All You Need to Know About Ticks

1. All You Need to Know About Ticks Many pet parents panic when they hear the word ‘ticks’. It evident that these pesky parasites cause many health problems in pets but knowing your enemy well can help you fight them with ease. The most common misconception that people have is that fleas and ticks belong to the same family. It’s not true. Fleas are insects while ticks are arachnids. There are various ticks with different colorations but their basic anatomy appears the same. Read on to understand more about the life cycle of ticks and the different types of ticks that can infest your pet.

2. Life Cycle of Ticks The life cycle of ticks consists of four distinct life stages namely eggs, larvae, nymph, and adult. These ticks are capable of laying 3000 eggs at a time. When this egg finds optimum level of temperature and humidity they hatch and outcomes larvae. The larvae are really tiny and they find a bird or a rat as their host and feed on them. Once they are fully fed they drop out from their host’s body. When they are big enough they molt out of their shells and become nymphs. Similarly, nymphs follow the same process where they attach to a host, feed themselves fully, and then detach from their host. After molting out of their shells again they get converted into adult ticks. Adult ticks then mate and the female lay eggs thus beginning a new cycle. Most Common Tick Species •Brown Dog Tick Brown dog ticks are also known as Kennel ticks and they are found throughout America. They can live and populate outside the host’s body and so are difficult to get rid of. The diseases they can cause to a pet are babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, hepatozoonosis, and haemobartonellosis. •Lone Star Tick The Lone Star tick lives in wooded areas and is often found near natural water resources. They have a white spot on their back which makes them easily noticeable. They are also capable of infecting humans. The diseases caused by Lone Star ticks are Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia and tick paralysis.

3. •American Dog Tick American Dog ticks are also known as the wood tick. They have tiny white spots on their back which makes them noticeable. They prefer living in humid conditions. The diseases that are caused by American dog tick are cytauxzoonosis, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tick paralysis. •Gulf Coast Tick This tick is capable of causing a type of spotted fever called Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis to humans. They are found on the Gulf of Mexico and on the Atlantic coastal regions of America. The disease it causes in pets is hepatozoonosis. •Black-Legged Tick These species are also known as Deer ticks. It’s difficult to differentiate between black-legged tick and brown dog tick as these species have a uniform reddish brown color. These species can use human or animal as a host. The diseases caused by them include anaplasmosis, tick paralysis, and Lyme disease. Ticks are very irritating parasites that dwell on your pet’s fur and spread nasty diseases. They can also infect humans so it’s imperative that you treat your pet and your house with tick preventive products. If your dog is suffering from tick infestation and you wish to have a complete diagnosis for the same you should definitely visit your veterinarian as soon as possible. Taking preventive measures on a regular basis and keeping your surrounding clean and tidy will easily help you prevent this blood sucking parasite from infesting your pet. Buy Tick Control Products