What to do if your dog is bitten by ticks. Symptoms of a tick bite in a dog and immediate measures

With the arrival of spring, bloodsucking creatures awaken from hibernation and begin to look for food for themselves, because optimal conditions for reproduction and vital activity appear. It often happens that ticks are found on the fur of pets after a country walk with them.

More than 100 species of ticks are known, and some species are dangerous, because bites can lead to infectious diseases and even death.

The owner must protect the animal in every possible way if the puppy lives in the same territory, and, of course, provide assistance in case of a tick bite, but we will consider how to do this on time and correctly.

Types of ticks

It is the ixodid subcutaneous tick that is most often found in the hair follicles or sweat glands of the animal, and in the case of a bite against the background of a weakened immune system, it causes serious infectious diseases (borreliosis, bartonellosis, piroplasmosis).

The most common types of ticks:

the Ixodes dog tick is a carrier of Lyme disease;
Haemaphisalis is a ubiquitous inhabitant and carrier of babesiosis, rickettsiosis, and borreliosis;
Rhipicephalus is a carrier of piroplasmosis and rickettsiosis.

Microscopic ixodid ticks quickly dig into the skin of dogs, leading to poisoning (intoxication), itching, allergies and eczema on the body.

Poisoning by tick waste products affects the upper layer of the dermis, causing bacterial and fungal infections. , all the time trying to tilt his head towards the withers. Weeping ulcers and necrotic areas appear on the skin.

Even smooth-haired dog breeds are often exposed to ticks. The main thing is to provide your pet with timely assistance.

In fact, the tick itself is not dangerous. When bitten, it becomes saturated with blood and quickly falls away from its donor. Ticks are carriers of various diseases. Thus, there is a threat of mass infection of pets and, for example, a tick bite of a pregnant dog can lead to the death of all offspring.

Bites from some types of ticks are difficult to treat, and the consequences can be unpredictable.

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Tick prevalence

According to epidemiologists, ticks are found in almost any part of Russia. Mass accumulations in the off-season (from spring to autumn) were identified in the Rostov region.

The degree of risk of infection directly depends on environmental conditions, outside air temperature, and humidity. The optimal favorable temperature for the reproduction and functioning of ticks is 20-30˚, humidity is over 50%. Peak activity occurs in spring and autumn.

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Risk factors for dogs

The infection is carried by female ticks that lay their eggs in the ground. Already infected larvae emerge and, upon reaching the adult stage, they are able to bite a healthy dog, which will become a source of infection.

Puppies are at risk of becoming infected with piroplasmas as an infectious pathogen with the presence of two hosts, the intermediate of which are wolves, jackals, foxes, and dogs. The second host is the ixodid tick, which is capable of reproducing in the future.

Nymphs and larvae cannot bite dogs, but females, for example, piroplasmas during periods of activation at above-zero temperatures can cause harm to domestic puppies by sticking to the fur while they are in places with dense vegetation.

Puppies with undeveloped immunity become easy prey for waiting bloodsuckers. It is enough for them to dig into the skin and choose the optimal place for themselves to suck blood, thereby leading to infection with infectious diseases.

Bite prevention

Veterinarians recommend using several means of protection against blood suckers at the same time. For example, you need to put a collar on your puppy and use drops that last for up to several months before walking. You can treat the skin and withers with spray, gel, drops, and acaricidal preparations.

The most common drugs on sale that are not absorbed into the blood:

sprays (Bars Defendog);
drops for withers (Serco, Frontline, Advantix);
collars (Hartz, Bolfo, Kiltix)
pills .

Attention! Anti-mite drugs can lead to contact allergies, so when applying drops to the withers, you should follow the instructions.

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Puppies are often affected by piroplasma and veterinarians advise timely vaccination. You should also not rely on one vaccine. Inspections of the puppy's coat and skin after visiting the street should be constant.

You cannot self-medicate or experiment on animals. If you suspect a bite or infection, do not hesitate to contact a veterinarian. The dog's life may be at risk.

