{"id":48,"date":"2021-03-26T18:14:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T18:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.myvetbox.com\/?p=48"},"modified":"2021-03-26T18:14:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T18:14:00","slug":"ticks-101-and-how-to-treat-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vetbox.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/26\/ticks-101-and-how-to-treat-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Ticks 101 and how to treat them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Peaches and Pebbles, two lovely cats with a VetBox subscription<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A crash course for pet owners all about ticks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like their flea counterparts, ticks are a parasite that are not only excellent at making us all cringe, but also at carrying and spreading diseases. These diseases are not only able to infect your pet, they can also infect us! Ticks are commonly referred to as vectors. Vectors are creatures that are required for the life cycle and spread of an infectious disease. In this post we go into the details and tips that pet owners should know about ticks and their presence in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The different kinds of ticks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ticks come in many shapes and sizes, and there are multiple species known to bite in order to transfer infectious diseases. There are four stages of the tick life cycle: egg, larvae, nymph and adult. People are typically familiar with enlarged adult ticks, meaning the ones that have latched onto their pet (or themselves) and taken a \u2018blood meal\u2019. You may also see adults that have yet to take a blood meal, otherwise know as a nymph tick (immature adult). Ticks do not typically \u201cjump\u201d like we see fleas do, rather they hover on grass or brush and wait for you or your pet to pass by so they can latch on. They don\u2019t always attach immediately, which is helpful as it gives  us more time to be able to remove them prior to biting. Areas of your pet commonly affected are the face, ears, armpits (axilla), groin (inguinal), and in between the toes (interdigital space). These spots have thinner skin and less hair, meaning easier access and attachment for the tick. That being said, you can still find a tick anywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Ticks can cause Lyme disease<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once a tick has attached itself to you or your pet, it can take variable amounts of time to spread infectious diseases depending on the disease type. One of the most common tick borne diseases that pet owners and the public are familiar with is Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi<\/em> and spread by the Ixodes<\/em> tick. This can cause potentially severe clinical signs in both pets and humans including fever, joint pain and swelling, lymph node swelling, and lethargy. Lyme disease can be managed\/treated, however does have potential for chronic problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borrelia<\/em> isn\u2019t the only offender in this category, here are a few other tick borne diseases that are present and\/or have the potential to emerge in the UK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n