Ticks on Dogs: Tips to protect your dog this summer 

Summer is the time to have outdoor fun with your dog. That means longer walks in the park, camping trips, swimming, beach days, or family travel. After all, there's nothing more fun than exploring the world with your furry pal during the summer months.

The sunny, warm weather also comes with an increase in dangerous pests like ticks. Dogs can easily pick up ticks when outdoors and their fur provides the perfect environment for ticks. These ticks can cause irritation and a wide variety of problems for your dogs.

What do ticks look like on dogs?

A tick is a tiny parasite that feels like a hard bump on your dog's skin. It is usually dark brown or black in color. Tick larvae have six legs while nymphs and adult ticks have eight legs. 

Ticks are usually found near a dog's ears, neck, head, or under their legs. However, when ticks get on a dog, they often move around the body for the ideal spot to bite and blood feed.

When a tick bites, it injects saliva into your dog’s skin. They feed on your dog’s blood and can cause health problems ranging from mild allergic reactions to serious illnesses. Ticks can carry other diseases as well. If you find a tick on your dog, try to remove it as soon as possible.

Here are six places where ticks may hide on your pet:

Signs your dog has a tick

During the warmer months, if you live in an area where ticks are found, check your furry companion every time you come in from the outdoors. If you see these symptoms, your dog might have a tick on its body:

• Licking and chewing at a specific area on the dog's body where the tick is located. 

• Red, swollen, or inflamed skin around the embedded tick.

• A dog infested with lots of ticks might become anemic.

• Dogs with ticks may have pale gums or can be lethargic.

• Random scabs on your dog's body.

• If ticks get inside the dog's ear canal, head shaking may be an indication.

• In rare circumstances, some ticks may inject a toxin into your dog's system. It can cause weakness and paralysis of your dog's legs and body.

• In tick-borne disease, you might notice fever, fatigue, lameness, pale gums, or difficulty breathing.

• Your dog might suffer from Lyme disease.

Do ticks come out in the summer?

The summer months are the high season for ticks and the most common time for bites to happen. Ticks are common all year long but they are more common in the spring and summer months due to the humid and warm weather. Also, many pet parents are more often out and about during this time.

In May, tick nymphs emerge, joining the adults to make it the 'tickiest month of the year.' They continue to be active throughout the summer season. So, tick protection into the summer season is important to reduce the exposure to ticks and tick-borne diseases.

How often should you use tick prevention products for a dog? 

You probably already know it's important to protect your dog from fleas and ticks. How often you should use a dog tick treatment for effective coverage depends on which products you use. 

Keep in mind that ticks aren’t always seasonal. They can actually be a year-round risk. That’s why tick prevention for your dog should be a regular entry on the calendar. Talk to your vet before treating a dog that is nursing her puppies.

If your dog has some health concerns, you should take expert advice before using any prevention solution. Consult your vet or groomer for more guidance on tick products for your dog.

Tips for getting rid of ticks

Protecting your dog from ticks starts with vigilance and ends with year-round protection. Learn how to protect your dog against ticks with these tips:

• Treat for ticks: Experts recommend year-round preventive measures to protect dogs. There are many reliable preventative treatment options for pet parents to administer to their dogs. See if a collar, spot-on, spray, shampoo, or oral tablet is right for you and your pet. You can choose from the products to meet your pet's individual needs.

• Inspect and groom your dog regularly: If your dog spends a lot of time outside, tick checks should be part of your daily routine. Regularly inspect your dog for ticks after walks through the muddy or grassy settings. Look between their toes, under the legs, on lips, around eyes and ears, near the anus, and under the tail. Regular grooming also helps you keep an eye out for any external parasites that may be hiding under your dog’s coat. Feel for bumps all over your dog's body.

• Clean up your yard: You can prevent ticks by keeping your grass cut short. Overgrown bushes and patches of tall grass can be tick hot spots. Also, don't let your dog play in areas where ticks might be hiding. Cleaning your yard will give parasites fewer places to hide and breed. This will help you to ensure worry-free time spent outdoors.

• Treat all pets in your house: Treat all household pets regularly for ticks and fleas to ensure they are protected at all times. One way you can protect all your pets would be to have your yard sprayed. 

• Clean your dog's bedding: Bedding, furniture, and carpets make great hiding places for ticks. Every few weeks, check their bedding for ticks. Regularly and thoroughly clean dog bedding in a warm wash to kill ticks. Also, give the dog’s toys a quick check once in a while.

• Remove the parasite ASAP! If you find a tick on your dog, remove it right away. The quicker you remove a tick, the less likely your dog will contract a secondary illness related to tick bites.

• Get regular checkups: Annual vet visits are a key part of preventive care. Your vet will examine your dog for any signs of parasite problems. He will help ensure that the preventive products you are using are working effectively. The vet checkups also give you a chance to track your dog’s skin and coat conditions. 

If there are fewer areas for ticks to live and breed, there will be fewer of them to be concerned with.

Try limiting your dog’s access to heavily wooded areas, leaf piles, woodpiles, and tall, grassy fields.

How to keep your dog's skin healthy?

To keep your dog's skin healthy, you need healthy nutrition, regular exercise, and a safe and comfy place to relax and sleep. Your furry pals also need protection from extreme temperatures and parasites. Dogs should be cared for when they fall ill.

You can take the following steps to maintain your dog’s health:

• When you groom your fur buddy, check for fleas, ticks, allergies, and rashes. Also, identify any signs of tick bites and infection. 

• Provide good nutrition and a complete balanced diet to your fur buddy. A healthy and nutritious diet will boost their immune system.

• Add omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids to your dog's diet to maintain healthy skin and coat conditions. 

• Avoid feeding your dog processed food that contains toxic chemical preservatives. They can have a bad effect on your dog’s skin and coat.

• There are many commercial products for flea and tick control in dogs. You need to see which solutions will work better in your case.

Pet parent tip: If your dog is unwell and you know he was bitten by a tick, even if it seems like a while ago, always mention this to your vet. Keep in mind that symptoms of certain tick-borne diseases can take days, weeks, or even months to appear.

Final thoughts 

Keeping ticks away from your dog is a great step towards keeping them healthy. Summer is a time for fun! Following the above tips and taking a proactive approach to tick prevention will help keep you and your dog happy and healthy this summer!

Keep in mind that ticks are good at hiding and can be quite tough to find. Regularly check your dog for ticks if your fur buddy spends time outside in grassy areas.

By taking some precautions and following these tips, you can prevent your dog from ticks. Also, keep your dog cool this summer with dog cooling pad.

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