EFFECTIVE AGAINST TICKS

Unfortunately, ticks are just as common in the warmer months of the year as the sun's rays. It's not uncommon for us to have to free our furry friends from these annoying bloodsuckers. In this article, our veterinarian Carla explains how you can protect your four-legged friend from these pests and still enjoy the great weather in a relaxed manner.

WHICH TICKS ARE THERE IN GERMANY?

In Germany, two species play a major role: the wood tick, which is active from March to June and September to November, and the spotted tick from February to December. The brown dog tick is still quite rare, but as temperatures rise it is becoming more common and is present all year round.

WHAT DISEASES ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT?

Many people immediately think of Lyme disease when they think of ticks. But in reality, this is a disease that only really affects humans. Dogs are very good at fighting off Lyme disease by producing antibodies. This is why symptoms or illness rarely occur. TBE is also only a serious disease transmitted by ticks in humans.
Diseases relevant for dogs are:

• Anaplasmosis: The vectors are the wood tick and the brown dog tick, which have to suck for 24-48 hours. The symptoms are very non-specific (eg gastrointestinal symptoms, cough, anemia). Can be treated with antibiotics after diagnosis (eg based on a clinical picture).
• Ehrlichiosis: The brown dog tick is a vector and infection occurs about 3 hours after the bite. The symptoms are similar to those of anaplasmosis, especially in the acute phase (e.g. fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, bleeding). The course is usually more severe than that of anaplasmosis. After diagnosis (e.g. through a blood test or blood smear), the pathogen cannot be eliminated; the symptoms can only be alleviated with antibiotics.
• Hepatozoonosis: Transmission by swallowing or biting the brown dog tick. Symptoms include intermittent fever, diarrhea, anemia, nasal and eye discharge. In some cases, they can be life-threatening. Diagnosis can be made using a blood smear or PCR from the blood. However, the pathogen cannot be eliminated. Affected dogs often have no symptoms. Otherwise, they must be treated with antibiotics and antiparasitics.
• Babesiosis: The tick must have been sucking for at least 24 hours for infection to occur. The disease can be asymptomatic, acute or chronic. Fever, lethargy, anemia and acute kidney failure are examples of symptoms. After diagnosis (eg through a blood smear or PCR), treatment can be carried out with an antiparasitic drug.

WHY IS POST-WALK CHECKING SO IMPORTANT?

There are some diseases that require the tick to have been sucking for many hours or even several days. We can prevent this by checking regularly - especially after walks - and thus prevent the transmission of pathogens.

HOW DO I CORRECTLY REMOVE A TICK?

Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible using tick tweezers (not your fingers!). Do not squeeze the tick's body, as it may otherwise empty its stomach contents into the dog. Slowly pull the tick out in the direction of the bite channel. Do not twist it! This could tear off the mouthparts.
After removal, you should carefully observe the puncture site. If the area swells, turns red, or the dog behaves strangely, please have it examined by a veterinarian immediately.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT IT?

There is an effective remedy against ticks. It is important to find out what is best for you individually:

• Tick ​​collars give off an unpleasant smell for the tick. If the tick does get on the dog, it is killed immediately by contact with the fur. Depending on the manufacturer, they are waterproof and effective for up to 8 months.
• Spot-ons work for 4-6 weeks and spread a contact poison on the fatty layer of the skin. Children should not come into contact with large quantities.
• Chewable tablets are effective for about 6 months. The advantage is that the active ingredient is not washed away when swimming in the lake (and thus gets into the water) and children cannot ingest it. For dogs with neurological diseases, veterinary advice must be sought about which preparations are suitable.

Please do not use any tick repellents that you can buy over the counter or from the internet. Instead , only use products from a veterinarian , as some products may be ineffective or even harmful.
In general, it can be said that the risk of becoming ill due to a lack of tick protection is higher than the occurrence of side effects from tested tick protection products.

WHAT ARE THERE ALTERNATIVE PREVENTION OPTIONS?

• Not only are essential oils hardly effective against ticks, they can also cause skin irritation or allergies in dogs.
• The tick-repellent properties of coconut oil have not been scientifically proven, neither when applied externally nor when ingested through food. No health benefits have been found for coconut oil either. The dog is therefore only consuming unnecessary calories.
• Amber necklaces are said to work according to the principle of electrical charge. However, this hypothesis is not scientifically tenable and there is no valid evidence of effectiveness.
• EM ceramic collars are designed to repel ticks using microorganisms. However, since ceramic is heated to 700 degrees, no microorganisms can survive.

Protection by alternative means is therefore not guaranteed , so it is better to use a tested veterinary tick remedy.

FOR WHAT PERIOD SHOULD THE DOG BE PROTECTED?

Since ticks native to Germany are active for many months or even all year round, dogs should ideally be protected all year round. Protection should be guaranteed at least from February to winter .

A thorough examination of ticks is therefore absolutely necessary in order to protect our four-legged friends from these pests and, above all, to be able to enjoy the warm season together.