Ticks are small blood sucking creatures. They can be as small as a poppy seed, or having fed, an adult can be the size of a pea or larger. Because they are so small, you may mistake them for a freckle, or a spec of dirt. They inject an anaesthetic into the skin, so you’re not likely to feel them feeding. Ticks are blind and detect the animal through heat and carbon dioxide emitted by the body. Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not jump or fly. They tend to either climb or fall on to their unsuspecting victim. They can hang around for a few hours before starting to feed, but once they start, they will do so until they are full, which tends to take between 5 and 7 days. There are a number of different species of tick. The most common in the UK is the deer / sheep tick.
What’s the Problem with a Tick Feeding off Me or my Pet?
Ticks can carry a number of infectious diseases and can pass these infections to their host through their saliva. Tick-borne infections include Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis. Lyme disease infects around 3,000 new hosts in the UK each year. Lyme disease affects the central nervous system, heart, skin and joints and symptoms include a bulls-eye style rash, with accompanying flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, it can result in arthritis or long term nerve damage. Babesiosis, which until this year was regarded as being a foreign virus, appears to have hit the UK shores. Babesiosis affects the body’s immune system, causing it to destroy its own red blood cells. A number of dogs in Essex have recently become infected, with at least one having died.
Tick-borne encephalitis is circulating in Europe and has recently been discovered in multiple locations in the UK. Usually the virus will result in mild flu-like symptoms, however it can affect the brain and central nervous system, and in severe cases, can be fatal. tick-bourne encephalitis can affect animals and humans.
Several species of tick not previously found in the UK, have started to appear. There are a number of other tick-borne viral infections that can have serious and even fatal results. Symptoms include headaches, stomach and joint pain, vomiting and flu-like symptoms, and can result in encephalitis, meningitis and death
When and Where Could my Pet and I be Exposed to Ticks?
Ticks tend to favour moist environments with thick and dense vegetation or long grass. This includes woodlands, parks, and gardens, and some species are even know to breed indoors. Areas where deer, rabbits, and sheep are found tend to be the most affected, but ticks also infect birds and rodents, so their spread can be far and wide. Ticks tend to come out in the warmer months, so between March and September tends to be prime season for them. However the mild winters that we have been experiencing in the UK in recent years, have started to extend the season to start earlier and finish later. People and pets most at risk are those that tend to spend more time outdoors in walking and hiking areas, and those going camping and horse-back riding.
What Can I do to Prevent Tick Bites?
While vaccines do exist for infections like tick-borne encephalitis, there are no vaccines for the majority of tick-borne diseases. So prevention tends to be the best approach. If you are going walking, it is best to wear long trousers, socks and closed shoes, and preferably to wear light colours (making it easier to spot ticks). After being in affected areas, it is important to wash and inspect your body for ticks, especially in between toes, armpits hairlines, and other hidden areas. Your pets, especially dogs and cats are very prone to receiving ticks. It is important to wash your pets, and thoroughly inspecting their fur for ticks on a regular basis. It is also worth ensuring your pets have an extra layer of protection, so consider using one of the repellents available in the market. If you do not like covering your pets or yourselves in toxic chemicals and paint strippers, then you should look at using an electronic tick repellent
Why Carry a Tick Remover?
Carrying a tick remover, whether walking with your pet, horse riding, hiking, or playing outdoor sports, is highly recommended. The Long Paws TickPick can be carried on a keychain, so it’s available when you need it, and sits inconspicuously with the rest of your keys. TickPick was developed with the help of the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS), an international veterinary charity. WVS tested TickPick both on the smaller European ticks as well as the larger ticks found in third world countries. According to James Florence, former managing director of WVS, “We are delighted to have worked with Long Paws on developing TickPick, and are happy to provide our endorsement of what we think is a fantastic product. With ticks becoming more of a problem in the UK and on the continent, a tool like TickPick, is an excellent addition to every pet owner’s keychain."
