Ticks raise a lot of questions! Dr. Adolph bust the Myths and tells us the Truth about these 8 legged insects. 
The Myth: Ticks die off during the winter months
The Truth: Ticks doe not die just because it is winter. They do become less active during the cold months but can still attach to your pet and transmit potentially deadly diseases.
The Myth: I never see ticks on my pet, so we do not have ticks in our area
The Truth: Ticks are present throughout the U.S. The 3 life stages capable of attaching to pets (nymph, larva, and adult) are very small. Unless there are dozens of ticks present, or the ticks have fed long enough to become engorged (about 7 days), most infestations go unnoticed.
The Myth: Ticks should be removed with alcohol, a lit match, nail polish, petroleum jelly, etc.
The Truth: The best removal method is grabbing a tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and using gentle, steady traction to lift it. Other methods may facilitate the transmission of infectious agents.
The Myth: Ticks fall from trees
The Truth: Tick live on and just above the ground. When the host approaches, they release from love vegetation and attach to the animal.
The Myth: Those medications do not work – I still see ticks.
The Truth: No product is 100% effective. Consider this: if a pet encounters 1,000 ticks, a product with 99% efficacy (considered excellent by medical standards) may still leave 10 ticks. With very high exposure, additional measures may be necessary to protect your pet.
The Myth: My dog does not go outside, so I don’t need to worry about ticks.
The Truth: Does your dog go outside to relieve him or herself? Even a short excursion increases the risk for ticks.
The Myth: I’ll start using medication if I see ticks.
The Truth: Prevention is better for your pet and more cost effective for you. By the time ticks are detected, disease transmission may have already occurred.
The Myth: I treat my yard, so my pet does not need medications.
The Truth: Environmental control is great, but it is one of many components of effective tick control and alone is not enough. Combining yard treatment, minor landscaping changes, and most importantly year-round preventatives for your pet will keep him or her safer.
Leave A Comment