In my opinion, it is only natural that a dog will experience an infestation of ticks or mites at some stage in its life. And while prevention is better than a cure, dogs will be dogs. Therefore, knowing how to get rid of an infestation of ticks or mites will be good information to have at hand.
In this article, you will learn how to treat ticks and mites. We’ll cover all aspects of these parasites to ensure that you have adequate knowledge to prevent their infestation in the first place and cope with them if your pets are already infested.
And as I mentioned above, you don’t need to worry much because proper precautionary measures minimize the chances of your pets getting affected by ticks and mites.
What Is the Difference Between a Tick and a Mite?
There is no significant distinction between mites and ticks except for their bodies’ structural differences.
Mites are often less than one millimeter and have short hair on some body parts. They have four developmental stages, i.e., egg, larvae, nymph, and adult.
Though ticks are small, they can be seen with the naked eye. Their size varies by a few millimeters. They are bloodsucking organisms. They stick their teeth in the skin of your pet and suck blood. In addition, they carry many diseases in them, which they transfer to your pet while sucking its blood. They are highly active during the summer, spring, and fall seasons. So, it is advisable to take extra precautionary measures during these seasons.
Ticks spread many diseases like “Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis,” etc. Some of them are not that well known, but still, they are pretty dangerous. Common ticks found in the US are American Dog Tick, Brown Dog Tick, and Lone Star Tick.
Mites are tiny organisms that can only be seen with a microscope. These irritate your pets. They can live within or on the skin. The owner will only suspect the occurrence of the mites when his dog starts to damage its skin by rubbing the nearby wall or furniture.
There are many types of mites. They are ear mites, Demodex, Harvest mites and Sarcoptes, etc.
Both ticks and mites are highly contagious and spread through contact.
How Do I Know if My Dog Has Ticks or Mites?
The signs of ticks may vary from one type to another. Still, the following are the potential problems that might refer to their infestation.
• Fever
• Arthritis
• Lethargy
• Lameness (tick paralysis)
• Anemia (in case of blood parasite)
• Difficult or rapid breathing
• You might see your dog vomit after a tick bite
• Fever caused by ticks is called “tick fever”
Some of the symptoms that can be seen in the case of “mite infestation” are:
• Excessive licking of affected body parts
• Shaking of the head (in case of ear mites)
• Coordination loss in the hind legs (not able to stand immediately)
• Increased scratching and itching, and biting on different parts of the body
• Alteration in bark tone
• Hair loss (due to excessive itching and biting)
• Redness on the skin
• Rubbing the body with the wall and furniture
• Scaly, crusty, flaky skin
Detection of Ectoparasites:
A careful examination of your dog’s skin can be enough to detect the presence of ticks. In the case of mites, due to their smaller size, a microscope or magnifying glass is required.
The following are the general ways to detect the presence of ticks and mites’ in your lovely dog.
Ticks can be detected by:
• Presence of parasites on the dog’s skin
• Ticks become more rounded on the host after day one or two because of the consumption of blood from the host
• Comb through the fur and feel if there are any lumps on the skin
• CBC is done to check anemia
On the other hand, mites can be detected by:
• Examination of skin scrapings with the aid of a microscope
• Checking for dark ear wax (usually present in case of ear mites)
• Careful analysis of hair loss
Transmission of Ectoparasites:
Mites and ticks have massive transmission capabilities and can easily be transmitted from one host to another.
When the tick observes favorable conditions to take care of it, it gets a handle on the skin and cuts into the surface. The tick then embeds itself.
If the host animal has a bloodborne disease, the tick will ingest the blood parasite with the blood. When a tick with a blood parasite in it attaches to another dog, it transfers that disease to another dog with its saliva. The saliva is transmitted to the skin by biting.
After taking a blood meal from the host, most ticks will drop off and prepare to continue their life cycle by transferring themselves to the other dog.
The mite transmission is simple, and they are typically passed from one canine to another. Your dogs might get parasites assuming they come in contact with other dogs who have these parasites. They can be transmitted by direct contact with an infected dog.
How to Treat Ticks and Mites in Dogs:
The treatment given in case of tick infestation depends on the type of tick and its symptoms.
• In the case of blood parasites because of ticks, the animal is treated accordingly by giving multiple shots of anti-parasitic drugs from a certified vet
• Antipyretics (drugs to treat fever) are given to treat tick fever
• Everyday dog should be de-infested
• In case of anemia due to a blood parasite, a blood transfusion might be recommended
• Fluid loss and dehydration daily due to anorexia is coping with fluid therapy
Mites:
• Use approved pesticides
•Mix baking soda in warm water, soak the cotton swab and apply it on the infected area. Repeat this every day until all mites are dead. The remedy should be used with the approval of the vet
• Various shampoos are available that can be used to lower the load of dog mites. These shampoos are anti-parasitic
• Apple cider vinegar bath is given by adding apple cider vinegar to water and applying the solution to the skin
How to Prevent a Mite Infestation:
• Reduce the shaded area, which results in a decline in humidity, and ticks ultimately die
• Everyday dog should be de-infested
• Limited access to areas that may act as a source of ticks
• Isolation of dogs from others helps prevent ticks
• Careful removal of embedded ticks should be done because the embedded teeth of the tick might become the source of the continuous entrance of the pathogen
The following measures help prevent mite infestation:
• Wash bedding weekly and do not overuse the bedding for a more extended period
• It is difficult for ticks and mites to grow in an area having low humidity. It is advised to maintain a low-humidity environment when coping with ectoparasite infestation
• Remove dust
• Vaccum cleaning the area will remove the eggs and ticks that might be present there
• Choose bedding with a plain surface that is easy to clean so that eggs of these parasites can be removed
Flea & Tick and Mite Treatment for Dogs
More often than not, Tick and Mite treatments for dogs are included in the most popular dog flea treatments. So it is very likely that you are already taking steps to prevent your dog from an infestation. Here are three of the top flea, tick, and mite treatments on Amazon – at the time of writing this article.
Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs – 8 months of continuous flea and tick prevention
TevraPet Activate II Flea Collar for Dogs – Tick Prevention and Repels Mosquitos
Parenda Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs – 100% Natural Ingredients and Waterproof
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