ticks

What To Do if You Find a Tick on Your Dog


The deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the main vector for Lyme disease.
Photo courtesy the U.S. Department of Agriculture, via Wikimedia

This is the time of year when my dog loves to run through the tall grass in the field next to our home…which means it’s high time for ticks. These tenacious little arachnids carry any number of diseases—from Lyme disease to ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever—and your dog is not the only one in danger. Dogs often bring ticks into the house, where they may find their way onto the human inhabitants. Vigilance is your main weapon against ticks, so…

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How to Remove a Tick

Though you may be vigilant and take every precaution before heading out, both you and your beloved canine are likely to collect a few ticks while spending time outdoors. Ticks don’t often begin their meal right away, so they may not be attached or have bitten you when you discover one on yourself or your dog. If the tick has already attached, you should follow these steps to…

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Are Ticks Active in Winter?


An adult eastern deer tick, one of the prime vectors of Lyme disease.
Photos courtesy the United States Department of Agriculture, via Wikipedia

Yes—ticks are active in winter, but their abundance and exploits are tied closely to the temperature. When it’s around the freezing mark, you won’t likely run across ticks when you go hunting or hiking with your dog. But when temps rise just above . . .

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