Most people can agree that ticks are pretty icky. External parasites that bite into skin, suck out blood, and leave potentially deadly disease behind? That is both icky and tricky!
So, let’s talk ticks. Most ticks live in tall grass, brush and woods. They are attracted to the smell of breath and body odor of “hosts”, including wild animals, our pets and us. When they detect a potential host, they hold on to grass or a branch with their six hind legs and hold the front two legs out- like a toddler wanting to be picked up. They then grab ahold of the host and find a protected spot to pull apart skin with little hooks in their mouthparts, and insert a “hypostome”, which acts like a straw to suck out blood.
Ticks, while icky, are mainly a concern because of the transmission of disease. While sucking blood, disease passes from the tick back into the host through the hypostome.
Nova Scotia is becoming a high-risk area for Lyme disease, caused by the bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi. Nova Scotia also has an increasing prevalence of Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis, also caused by bacteria.
In Nova Scotia there are 2 main types of ticks, each having some distinct physical characteristics.
Ixodes, commonly called “Deer Ticks” or “Blacklegged Ticks” are small, reddish brown, elongated ticks, and the adult females have a large black shield between the shoulders. These ticks are active whenever the temperature is above 0 degrees Celsius, and one of the reasons to use excellent tick prevention on your dog year round. They like wooded areas with good protection from sun and wind. These ticks are the dangerous transmitters of Lyme disease, but can also transmit Anaplasmosis.
Dermacentor, commonly called the “American Dog Tick”, are common across Nova Scotia. The adult females have a speckled white collar and the adult males have a mottled appearance. These ticks transmit many tick diseases, including Tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but these diseases are not commonly found in Nova Scotia.
Making sure to check your pet often for ticks and remove any that are found is also important. Ticks have different life stages. The smallest are larvae, then they molt to a nymph before becoming adults. The super-tiny stages can be easy to miss, even on a human, so check your pets carefully. Some tick borne diseases require the tick to be embedded in the skin for 24-48 hours so, the sooner they are removed the less likely disease transmission has occurred. Still, certain Erhlichia and Anaplasma species can be transmitted in 3-6 hours, so a good preventive is crucial.
An embedded tick is best removed by grabbing at the head of the tick, nearest the skin, with tweezers or forceps and then slowly and steadily pulling straight out. There are commercial tick removers available as well, but hair may interfere with their use, so choose wisely. Deposit the tick in a little vial of rubbing alcohol, or flush down the toilet.
So how do we detect Lyme disease in our companion animals? Most veterinarians recommend a SNAP 4DX test that works in just 8 minutes and will detect Lyme, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and heartworm disease. If your pet has never been vaccinate for Lyme, your veterinarian will recommend testing prior to vaccinating. As well, if there has been a gap in the vaccinations (i.e. it has been longer than 13 months since your pet's previous Lyme vaccination) your veterinarian will also recommend testing to ensure you pet has not contracted Lyme.
Many dogs that test positive for one of these tick borne diseases are not clinically ill at the time of detection. Your veterinarian will discuss options with you for treatment and follow up if your pet tests positive. A dog that is ill with tick borne disease will often have symptoms of fever, depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, joint pain and more.
Preventing tick borne disease is ideal. Your primary defense is going to be an effective tick product. There are topical and oral medications that can help prevent transmission of tick disease. Some can be used together for maximum effect.
There is a vaccine available for Lyme disease. Ask your veterinarian if they recommend it for your dog.
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