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Consequences of a bite

Some types of ticks are difficult to notice on a puppy's body. But their destructive impact is lightning fast.

A bite can lead to:

severe damage to cells and tissues;
intoxication;
increase in temperature;
the appearance of lethargy, apathy, lack of appetite;
damage to the nervous, cardiovascular and motor systems, kidneys, joints;
the appearance of toxic reactions due to the bite;
paralysis of skeletal muscles or hind limbs;
impaired swallowing, motor skills and vocal abilities of the dog;
suffocation, shortness of breath, even death.

As a result of a bite, dogs may develop:

Lyme disease or borreliosis is a rather rare disease that can lead to nervous system disorders, toxic shock, and nervous tics. It is possible for the person himself to become infected, and contact with such animals is extremely dangerous. In this article we have already discussed in detail the issue of.
piroplasmosis, leading to damage to the central nervous system and kidneys, heart failure.

Symptoms of a bite are obvious: skin lesions, intoxication, diffuse swelling at the site of the bite. The animal tries to constantly scratch the bitten area and turns its head towards the withers. The lack of therapeutic measures can lead to the development of purulent inflammation when anaerobic microorganisms are introduced.

The consequences of a bite can be disastrous. For example, with borreliosis, the addition of a bacterial infection, damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems, sudden death can occur.

German Shepherds and Dobermans are susceptible to the disease. Due to the saturation of the blood with toxins, bleeding, inflammation, convulsions and signs of lethargy may begin if the central nervous system is involved.

If the tick has already attached itself, what should you do at home?

If you find a tick on your puppy's body, you need to do the following:

Symptoms of a tick bite

A tick bite immediately leads to pronounced symptoms with a rapid progression. Often the owner does not have time to understand and take appropriate measures at home.

Observed:

an increase in temperature to 42˚, although the dog’s normal temperature is 38.5˚;
dyspnea;
blanching of the mucous membranes;
drowsiness;
apathy;
refusal to eat;
abdominal pain;
bleeding from the vagina in bitches.

If such symptoms appear, there is no time to waste, otherwise the dog may become much worse tomorrow, for example:

the hind legs will begin to fail;
there will be unsteadiness of gait, diarrhea and vomiting, a foul odor from the mouth, darkening of the urine and stool with blood particles will begin to pass.

It happens that after a tick bite, there are no clinical signs. But even the appearance of lethargy and diarrhea, a decrease in activity and appetite in a puppy should alert you. You need to carefully examine the fur and skin, and try to remove the insect yourself if found.

Attention! If suddenly it was not possible to remove the tick completely, the severed head with the proboscis remains in the body, then you need to urgently take your pet to the veterinary clinic. If you succeed in removing the tick, then immediately treat the bite site at home with iodine or brilliant green to avoid the development of purulent inflammation and monitor the puppy for the next 2-3 days. If the condition does not improve, seek help from a veterinarian.

Diagnostics

The main diagnostic method is taking a blood smear to determine the presence or absence of piroplasma.

Basic laboratory research methods:

Analysis of urine;
blood test for biochemistry;
general blood analysis;
PCR is a polymerase chain reaction method.

Treatment

If you start treatment on time and treat the bite site, you can hope for a positive outcome of the disease. In addition to treatment with antiseptics, antihistamines are additionally used for 2-3 days if diffuse swelling appears in the bitten area.

The main thing is to prevent the development of purulent inflammation (sepsis). Otherwise, you can simply lose the puppy. Anaerobic microorganisms, when entering the body, quickly lead to infection and failure of all vital organs.

Somatic treatment is carried out after a bite, even for preventive purposes, in order to ensure that the pet is not in danger.

vitamins and glucose to support immunity;
infusion therapy;
drugs to normalize gastrointestinal functions.

It is difficult to predict the consequences of a bite, even if the tick's proboscis was eliminated in a timely manner. Possible toxic effects of decay products on the liver, kidneys, heart, and respiratory system of the animal, when long-term rehabilitation is already required.

