by Natalie Sparacio
WAKE UP WISCONSIN (WAOW)-- When a tick hops onto your dog or cat, it's dinner time for this nasty parasite. The tick will bury its mouth in your pet's skin and can swell to 50 times its normal size!
Make your lawn unwelcoming by mowing regularly.
You can also spray your area with a preventative.
Before going for walks into the woods arm your dog with an insecticide.
When your pet comes inside start checking your dog very slowly as the ticks are hard to find. Pay special attention to ears, skull, feet—between the toes and around the anus.
If you do find a tick remove it right away. First wipe the area with/alcohol. Grasp the tick with/tweezers and with a rotating action gently pull the mouth from your pet's skin. Avoid using your fingers. It's very important to remove the whole tick as any remains could lead to infection. Put the tick in a small bottle of alcohol to kill it.
Obviously, ticks are tougher to find than dark haired pets. This is why good inspection is very important.
ALWAYS—check your own body and clothing. Lyme disease is a silent infection.
Signs of infection:
Fever
Swollen joints
Lameness
Anorexia
Animal not "acting herself"
Kidney failure
http://www.dogsandticks.com/
Online Reporter: Natalie Sparacio
