Safe tick protection for your pet
When temperatures rise above 10 degrees, ticks become active again. In Europe, the tick season runs approximately from March to September. Has your dog or cat been bitten by a tick? Then it’s best to remove it as quickly as possible. You can read how to remove and prevent ticks in this blog.
A pair of tick tweezers
Using tick tweezers makes it less likely that any part of the tick remains attached to your pet’s skin. In addition, the tick tweezers ensure that you don’t squash the tick, which reduces the risk of infection.
Sufficient light
It’s important to position the tick tweezers correctly. It’s always useful to have an extra light at hand, so that you can see properly.
Tasty snacks
To give your four-legged friend the necessary distraction and reward.
A jar with lid
For keeping the tick after removal
Everything you need to prevent & control ticks
Step 1
Brush aside the hair around the tick so that you can see it clearly and use an extra light to see the tick even better if necessary.
Step 3
Always remove a tick with tick tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible, so that you don’t squeeze the tick’s abdomen. This can cause the tick to vomit, which increases the risk of infection. Make a twisting movement with the tweezers without pulling. The tick will let go, once you’ve twisted enough times.
Step 4
It’s important to check that the entire tick has been removed. If the tick can’t be completely removed, it’s recommended to consult a veterinarian.
Step 5
Place the removed tick in a jar and close the lid. This ensures that the tick can’t escape.
Step 6
Treat your dog to a delicious snack for his patience during tick removal.
Step 7
Disinfect the tick tweezers in boiling water.
What to do after you’ve removed the tick?
A bump may appear after the tick has been removed. This is normal. If the skin is very red or the wound looks inflamed, contact your vet. If necessary, write down the date when you found and removed the tick. Finally, watch for signs of illness in your pet: loss of appetite, increased temperature or lameness can indicate an infection with Lyme disease.
Are ticks dangerous to my pet?
Yes, ticks can unfortunately be dangerous to your four-legged friend. They can transmit serious diseases, such as Lyme disease or other less common diseases. This can lead to serious illnesses and in rare cases it can even kill your pet. Therefore it’s important to protect your pet properly. Fortunately, with the right tools and regular check-ups, you can minimise the risk for your favourite woof or feline.
How to protect your pet from ticks?
Remember to check your pet regularly for ticks, especially after a walk in the woods, high grass or in nature. But also in your garden your pet can be bitten by a tick.
Check thoroughly the places where ticks like to hide: around the face, in the neck or around the collar, on the ears, on the front legs, on the elbows, under the tail, between the toes ...
Preventive tick treatment for dogs or cats is even better. Pipettes with anti-parasite drops are ideal for this. This should be repeated every 3 to 4 weeks (read the instruction leaflet or packaging carefully). You can also put a tick collar on your dog or cat.
Lyme disease
1 out of 5 ticks carries Lyme disease. This is also the disease that ticks most often transmit to humans and animals.
If your loyal pet is infected with Lyme disease, it will initially suffer from loss of appetite and a slightly elevated body temperature. At this moment, everything seems to be fine. But weeks or even months later, the typical symptoms of Lyme disease such as arthritis and lameness appear. Some pets may also develop kidney problems.
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. However, it’s not always possible to kill all the bacteria in the animal's body, so a relapse is always possible.
Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is another disease that can be transmitted by ticks and attacks the blood platelets. It can cause high fever, diarrhea, vomiting and even seizures. Fortunately, not all pets are susceptible and only about 3% of the ticks are affected.
Babesiosiszé
The Babesia blood parasite destroys the red blood cells and can cause anemia. In addition, babesia can affect the central nervous system and cause paralysis or seizures. Fortunately, this disease only occurs exceptionally in certain warm areas, especially in rivers and meadows.
Everything you need to prevent & control ticks
The best way to remove a tick from your pet is to use a pair of tick tweezers. Place the tweezers behind the tick's head and make a twisting movement. Then check whether you have removed the tick completely.
Yes, ticks can be dangerous for your four-legged friend. They can transmit serious diseases, such as Lyme disease. Don't worry, with the right tools you can easily protect your dog or cat from them.
Go for a preventive tick treatment such as tick drops or a tick collar. Check your pet thoroughly when it has been in nature, especially in the period from March to September.
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