The main thing is to prevent dehydration and constantly add clean water to the puppy’s bowl. If deterioration occurs after a bite, it is recommended to be tested for piroplasmosis again to avoid re-infection. The puppy may no longer survive the third and all subsequent bites.

How to properly remove a tick?

Under no circumstances should you sharply pull out or tear the body of the tick from the dog’s skin. The remaining stuck head with a sting can cause infection.

Removing a properly attached tick means:

put gloves on your hands to avoid infection from the animal;
treat the bite site with alcohol or gasoline;
wait 2 minutes, looking at the reaction, perhaps the tick itself will pull out the head a little;
Using tweezers, carefully grab the tick closer to the head and try to pull it out;
treat the wound with iodine (5%), lubricate with sunflower (olive) oil.

You can go this way:

make a loop from strong threads;
catch the insect as close to the skin as possible, rotating the thread clockwise;
try to pull it out together with the proboscis;
treat the bite site with brilliant green;
wait some more time, as swelling may form.

If it seems to you that the tick has been eliminated, but the next day the animal’s temperature rises, the color of the urine changes - it comes out with a foul odor and particles of blood, then you need to contact a veterinarian urgently.

Graft

The vaccine is ineffective against many types of ticks. In addition, vaccination can provoke a dormant state of the disease in the animal’s body.

Of course, it is reasonable to vaccinate puppies immediately after birth, but there is no guarantee that immunity will be formed and that the dog will not encounter a tick against which it has not been vaccinated. The best measure against tick bites is prevention.

With the onset of spring, dog and puppy owners need to be more vigilant. Constantly monitor any changes in the animal’s character, mood, and body temperature. Before walks, treat the fur and skin with protective products or buy a good anti-tick collar.

In case of a bite, contacting specialists in the first 2 days will significantly reduce the risk of transmission and development of a vector-borne disease. Only care and love for your pet will help prevent any impending threat in time.

Symptoms of the disease.

Not all ticks are carriers of dangerous diseases, but you need to know what manifestations require immediate contact with a veterinarian.

At the first symptoms of the disease, you must immediately contact a veterinary clinic. This must be done even if not a single tick was removed from the animal. Veterinarians will suggest that you take tests for piroplasmosis, and based on the results of the study, an accurate diagnosis will be made and adequate treatment will be prescribed. Thirst and refusal to eat are very common signs of many diseases, so your veterinarian may recommend a variety of diagnostic tests to clarify the diagnosis. Treatment and its duration may depend on the severity of the animal’s condition and how many times the animal has suffered from piroplasmosis before. Each time the disease becomes more difficult to bear and develops more rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out preventive precautions, which include external treatments of your four-legged friend.

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Ticks are carriers of dangerous and serious diseases for both humans and animals.

Ticks that are most dangerous for four-legged pets. In nature, there are an incredibly large number of them.

The danger of a tick bite lies in the infection of the pet and the rapid proliferation of piroplasms, which lead to:

liver atrophy, since it does not process destroyed red blood cells;
kidney failure, with brown urine;
enlarged spleen;
development of intoxication;
metabolic disorders.

Developing symptoms depend on the progression of the disease. The acute form of the disease causes symptoms to develop within 5-10 days after the bite. The dog has a fever, general weakness and refusal to eat. The animal sleeps a lot and whines while lying on its back, which indicates possible abdominal pain. Bitches have bloody discharge from the vagina. Your pet's urine darkens and, if not treated promptly, sometimes contains bright blood.

The disease develops rapidly, then signs appear already on the first day after the bite. It is this form that leads to the death of the animal.

How to remove a tick at home

After removing the tick, treat the bite site with an alcohol solution of iodine or brilliant green.

After removing a tick, you need to know how to treat your dog at home if it is not possible to show it to a doctor.

Drug treatment and consequences

However, injections of glucose and B vitamins, which are given intramuscularly, will not interfere. Puppies are smaller in size, so the dosage is appropriate for their weight. There is no need to delay visiting a doctor.

