Minnesota Ticks Are Out in Full Force… Protect Your Pets

Last week we told you a story about a camping trip ruined by ticks. A group went out camping and within 24 hours they found more than 100 ticks on their dogs. Gross! But the truth is that this may be exactly what you are dealing with all summer.

DL online is reporting that ticks are already bad in Detroit Lakes and really all over Minnesota. There are already cases of tick-borne disease reported by doctors AND veterinarians and it’s early yet. That’s a good sign that it’s going to be bad.

The CDC shows Minnesota as the 7th highest for tick-borne illness and the Minnesota Department of Health has listed several counties as high risk for tick-borne disease. The main diseases caused by ticks in Minnesota are Lyme, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Dogs and cats are susceptible to these diseases as well.

How to Protect Your Fur Babies from Ticks

Dr. Samantha Zehr, a vet at the Detroit Lakes Animal Hospital, says there are ticks in town and out, it doesn’t matter. She has already treated cases of Lyme and anaplasmosis and reminds us that it isn’t even the peak of the season. She suggests the Lyme vaccine for dogs along with topical treatment. But are there other options and what if your dog already has ticks? What do you do then? Pest Hacks gives us a list of things that you can also look to when protecting against ticks. 
 

• Check your dog for ticks: Just as when your children go out to play and you check them when they come in, you should do the same for your pets. From between the toes to under the tail, check as closely as possible for unusual bumps that could be ticks.
• Remove ticks when found: Use tweezers and pull straight out, making sure to get out the entire tick. Disinfect and save the tick in case of infection.
• Tick Shampoos: If you find your dog covered in ticks you can use professional tick shampoos designed to kill the ticks. It can be impossible to find all ticks on your furry dog so this is what makes the shampoo a great tool.
• Tick Collars: The shampoo will kill existing ticks, but it won’t prevent more from latching on. That’s where the collar comes in. Collars repel ticks from ever attaching to your pet.
• Topical treatments: These type of treatments not only work on ticks but also mosquitoes and fleas. They are waterproof and great for pets that spend a lot of time outdoors.
• Tick Spray: These are great if you only need occasional protection. A quick mist before and after a trip outdoors may be all you need.

Follow your veternarians advice for the tick control methods listed above.

How Will You Protect Pets At Home?

We can’t remind you enough that ticks are terrible everywhere so you have to protect your family and your pets when you are out enjoying the Detroit Lakes or any other of the great outdoor places we have in Minnesota to explore. But what about at home? This is where you want to relax the most and does relaxing really include constant worry over ticks? No, it doesn’t.

Mosquito Squad of Twin Cities has your fix for that. Our barrier treatment and tick tube systems will eliminate 85-90 percent of the ticks in your yard and continue to keep them out. Our trained technicians know where ticks like to hide and live and will mist those areas every three weeks. Our tick tubes are placed twice a year to work on keeping next year’s crop of ticks from ever even entering your yard. While the professionals are doing the work you can do what you are meant to do at home… relax and enjoy your family, especially the furry members. Call us today and let’s talk about getting your tick control plan started.