We Are Not Alone

The dogs of Red Shadow Kennels are raised in urban family homes probably a lot like yours. Our home is in a well established subdivision near Toronto on a modest 100×60 lot.
Like most dog owners, we do regular tick checks on our dogs when they come back in from field training or walks to a local dog park.
However, with puppies in the house, we are hesitant to take our dogs too far afield. We don’t want them bring in a disease, virus or parasites that might harm the puppies.
So you could imagine our surprise this afternoon when we discovered that mother nature decided to come to us. One of our dogs picked up a tick, literally in our own back yard.

The good news is, based on the size, the tick had only been attached for around five hours. We were able to remove it completely.
The bad news is, it is a deer tick, known to carry Lyme disease in our area.
We are very confident that our dog has not contracted Lyme disease from this tick. This tick was very small and had likely attached some time this morning,
We are also aware that urban wildlife like birds, rabbits, mice, raccoons and skunks will continue to bring little gifts like this to our door.
The animals in our home must checked regularly throughout the summer and we humans will also have to be on the lookout.
If you are not already educated on the different tick species in your area and the tick preventatives available, we recommend you start looking into the right solution for you.
Also, now is the time to search Google and learn how to properly remove ticks. Consider assembling tick-removal kits for your home, cottage and vehicles containing rubbing alcohol, a small container and tweezers or a tick removal tool. If you want to have your vet test any found tick for diseases endemic to your area, you will want to include a small container to preserve and transport it.
The most important thing to remember is that there is no cause to panic. Ticks live where we live and they can be managed. Proper identification and quick removal are the best way to prevent the transmission of tick-borne disease.
With regular scans, your dog will enjoy a safe and adventurous summer, free of any tick-borne diseases!

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