A tick bit a dog - the consequences of a parasite attack and first aid for a pet

The time of activity of blood-sucking ectoparasites is spring and summer. Long walks during the warm season are good for pets, but it's important to take care of their safety. Not all owners know what to do if a dog is bitten by a tick. This carrier of dangerous diseases can infect a pet with deadly infections, so a visit to the veterinarian should not be postponed. Inspection and testing will eliminate worries about the dog’s health.

What danger looks like

On dogs, an arthropod from the ixodid tick family parasitizes. The size of an adult is 2-4 mm, after drinking blood, they increase several times. The body of the ectoparasite is brown, 4 pairs of legs with claws and suction cups allow you to firmly cling to the owner. The back of the males is completely covered with chitinous shell, and in females it occupies a third of the surface of the body. Mammalian blood is necessary for ticks to move from one stage of development to another.

The ixodid species is distinguished by a wide distribution area; it can be found not only in the forest, but also in a city park or garden. Arthropods go through 4 stages of life development: an egg, a larva, a nymph, an adult. For pets, the last two species are dangerous.

Favorite food places on animals:

• ears
• groin area;
• armpits;
• stomach.

Attention. In addition to ixodic blood-sucking animals, other types of parasites - ear and subcutaneous mites - also attack. You can notice them only under a microscope, but the symptoms of damage in the form of redness, scratching and a rash are visible to the naked eye. If the dog often scratches his ears or in some areas the skin has changed, you must contact a veterinary clinic.

What threatens a tick bite?

A small amount of blood sucked by the parasite does not affect the health of the four-legged pet. The danger lies in the diseases that arthropods spread. What consequences tick bite observed in a dog?

Attention. The found parasite is not always the source of the disease. Infection occurs in 4-14% of cases.

Ixodic arthropod species are the distributors of a number of parasitic diseases:

Borreliosis

Infectious disease caused by spirochetes has a natural focal character. Infection in a dog causes a tick bite. Borreliosis is carried by adult ticks and nymphs. Natural foci of the disease occur in the temperate climate zone. Most often, the disease is asymptomatic, clinical manifestations are observed in 20% of infected animals. The organisms that caused the disease secretly multiply, provoking a chronic course of borreliosis. It is expressed in lameness, the appearance of arthritis, changes in the joints, organs and tissues. Laboratory diagnostics will help to identify pathology.

Bartonellosis

The causative agent enters the bloodstream when attacked by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. At risk are dogs in rural areas, hunting breeds and stray individuals. Bartonellosis affects blood cells, its manifestations depend on the immunity of the animal.The causative agent of the disease causes inflammation, which results in endocarditis and myocarditis, arrhythmia, pulmonary edema. For treatment, special therapeutic regimens using antibiotics are being developed.

Pyroplasmosis

Pyroplasmosis is a disease caused by the simplest parasites Babesia. Its carriers are ixodid ticks. Unicellular organisms feed on hemoglobin contained in red blood cells. Under their influence, blood cells are destroyed, and the waste products of pyroplasm poison the body. Without treatment, the animal dies 4-5 days after the onset of symptoms of the disease.

Attention. The disease manifests itself in dogs of any breed and age, but in animals older than 4 years, it proceeds in a milder form.

The incubation period is 2-14 days. If a dog is bitten by a tick, it is necessary to monitor whether the symptoms of the disease appear:

• elevated temperature (40-41⁰);
• dyspnea;
• lethargy;
• refusal of food;
• intense thirst;
• discoloration of urine to dark brown;
• icteric shade of eyes and mucous membranes.

In the case when the owner does not pay due attention to the first symptoms, the parasite manages to multiply to a huge amount and the disease is more complicated. In animals that have previously had pyroplasmosis, with repeated infection, the disease becomes chronic. In the early days, the temperature rises to 41-42⁰, then drops to normal, the animal quickly gets tired, loses its appetite. Anemia progresses. Recovery is slow for 4-12 weeks.

Pyroplasmosis is diagnosed during a blood test. A complex treatment is prescribed that reduces the intoxication of the body. To combat babesia, a special drug is introduced - Veriben. Supportive therapy with glucose and vitamins is prescribed.

Ehrlichiosis

The incubation period of the disease is 1-3 weeks, it is often accompanied by pyroplasmosis. Microscopic ehrlichia organisms cause hyperplasia (enlargement) of the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. Symptoms of the acute stage:

• lack of appetite;
• vomiting and diarrhea;
• discharge from the nose;
• cough.

The latent stage lasts up to 3 months, causing a decrease in platelets in the blood. It is characterized by weight loss, subcutaneous hemorrhage. The disease is difficult to diagnose.

Hepatozoonosis

A parasitic disease in which a unicellular organism settles in the blood cells. In Russia, the disease is not common, so its definition is difficult. The disease has a long incubation period and a low concentration of parasites. A specific symptom of hepatozoonosis was not found, it manifests itself in the form of anemia, inflammatory processes in the liver, swollen lymph nodes.

