In this section, I would like to address issues and questions from clients and friends.  For questions about health concerns, I’d like to provide information on natural remedies to consider in addition to the advice from your veterinarian. 

 

Recently, a friend told me about a bad tick situation on their dogs.  Here in Hawaii, as pet owners we are used to insects.  Ticks on our pets has got to be one of the most pesky issues and can get out of hand if not handled properly. 

 

Ticks are not permanent residents.  Rather, they attach themselves, suck some blood, and later fall off to lay eggs.  The young ticks that hatch out crawl up to the ends of branches and grasses and patiently wait (for weeks if necessary) for something warm-blooded and good tasting to come along and brush against the vegetation.  Then they drop on that find a nice, cozy place to attach. 

What to do when you spot a tick on your pet:

Remove the tick immediately. An infected tick can transmit disease in only a few hours. Wear latex gloves, if possible. Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull gently. Clean your hands, the bite area, and the tweezers with disinfectant.

Place the tick in a small container of alcohol. Make note of the date. In case of future illness, tick identification will be important.

Never try to burn, smother, or otherwise get a tick to “back out.” Also, do not attempt to remove a tick with your fingers. These methods do not work and can cause the tick to regurgitate more potential pathogens into the dog’s skin.