The consequences of a tick bite on a dog can be quite disastrous. The development of encephalitis after suffering from piroplasmosis is possible in dogs with reduced immunity, which will be accompanied by fever, muscle paralysis and convulsions. The prognosis for the disease is unfavorable.

Often after treatment of piroplasmosis complications remain:

joint diseases;
kidney dysfunction;
heart failure;
dysfunction of the nervous system.

Preventive measures

Knowing how to treat a bite from a beloved pet at home is not enough. It is better to prevent the development of diseases and

Remember, when a dog is cured of piroplasmosis, re-infection is possible and the course of the disease will be more severe.

The bite of ixodid ticks can be dangerous not only for people, but also for pets. Diseases in dogs often arise from ticks; symptoms may not appear immediately, but only after some time. Therefore, it is important to monitor changes in the dog’s condition as quickly as possible.

The first symptoms of an ixodid tick bite

Skin inflammation after a tick bite is much more common than the reaction of the nervous system to damage from toxins.

Usually, within 2 to 3 hours after the bite, you can notice the first symptoms on the dog’s skin.

How pronounced they are depends on many factors: the general condition of the dog, the type of tick, the duration of the insect’s presence on the skin.

A tick that has drunk blood greatly increases in size

Skin symptoms:

the bite site swells, turns red, and becomes hot to the touch;
the dog is bothered by itching at the site of the bite, it tries to reach the wound with its tongue;
approximately 2 days after the bite, skin inflammation may occur with the formation of nodules (granulomas).

In rare cases, if the wound becomes infected, suppuration may occur on the skin.

A nervous system reaction to toxin poisoning from a bite rarely occurs.

Small dogs are usually affected by this. The risk of developing neurological disorders even depends on climatic conditions. Typically, tick saliva is more toxic on hot days than on cool weather.

Symptoms of nervous system intoxication:

In severe cases, breathing difficulties occur and the animal may die from suffocation.

However, severe intoxication is rare. Most often, neurological symptoms are limited to paralysis of the hind legs. The greatest danger is posed by infectious diseases that can develop subsequently.

Symptoms of diseases caused by ixodid tick bites

Only after a long time can dogs develop diseases from tick bites. The owner of the animal most often does not associate the manifestations of these diseases with a bite. Due to the long latent (incubation) period, it is sometimes difficult for a veterinarian to diagnose the disease. Therefore, the manifestations of such diseases should be carefully studied.

Piroplasmosis

Piroplasmosis - . The causative agent of the disease is the simplest microorganism - piroplasma.

Red blood cells die, and body tissues begin to lack oxygen.

The disease does not always appear immediately

The disease can appear either a few weeks after the tick bite or a few days later. Piroplasmosis cannot be diagnosed independently; you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Without treatment, this disease is fatal.

In very rare cases, piroplasmosis can be transmitted from a sick dog to a person.

What symptoms should alert a dog owner?

The color of the urine becomes dark (from reddish to black).
The animal becomes lethargic and apathetic.
Body temperature rises.
The dog refuses to eat, but drinks a lot.
The mucous membranes of the skin turn yellow.
Breathing becomes difficult.
Diarrhea and vomiting occur (sometimes with blood). For more information about the disease, see this video:

Lyme disease, or tick-borne borreliosis

The causative agent of the disease is Borrelia. This is a fairly common disease in dogs caused by tick bites.

Symptoms of borreliosis are often mistaken for symptoms of the flu.

The disease affects the joints, heart and nervous systems of the animal. The disease is dangerous because the first symptoms may be mild. Lyme disease can begin immediately with severe joint damage.

If you have borreliosis, your pet may develop a rash.

It is important not to miss the early signs of borreliosis, which can occur 1 to 6 months after a tick bite:

increased body temperature;
swelling of the lymph nodes;
muscle and joint pain;
gait disturbance, sudden onset of lameness.