Attention. Dogs do not become infected with tick-borne encephalitis, but a parasite that has bitten them can attack a person.

When a tick attack, four-legged pets may experience a neurotoxic reaction. It occurs under the influence of toxic substances that cause allergies. "Tick-borne paralysis" immobilizes the hind limbs and passes after 2 days without treatment. It can be manifested by dysfunction of the voice or swallowing reflex. A red spot, swelling, or rash appears on the dog’s body at the site of the bite. To reduce the effect of toxins, an antihistamine is prescribed to the animal.

We remove ticks correctly

If a sucking parasite is found during a pet examination, it is better to contact a veterinary clinic, where the doctor will remove it with a special tool. In the absence of professional help, you will have to clean the tick yourself. To conveniently grasp an individual, you need tweezers or a strong thread. how pull out the tick at the dog?

Attention. Wear surgical gloves before removing the suction tick. This will reduce the risk of contracting diseases that the parasite suffers.

Carefully remove the sucked-up individual, being careful not to tear the torso from the head. Tearing or crushing the parasite increases the likelihood of infection with one of the types of diseases.You should act immediately, the longer the ixodid tick feeds on the animal, the higher the likelihood of transmitting one of the ailments. Together with saliva, pathogenic microorganisms enter the wound.

The oral apparatus of the tick is created in such a way that when immersed in a wound, it clings to its edges like a hook. Simply pulling an individual back is not possible. This is a specific protective mechanism of the parasite, which requires blood for life. In order to completely remove the blood-sucking individual, it is necessary to swing it or turn it counterclockwise.

What to do if a tick is found in a dog? The best option is to use Tick Twister, a special parasite twist. This is a plastic device with a slot at the bottom for gripping the tick. It is sold in two sizes - for ordinary individuals and enlarged after feeding. You need to proceed as follows:

1. Spread the dog's coat.
2. Hook the parasite with a special device, tweezers or a rope loop.
3. Carefully turn it counterclockwise with one hand without pressure. Hold the skin of the animal with the other hand.

After removing the tick, it is better to place it in a glass dish and give it to the laboratory for analysis. The bite site is necessarily treated with an antiseptic - iodine, an alcohol solution, hydrogen peroxide

How to protect a dog from ticks

There are several ways to prevent the dangerous effects of diseases that ticks infect pets when they bite. These are means that enter the bloodstream of an animal and kill parasites, as well as compounds that repel a potential threat with a specific smell.

Vaccination

Using a tick vaccine does not prevent a parasite bite; it helps develop immunity to pyroplasmosis. Vaccination smoothes the severity of the disease and minimizes death. The effect of the drug is short-term, immunity lasts 10-14 days. Vaccination will not protect against other diseases transmitted by ectoparasites.

It is quite difficult to deal with ticks, they quickly adapt to the means used. No drug provides 100% guarantee against arthropod animals. To protect the pet, a comprehensive treatment should be performed. Putting drops on the withers and putting on a special collar is recommended.

Collar from parasites - a plastic rim impregnated with a special tool. It is suitable for four-legged pets of any breed. Collars are treated with various compounds: chemical - kill parasites, biological - serve as repellents that repel ticks. The time of protective action is up to 6 months. The optimal concentration of the product on the skin is achieved after several days of wearing.

Bolfo spray refers to insecticaricidal drugs. Proxur in the composition of the aerosol has a paralyzing effect on ectoparasites. The spray is sprayed onto animals, pointing against the coat. To prevent licking of the chemical, the neck collar is put on the dog until it dries completely. Processing is carried out once a week.

Frontline Combo - pipette drops applied to the withers of the animal. The active substance - fipronil has an intestinal and contact effect on parasites. The drug is bought strictly by the weight of the dog. Three days before and after the procedure and it can not be bathed. The drug will begin to act after 5 days. With frequent pet bathing, the duration of the protection is reduced.

Attention. Use a protective agent strictly according to the instructions. For puppies and lactating bitches, only herbal preparations are allowed.

Preventative measures

To protect your pet, you need to follow simple rules:

• Inspect the dog after each walk, even if it was not in a park or forest. Ticks have moved close to human homes and can attack anywhere. Particular attention should be paid to areas where the parasite likes to eat - ears, neck, stomach, armpits.
• Timely application of acaricidal drugs and repellents will reduce the likelihood of an attack of blood-sucking parasites.The effect of drugs decreases with time, and with frequent bathing this happens faster.
• If a tick is found in the pet’s coat, it must be removed correctly. Over the next week, carefully monitor the condition and behavior of the dog. Any manifestation of the symptoms of the disease is an occasion to contact a veterinarian.

The most caring and responsible dog owners will not be able to prevent a tick bite during a walk. The main thing is to correctly respond to the incident and do everything to avoid the tragic consequences.