As weather warms, ticks make a return to Medicine Hat

She said ticks can cause other diseases on top of Lyme disease — including Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Koenig said ticks prefer leaf litters or longer grass where it’s easier to attach to a pet. Ross Lavigne/CHAT News

Koenig said a regular check should be done on pets to ensure no ticks are present.

To deter ticks from your pet, you can pick up flea and tick preventative from your veterinarian.

If one does latch onto your pet, a tick remover device is the best option, and can be picked up at local pet stores. However, tweezers can also be used.

Koenig said ticks can be anywhere where there is grass, whether that be short or long.

“Make sure that you’re actually checking your pet to see that there’s no ticks already on there. If there are, have them removed,” she said.

“Doing a regular check of your pets even if you don’t go to a lot of places where there’s a lot of leaf litter or really long grass,” she added.

“If they’re out in the bush, you never know. Some animals can come across it just in their own backyards because other animals will bring them through.”

Koenig said to make sure that not only your pet is protected from ticks, but yourself as well.

If you are uncomfortable removing a tick from your pet, you can get assistance from a veterinarian in the city.

by Jayk Sterkenburg

As weather warms, ticks make a return to Medicine Hat

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