{"id":3204,"date":"2019-07-29T15:27:15","date_gmt":"2019-07-29T19:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ovrs.com\/blog\/?p=3204"},"modified":"2021-01-22T17:00:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-22T22:00:57","slug":"remove-ticks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ovrs.com\/blog\/remove-ticks\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Safely Remove Ticks from Your Pet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"tick<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We want everyone to know how to safely remove ticks since they are a terrible problem in the Midwest<\/a>. Most of us pull at least one tick off of ourselves or our pets. Ticks carry diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and most notably, Lyme disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people\u2019s response, when seeing a tick on their pet, is to pull it off fast! But there is a technique to tick removal. By doing it correctly, you minimize your pet\u2019s risk of developing disease or infection. Oakland Veterinary Referral Services<\/a> wants you to better understand the common deer tick and the proper way to remove them from your pet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

All About the Deer Tick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The deer tick, or black-legged tick, is among the most common of ticks found in the Midwest. They are responsible for carrying and transmitting Lyme disease, among others. The tick is a type of arachnid, belonging to the same family as the spider, and it feeds on the blood of warm-blooded mammals. It has a hard, shell-like body that softens and expands as it becomes full of blood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each female tick lays up to 3,000 eggs in its lifetime. The life cycle of a tick is made up of 3 growth stages: larva, nymph, and adult. Although peak activity for ticks is from early spring through autumn, warmer winter weather can allow ticks to thrive throughout the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of Tick Related Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ticks are efficient carriers of disease because they are parasitic, meaning they require a host to survive. Infected ticks spread disease to pets through a bite. It takes as little as 3-6 hours to transmit disease to a pet once the tick attaches to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nymphs (young ticks) are responsible for much of the diseases transmitted to people and pets. They are about the size of a poppy seed and almost invisible to the naked eye. They are too small to be seen, so the pet owner may not notice and remove them. This is why having your pet on a flea and tick preventative is a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many tick-borne diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can affect either humans or pets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of Lyme and other tick-borne illness include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n