitted through it. At the same time, not all ticks are infected, and even if the pest was the carrier of the infection, it is absolutely not necessary that the animal gets sick. In addition, the likelihood of death reduces the timely seeking medical help.
How dangerous is it if a tick bites a pregnant dog
If a tick has bitten a pregnant female, symptoms should not be expected. The dog should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible. A possible disease primarily affects the health of the embryos, and can also cause the death of the offspring and the mother.
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