Tick safety

This week's Day Training Extra Credit: Ticks! Not only are they yucky to look at, but they can be a vector for illnesses such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, some of which can also be transmitted to humans!  As we venture out into our beautiful outdoor lands more this summer, our dogs may be coming into more contact with these blood-sucking arachnids.  Talk with your vet about the safest and most appropriate flea/tick preventatives (don't just buy over the counter as some preparations have been linked to neurologic and other adverse effects) and add a Tick Key to your first aid kits at home and in the car for safe, effective tick removal.  Make sure to check your pet after every outdoor adventure so you can find any hitchhikers early- pay special attention to the ears, genital area, between the toes, and under the collar.  If you haven't already worked with your dog on becoming comfortable with this kind of handling, ask your trainer for more information!  Don't use vaseline or matches to induce a tick to let go of your pet! After you've removed the tick, you can preserve it in a small container of alcohol to take it to the vet, flush it down the toilet, or use it to help scientists track ticks and tick-born disease!

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