Ticks are one of the worst summertime pests for your pet. Recently, the CDC reported triple increases of illnesses due to mosquito, tick and flea bites across the United States. What is the best way to protect your pet from ticks? Read on to find out.

Prevention is necessary

For your own safety and that of your family, your pets should be protected in advance of tick season. This is especially true of pets that spend extended time outdoors. Pets can easily bring pests such as ticks into your home without them or you realizing it. Many of the diseases that ticks carry cannot be vaccinated for, so your pet is especially vulnerable. Check with your vet to see what they recommend to repel and prevent ticks. Listen up, cat owners: your cat may be sensitive to certain ingredients in tick treatments, so be sure to check with your vet before administering anything you can buy at the pet or grocery store.

Daily checks

Examine your pet every time they come in from outside especially after time in the woods or on hikes. Check the creases where their legs meet their body and in and around their ears. Dogs tend to stick their noses in the underbrush, which is a prime time for a tick to hop on. Check your dog’s head, jowls, neck and under their collar. Make sure no tick has latched on around the eyelids, around the tail, or between the toes. Catching or removing a tick that has latched on early can keep your pet from getting a disease from the pest.

Treat the environment

Apply pet-safe treatment to your pet’s main environment – your lawn and garden. Also, treat your pet’s bedding, furniture and other areas they enjoy inside your home. Be sure to use treatments that are safe and to follow local regulations on time of application and more. To make your lawn less friendly to ticks, be sure to:

• Remove dead leaves
• Clear tall grass and brush
• Use wood chips or gravel as a barrier between your lawn and wooded areas
• Mow frequently
• Stack wood in a dry area, keeping the pile neat to discourage rodents
• Fence your yard to keep out deer and other unwelcome animals from bringing ticks in
• Remove trash and any other hiding places for ticks
• Keep decks, patios and playground equipment away from trees and lawn edge

Remove ticks immediately

Detaching ticks from your pet immediately is recommended. Do not believe the old folklore about nail polish, petroleum jelly or other nonsense. Tweezers work well but there are also products on the market designed to remove ticks quickly and safely. Do not crush the tick after removing it or catching it. Instead, flush the live tick down the toilet or drown them in rubbing alcohol for disposal later in a sealed, taped sandwich bag.

Keep an eye on your pet

If you know your pet has been bitten by a tick or you suspect it, keep an eye on them for any odd behavior. Take your pet to the vet immediately if you notice any signs of illness or odd symptoms in your pet.