If treatment is not started at this stage, then after 2 - 3 months more severe manifestations of the disease may occur:

increased muscle pain, decreased muscle tone;
severe inflammation of the joints with pain and swelling;
paralysis of limbs, movement disorders;
increased heart rate and breathing;
frequent urination, blood in the urine.

Veterinarians treat borreliosis with antibiotics. If treatment is started in a timely manner, the symptoms of the disease gradually disappear. Joint pain can only persist for a long time. If treatment is started late, at the stage of paralysis, paresis of the limbs can remain for life.

Bartonellosis

More often, dogs in the countryside or in the country are infected with bartonellosis. But infection is quite possible in a city forest park.

Bartonella attacks blood cells, causing red blood cells to stick together.

For a long time, the disease can occur in a latent form, without manifesting itself in any way. Acute bartonellosis is extremely rare; most often the disease becomes chronic.

Due to the sticking of red blood cells, the dog has problems with the cardiovascular system

Severe damage to the cardiovascular system and brain occurs, which manifests itself in the following symptoms:

hemorrhages in the eyeballs, subcutaneous hemorrhages, increased bleeding;
rhinitis (runny nose) with nosebleeds;
arrhythmia;
hind limb weakness;
fever, loss of appetite, lethargy;
inflammation of the eyelids;
inflammation of the brain;
anemia;
sudden weight loss (sometimes to the point of anorexia);
increased drowsiness (lethargy);
enlarged lymph nodes;
pulmonary edema, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing. About bartonellosis, using the example of the manifestation of the disease in cats, see this video:

Diagnosis is based on the results of a blood test for antibodies to the pathogen. Veterinarians have not developed a special treatment for bartonellosis.

It is not possible to completely cleanse a dog’s body of Bartonella.

Antibiotic therapy (doxycycline, azithromycin) and symptomatic treatment of inflammatory processes are carried out.

Granulocytic and monocytic ehrlichiosis

The disease is caused by rickettsiae. They affect blood cells - monocytes and granulocytes. The incubation period lasts 1 - 3 weeks.

There are 2 forms of the disease: granulocytic and monocytic. A common symptom is sudden lethargy. The animal refuses to eat and walk, and constantly lies in one place.

This disease also affects the hematopoietic system

Symptoms of granulocytic ehrlichiosis:

increased body temperature;
inflammation of the eyelids;
convulsions;
joint pain.

Symptoms of monocytic ehrlichiosis:

If ehrlichiosis is suspected, a blood test is performed to determine antibodies to the causative agent of the disease. The disease is treated with antibiotics. In the acute stage, the disease is completely cured. However, if ehrlichiosis has become chronic, complete recovery usually does not occur. Then the symptoms of the disease persist throughout the animal’s life.

Symptomatic treatment is carried out, and in incurable cases - palliative therapy.

It is important to treat within the first 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms, while the disease is in its acute form. Otherwise, irreversible changes in the body may occur.

Hepatozoonosis

This rare disease occurs in the southern regions of Russia. Its symptoms are similar to those of many other infectious diseases, making diagnosis difficult.

The causative agent of hepatozoonosis affects neutrophils and monocytes in the blood.

For a long time, a dog can be a carrier of hepatozoonosis and not have any deviations in health. The disease begins to manifest itself when immunity decreases. Often, symptoms of hepatozoonosis occur when a dog is infected with piroplasms.

Symptoms of hepatozoonosis:

To identify the disease, the polysize chain reaction method (DNA diagnostics) is used. But such analysis is carried out only in large veterinary laboratories.

There is no specific treatment.

Treatment of individual manifestations of the disease is carried out. It is never possible to completely rid the animal of the pathogen. Hepatozoonosis most often becomes chronic, when periods of exacerbation are followed by remissions.

Symptoms of dog diseases caused by scabies mites

Microscopic scabies mites come in different types. Each type of mite causes its own specific disease: sarcoptic mange, demodectic mange, otodectosis, cheyletiosis and notoedrosis. Diseases caused by scabies mites have similar symptoms. The main manifestations of such diseases include severe itching and hair loss.

