Preventing tick bites and the prospect for disease can seem nearly impossible, but we are trying to make it simple enough so that it becomes part of life for people living or visiting where ever ticks occur. Effective strategies are available in each area : Protect Yourself, Protect Your Yard, Protect Your Pets.
Pets are important to your family, and protecting them from tick-bites and tick-borne disease should be part of your tick bite prevention program. Not only do you want to keep your pets healthy, but dogs and cats that roam in tick areas can be a risk to your family by bringing ticks to you when you least expect it.
Protection Tip: Groom your pets
Grooming pets after a walk outside through the woods or trails can help protect your pet and family. Dogs and cats typically encounter many more ticks than people do. Because they have thick fur, ticks may take a while before biting a dog or cat. If your dog or cat comes into the house before the tick is attached, their ticks may latch onto you or other family members.
Tick Control On Pets
Preventing tick bites is the first line of defense for keeping your pets safe. There are many different products on the market today that protect your pets from tick-transmitted diseases. The most popular tick bite prevention products are topical sprays and spot-ons. Correctly and timely applied to your pets skin, these products can greatly reduce the chances of tick bites. Products that kill on contact will keep your pet from bringing in ticks that may pose a risk to you or your family members.
There are several steps that, when used together, will greatly reduce tick encounters for your pet and your family.
- Tick Control
- Immunization
- Containment
K9 Advantix
Frontline Plus
Preventic
Products: Active Ingredients
Different products have different active ingredients. Before choosing a product it is important to understand the facts about each one. Ask your veterinarian or click on the links below to learn more about each of the most popular, recommended products. Products that kill ticks fast (within 24hours) will protect your pet from diseases. To protect your family from ticks that may be crawling on your pet we recommend products that repel and kill ticks on contact.
Immunization
Vaccinations are a necessary part of maintaining your pets health. In areas where Lyme disease is highly endemic, particularly the Northeastern U.S., it is recommended to have your pet vaccinated against Lyme disease-causing bacteria. A vaccine is available for dogs that provides an additional layer of protection and significantly reduces the chance of contracting Lyme disease even when bitten by an infected tick. No vaccine or repellent is 100%, but combining immunization with once-a-month tick preventive treatments provides your dog with the maximum protection against ticks and Lyme disease they can get. The vaccine, given by your veterinarian, contains killed Lyme disease-causing bacteria (or man-made portions of the bacteria) that boost the bodies immune system to help fight off possible infections. Following the initial vaccination and a booster shot 2-4 weeks later, your dog will develop protective antibodies lasting the whole year. To maintain a strong immunity against these insidious bacteria, a single, annual immunization is necessary to help keep your dog healthy. So remember to ask your veterinarian about vaccinating against Lyme disease on your next visit. **Even if your dog has been diagnosed with Lyme disease in the past they should be vaccinated. Previous infection with Lyme disease-causing bacteria does not confer protection against future infected tick bites so get them vaccinated today. Why don’t I vaccinate my cat? There is no scientific evidence that suggests cats succumb to Lyme disease, therefore they do not need to be vaccinated. Although they can’t get sick, ticks that ride in on your cat pose a great risk to you and your family. So apply tick preventive products that are safe for cats and kill the ticks that may come home with them.
Containment
A great way to keep ticks off your pets is to keep your pets away from the ticks. At home this may be easier than you think - Create a tick-safe zone so your pets are safe and also keep them from bringing ticks home to your family. There are many ways to create a tick–free zone for your pets so they can enjoy the outdoors and stay safe: Solid fences: Fences aren’t meant to stop ticks, they are meant to keep wildlife out and your pets in. There are literally 100s of styles to choose from and the price will vary as much as the styles. Regardless of what type of fence fits your style and budget make sure that the bottom of the fence is kept clear of debris and leaves that would make tick habitat Invisible fences: Hidden electric fences are a great way to keep your view clear and your pets in your yard. This type of fencing will not keep wildlife, such as deer, out of your yard. Wildlife that enters your yard has the potential to deposit ticks where you least expect it. Although it is nice to have your dog “do their business” in areas outside the yard make sure the fence is not placed in areas containing habitat that may harbor ticks. Tick-Safe Zone Ticks won’t survive in the middle of your yard, they are out on the edges and in the deep woods. Places where leaves may accumulate and keep the ground humid and moist are perfect places for ticks to survive. Learn more about the aspects of creating a tick-free zone in the prevention section
Are you concerned about the serious health threat caused by ticks?
Would you like to make appropriate tick-borne diseases prevention programming more widely available? If you answered yes to these questions, please consider supporting the Tick Encounter Resource Center at the University of Rhode Island. Proceeds help support tick-bite prevention programs.