Ticks and their control in coastal North Carolina

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Tick Identification TICKS AND THEIR CONTROL
Dr. Bob Moore of Oriental Village Veterinary Hospital By Bob Moore, DVM

Ten months of warm weather and two months of mild 'winter' make the climate in eastern North Carolina very comfortable for people. It is also comfortable for ticks and fleas. Ticks are one of the primary external parasite concerns of the pet owner. This is a warranted concern since ticks can not only cause internal disease, but also anemia due to blood loss. Traditionally we think of spring and early summer as the main time for ticks to be a problem. However, depending on the weather and the environment ticks can be a problem almost any time. Some pet owners in our area are presently having a problem.

PREVENTION of ticks is the ideal. You can try to accomplish this by treating the pet's habitat with insecticide regularly and by using certain products on the pet. Dogs and cats can both be treated with FRONTLINE(TM) by Merial. This is a liquid applied to the skin at the back of the pet's neck once a month. Dogs only can wear a PREVENTIC(TM) collar by Vibrac which is made to repel and cause detachment of ticks. Both of these products are available at your veterinarian.

REMOVAL of ticks may on occasion be necessary. My preferred method is to pretreat the animal with a flea and tick spray before attempting removal. Insecticides containing pyrethrins should kill the ticks if treated properly. The best way to remove a tick is with a pair of fine pointed tweezers. The tick is grasped as close to the skin as possible and gently worked free. the area should be thoroughly washed with shampoo and water when finished. It goes without saying that your pet will not appreciate your careful ministrations and will squirm and wiggle. Be assured, though that your efforts are worth it.

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