Dogs with sarcoptic mange suffer from severe itching

Sarcoptic mange is a common disease in dogs caused by scabies mites. It is caused by sarcoptic mange mites.

Most of the symptoms of this disease are associated with itching and scratching.

the dog behaves restlessly, nervously;
red dots appear on the body, claw marks are visible;
ulcers and bloody crusts appear on the skin;
Dandruff appears in the fur (especially around the ears).

Sarcoptic mange cannot be cured on its own. The disease is diagnosed by a blood test and examination of scrapings from the affected skin. For more information about the manifestation of the disease in dogs, watch this video:

Demodectic mange is not transmitted to other animals or humans. To identify this disease, an extensive diagnostic examination is performed.

Otodectosis - ear scabies.

Dogs become infected with otodectosis mites from each other through close contact.

Without treatment, the lesion begins to spread to the deep parts of the ear. As a result, the dog may lose hearing. The disease may be complicated by brain damage.

Otodecosis can cause hearing loss

Therefore, it is important to notice the first signs of ear scabies.

the dog rubs intensely against various objects;
the animal shakes its head, tilts its head towards the sore ear;
sticky discharge is noticeable in the affected ear.

Cheyletiosis and notoedrosis have similar symptoms and pose a danger not only to dogs, but also to humans.

The cheyletii mite burrows into the upper layers of the animal's skin.

Most often the neck, back or ear area is affected. The following symptoms may be noticed:

Manifestations of notohedrosis are similar in symptoms to cheyletiosis, but are more severe. The notoedrosis mite burrows deep into the skin. The hair falls out, and a rash in the form of blisters forms on the animal's face. Notoedrosis, like cheyletiosis, can be treated at home only after diagnostic tests.

Helping a dog with ticks

If an ixodid tick has attached itself to your dog's skin, it is necessary to remove it from the body. It is better to carry out the procedure for extracting an insect with gloves, because a tick bite is dangerous for humans.

The bite site should be lubricated with oil.

Then grab the insect's body with tweezers and slowly pull it out. Do not remove the tick with sudden movements. The head may remain in the dog's skin and cause inflammation. After removing the insect, the wound must be treated with iodine.

Body temperature should be measured daily. If suspicious symptoms appear, contact your veterinarian immediately.

It is important to identify the first signs of scabies. These diseases cannot be treated at home without a diagnostic examination. The owner should carefully monitor the condition of the pet's fur and skin. If signs such as itching, hair loss, or the appearance of bald patches appear, you should seek help from a veterinarian.

Domestic dogs should not be allowed to come into contact with stray and sick animals.

It is important to monitor the hygiene of the animal.

The vaccine against ear mites (otodectosis) is usually used more for the treatment of the disease than for prevention.

With the onset of warmer weather, the risk of attack by bloodsuckers increases many times over, and this applies not only to people, but also to our smaller brothers. In the spring-summer period, the bite of ixodid ticks is especially dangerous, since during hibernation a large volume of toxic substances has accumulated in the body of arthropods. In addition, they are carriers of various pathogenic viruses and bacteria.

When a pet becomes a victim of a tick, you need to make sure that it is not infected with piroplasmosis. This article tells you what to do if your dog is bitten by a tick, the symptoms and how to treat the animal at home.

How high is the risk of infection?

Pyroplasmas multiply very intensively, so in the absence of emergency treatment, only 2% of a person’s friends who are attacked by a bloodsucker survive.

Knowledge of such statistics does not add confidence to the owners. Knowing that the dog has been bitten, many owners easily panic, which is definitely not worth doing. Yes, it is common for pets to return from a walk “together” with pests, but not every arthropod is a carrier of viruses, only 14%. After removing the bloodsucker, you will need to carefully observe how the dog behaves, and any change in well-being should be a reason to immediately seek qualified help.

