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Spring & Tick Season

woman scratching cat

Hopefully the weather cooperates soon.  Unfortunately, the increasing temperatures will start bringing out those pesky ticks!  There is a reason “ick” is part of the name.  When our daytime temperatures start to get above 50 degrees F and the snow has mostly melted away, it will be time to start your pets on their tick preventatives.

What are ticks?

  • Arachnids (related to spiders)

  • Parasites.  Specifically, an ectoparasite.  Ectoparasites live on the “outside” of other life forms.

  • Blood-suckers.  They require a blood meal between each portion of their life cycle.  The females require a blood meal before they lay eggs.

  • Disease-carriers.  Many ticks carry pathogenic organisms that can be transmitted through their saliva when they latch onto a host.

  • Disgusting, creepy, dangerous, peculiar, or fascinating.  Depends on your view of the natural world!

The typical ticks found in our area are the Dermacentor ticks, also known as the “Dog tick” or “Wood tick”.  Which can carry and transmit some nasty diseases.  We are very luck in having a fairly low incidence of most of the diseases ticks carry about the country, but every tick is possible carrier.  Not only can they transmit these rickettsial diseases, but female Dermacentor ticks can also cause Tick Paralysis with a neurotoxin in their saliva.

We have found Bravecto to be an effective, safe, and convenient preventative for our canine patients.  This medication is a flavored soft chew we have found most dogs enjoy AND you will only have to be administer it once every 3 months!

If you have a cat that spends time outdoors, we have Frontline Plus and, as soon as it is available, a topical form of Bravecto made specifically for our feline friends. **Update! As of spring 2018 we have Bravecto for cats! ** This topical will also be more convenient, as you only need to apply it once every 3 months, rather than monthly!

You can call us anytime to get your dog’s Bravecto for the season.  If your pets are current on their annual wellness exam, we can get it ready for you very quickly.  You can request their doses for the entire season, or just ask us to send a reminder for the next dose!