The dog was bitten by a tick. What to do

Starting on warm spring days, people go on vacation outside the city - to a river, to a village, to a forest. And, of course, they bring home pets with them. On the one hand, outdoor activities benefit the pet, on the other hand, the risk of tick damage increases. Not all dog owners know what to do if a dog is bitten by a tick. What to do if the pet still suffered this misfortune?

Does a tick always infect a dog

If we take into account the parasite itself, then it is not dangerous for the dog, because even eating blood, he can not bleed the animal. The threat lies in the fact that ticks are carriers of parasitic microorganisms that settle in red blood cells and gradually destroy them. They reproduce very intensively, and if emergency therapy is not carried out, only 2% of affected animals have a chance of survival.

Of course, such statistics scare dog owners, and in the event of a pet bite, they begin to panic. This is strictly prohibited. Quite often, animals bring parasites from a walk, but they do not get sick, since not all insects are carriers, but only on average one tenth of them.

After removing the tick, the condition of the dog should be monitored, and any changes (worsening in condition) in the behavior are a significant reason for contacting the veterinarian.

What is a tick bite dangerous?

The smallest parasites that are spread by ticks, penetrating into the red blood cells, destroy cells, provoke a serious metabolic disturbance and severe intoxication.

Usually, the first signs of the disease are observed 6-10 days after a tick bite. But the intensity of the symptoms and their manifestation depends on the form in which the ailment proceeds:

• Super-acute course of the disease - signs of infection appear on the second day, infection leads to the death of the pet.
• Acute course is the most common form of the disease, symptoms appear after 5-7 days.
• The chronic form of the disease is very difficult to diagnose. The pet has a short fever , weakness and lethargy, then a period of improvement begins. Then the dog suddenly refuses food for no apparent reason. Such fluctuations in the state last long enough, but nevertheless the disease wins - the pet becomes weak, constantly tired, his appetite disappears.

Naturally, the owners have a question: “How can you help the dog at home?” But this is the case when the only right decision is to deliver the animal to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. Only after diagnosis, the doctor prescribes suitable medications. Without them, the dog has no chance of cure.

How to remove the parasite

When the owner finds a tick in a pet, the first thing it needs to be removed from the skin. If it was discovered immediately after walking, then, most likely, has not had time to suck. Usually an insect needs 4-6 hours to find the most tender areas of the skin to bite.

If after walking the dog regularly comb out the dog , then the defeat with a tick will be reduced to zero, since all non-requested guests will be removed with a brush.

If this did not happen, and the parasite still managed to suck, then it is usually found in the form of a blood-red ball. And in this form, the tick must be removed, since this insect is a carrier of various infections, including encephalitis. The removal procedure is best done with medical gloves.

In order for the tick to take out the head from the skin, you can drip oil on it, or cologne. One drop is enough, after which you need to wait a minute. If the head does not appear, drip again.

After a few minutes, you need to build a loop from the thread, try to grab the insect with it, as close to the skin as possible, and rotate the thread in one direction. If everything is done correctly, then after one or two turns the tick comes out.

There is another proven method: bring the needle heated above the fire to the proboscis dive site. A tick usually pulls its head out instantly.

One very important warning - under no circumstances do not pull out the insect, as it can burst and infect the pet!

The bitten surface is treated with iodine, hydrogen peroxide, fucorcin or brilliant green. It is worth some time to observe the swelling that forms at the site of the bite. If over time it does not subside, increases in size, turns red or abscesses, then it is necessary to show the pet to the veterinarian.

Diagnosis of the disease

What you need to do after a tick bite is understandable, but there are situations when symptoms appear for no apparent reason. In this case, the owners are at a loss, what happened to their beloved dog?

The thing is that the disease does not always manifest itself in the first days after a bite. Sometimes an infection in the body “subsides”, waiting for a more appropriate moment when the animal’s body weakens. Naturally, the owner does not connect the pet’s loss of appetite in the winter with the fact that in the summer the dog was bitten by a tick. But it is better if the owner will remember such an event and be able to deliver the animal in time for examination to the doctor.

Another nuance: a tick that transfers the infection may not behave like a healthy insect. Male parasites can bite, but not stick, but fall off immediately. This defeat of the dog is almost impossible to notice, especially if the dog is large and has dark hair.

One can only recommend that in the season of increasing the number of insects it is better to look closely at the state of the four-legged friend.

Read also :

• what to do if a dog has bitten ;
• how to euthanize a dog at home .

The main symptoms of a tick bite in a dog

Every dog ​​owner should know the symptoms of a tick bite. If the course is lightning fast, then something will not work, in this case the disease wins in any situation. But this is a rather rare form of the disease, and in most cases, there is an acute form of the disease. It is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Raising body temperature to 40-42C - it is worth noting that the temperature lasts about 24-48 hours, then it normalizes, and a little later it begins to drop. It is worth worrying if the thermometer shows less than 38.5 C.
• Another common symptom is lethargy. The animal shows little activity, does not run on walks, more often lies.
• In most cases, there is a rejection of food.

Other symptoms do not necessarily appear, but are sometimes present in infected animals:

• dyspnea;
• chills;
• mucous membranes fade;
• the dog can lie on his back and whine plaintively (this is a reaction to pain in the abdomen);
• females may begin bleeding from the vagina;
• the pet can begin to stagger when walking, this happens when the hind limbs fail;
• digestion in the form of diarrhea and vomiting is rarely observed.

With a significant development of the infection, a putrefactive smell starts to come out of the pet’s mouth, the urine becomes dark, with a blood admixture.

First aid for a tick bite

If a dog is bitten by a tick, treatment should not be long in coming! If possible, then at the first sign of infection, the dog should be taken to the clinic. But what if the ailment was taken by surprise somewhere in the village, outside the city, away from the veterinary services? In this case, you need to act on your own.

If the dog refuses food and food, dehydration must not be allowed. It is necessary to pour water into the mouth of the dog every 30-40 minutes - 50-100 ml. With vomiting, it will be more effective to put an enema or a subcutaneous injection with the same amount of fluid. Thus, the body will receive the missing moisture.

As an emergency therapy, it is necessary to give the dog subcutaneous injections with glucose, vitamins B ₆ and B ₁₂ three times a day. This will help support the body in the fight against the disease, but without special drugs against parasites, the dog will not recover. Their independent introduction without proper diagnosis can harm the animal.

If the situation is completely hopeless, there is no way to show the dog to the veterinarian, and the condition is accompanied by all the obvious symptoms, you can give the dog an injection of Azidine or Veriben, accurately calculating the dosage based on the weight of the pet.

As soon as the situation stabilizes, the first thing to do is to pass the dog's tests to the laboratory to clarify the diagnosis. It is necessary that the doctor prescribe complex therapy, since an untreated infection can lead to serious consequences.

After that, a long rehabilitation course is aimed at restoring the intestinal microflora, normalizing the activity of vital organs, and, importantly, strengthening the immune forces of the dog's body.

A careful attitude of the owner to his pet will help to timely detect the threat in the form of a tick and prevent the development of serious complications.