Signs of a virus infection

Injury to the skin by the ixodid pest is manifested by certain symptoms. If the owner controls the condition of his four-legged friend, then it is quite simple to notice alarming signs that are the body’s response to a foreign invasion.

Thus, the general symptoms appear:

excessive anxiety, aggressive behavior;
frequent scratching of the problem area;
shaking of the head (a characteristic symptom of the penetration of individuals into the auricle);
causeless howling or whining;
lethargy, apathy;
partial or complete refusal to eat;
increased temperature;
the appearance of blood in the urine.

At the same time, it is important to establish the correct cause-and-effect relationship between an arthropod attack and the pet’s poor health, since a sign such as decreased appetite does not in all cases indicate a bite.

If you have any doubts about the reliability of the diagnosis, it is better to consult a specialist at a veterinary clinic.

VIDEO: Symptoms of piroplasmosis

What does a bloodsucker look like?

Ticks are representatives of the arachnid family, having a body covered with a chitinous membrane and 8 pairs of limbs. There are quite a lot of photos of these arachnids on the Internet, allowing you to get a complete picture of the appearance of any of their varieties. If a dog has been bitten by a tick, that is, the process of penetration of the oral apparatus under the skin and subsequent blood sucking has already occurred, then visually a well-fed individual will resemble a pea of a dirty gray-yellow hue. The size of the arachnid in this case is determined by the volume of blood consumed.

Features of behavior

To minimize the risk of an arthropod attack, a thorough examination of the body after each stay on the street, especially after walking in the natural habitat of bloodsuckers - in forest and steppe areas, should become a habit.

Not all drugs, including aerosols or ointments, designed to protect a pet, can quickly work at the right moment, since the reaction of a tick that smells the scent of a victim turns out to be lightning fast.

The insect instantly clings to the dog’s fur and also quickly crawls into the skin

Bloodsuckers are selective; they prefer areas of the body that are difficult for the animal to reach, where a dense network of blood vessels is located closer to the surface. Therefore, there is a high probability that traces of their presence will be found in the following places:

the groin area, on the stomach, where it is difficult for the dog to reach, and the bloodsucker is attracted by the delicate skin and blood vessels located here in large numbers;
areas around or inside the ears;
armpits of the forelimbs;
lines of the spine, on the ribs.

A bite from an infected tick on a dog will certainly manifest itself with corresponding symptoms, but not immediately. The reason for this phenomenon is explained by the characteristics of the organism of harmful individuals. By injuring the skin, their salivary glands secrete an anesthetic, anesthetizing the affected area, which eliminates pain in the animal.

As a result of removing the bloodsucker, a tumor often remains. This phenomenon may be due to the reaction of the immune system to the presence of a foreign protein. In this case, there is no pain, discomfort, purulent discharge, the body independently neutralizes salivary discharge, and after a couple of days the lump disappears without a trace.

Sometimes a lump on an animal’s body indicates the onset of tick-borne encephalitis or sepsis, so urgent medical intervention is required.

Tick attacks: what is the danger?

As already mentioned, pathogenic microorganisms carried by arthropods, entering the blood, contribute to the destruction of red blood cells, which causes disruption of metabolic processes and severe intoxication. In a normal situation, when a dog is bitten by a tick, the body signals this 5-10 days after the attack. However, it is worth taking into account the form of the disease: hyperacute is characterized by the manifestation of the above-described symptoms after only a day; in the acute form of babesiosis (pyroplasmosis), a gradual deterioration in the animal’s well-being may be observed over the course of a week.

Treatment at home without the results of laboratory tests and individually selected therapy taking into account the specific case is pointless.

The owner’s initial task is to contact a veterinary clinic. For example, in the chronic form of piroplasmosis, which is difficult to diagnose, symptoms such as fever and apathy may alternate with sudden improvements in the condition. Moreover, such an unstable picture has been observed for quite a long time. This looks like a cumulative effect, which will sooner or later make itself felt if tests are not done on time and qualified assistance is not provided.

VIDEO: How dangerous is a TICK IN A DOG? Symptoms of deadly diseases

Bloodsucker extraction methods

What signs indicate a bite are now clear. It is equally important to be able to remove the bloodsucker correctly. You should know that they tend to travel for a long time through the victim’s body (about 4-6 days) before they begin to suck blood. The situation when the owners comb out the fur of their four-legged friend after a trip to the dacha and manage to stop the attack attempt by filming one or more uninvited guests is not uncommon.

To provoke the arthropod to pull its head to the surface, oil or cologne is used, which is dripped into the affected area at intervals of a drop per minute. When the head has appeared a little, a thread loop is thrown over it like a lasso, as close as possible to the suction site and carefully rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. Two or three turns and the arthropod comes out without any problems.

Another proven method of influencing a bloodsucker that has managed to fix itself in the thickness of the skin is with a needle. First, its tip is properly heated with a lighter or candle, after which it is brought to the place where the individual’s proboscis immerses. With such manipulations, the arthropod will definitely react.

When the body ruptures, the entire volume of toxic substances will automatically enter the dog’s body, thereby aggravating the severity of the symptoms. The wound must be treated with an antiseptic; all that remains is to observe the lump.

Possible complications

piroplasmosis;
Lyme disease
hepatozoonosis;
erchiliosis;
bartonellosis;
intoxication.

Any of these complications requires medical attention; the symptoms and treatment of diseases have their own characteristics; let’s consider one of these pathologies using the example of babesiosis, a non-infectious disease that is seasonal.

Medical history: piroplasmosis (babesiosis)

The causative agent of piroplasmosis is a species of pathogenic microorganisms Babesia canis. Since the bite is accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the skin, the virus enters the pet’s body along with the blood. This infection, even with proper treatment, can subsequently have complications. There are two stages of the disease, each characterized by certain symptoms:

The onset is characterized by a decrease in appetite, lethargy, weakness, apathy, a slight increase in temperature, a sharp increase in daily water consumption - the dog will drink more often than usual. These signs appear during the first two to three days, after which you feel better, and then the symptoms resume.
When the disease enters the second stage, during which there is an active process of destruction of red blood cells, there is a complete lack of interest in food, the dog constantly lies down. The urine takes on an intense dark hue, often becoming greenish in color. The animal suffers from bouts of diarrhea. The mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes become jaundiced, the pulse is threadlike and weak, movements become weak, and paralysis of the limbs may begin.

It should be noted that acute piroplasmosis most often affects pets that have weak immunity or do not have antibodies to the infection in their body, that is, they have not previously had it.

The most severe course of the disease is observed in purebred dogs, which breeders try to cross with close relatives to ensure the purity of the breed.

VIDEO: Why dogs die from bites

What to do if you are bitten?

The development of unfavorable symptoms of piroplasmosis can begin at the most inopportune moment. Being in rural areas, it is extremely difficult to get qualified help, so it is important to know how to provide first aid. If your pet has already begun to refuse to drink or eat, it is necessary to prevent possible dehydration. To ensure a regular supply of fluid, you will need to forcefully pour up to 150 ml of water into your pet’s mouth every hour. The presence of vomiting requires an enema or injection of fluid in a similar volume.

A large dog may make it difficult to transport to a veterinarian for testing, so the owner will have to draw the blood himself. The surface of the ear is first disinfected with an alcohol solution, after which an incision is made using a scalpel in the place where the network of blood vessels is located closer to the edge of the ear. The released blood is collected on glass, allowed to dry, placed in a closed container and delivered for microbiological examination.

The danger of tick-borne encephalitis

If piroplasmosis can be successfully treated, although it has unpleasant consequences in the form of the possibility of recurrence of the disease, then in the case of infection with the encephalitis virus everything can end even worse. Although this acute viral infection is dangerous primarily for people, with weakened immunity it can develop in the body of animals. The disease is characterized by severe symptoms - high fever, development of convulsions, impaired musculoskeletal functions, resulting in an increased risk of paralysis.