By Taylor Chartrand

Be on the lookout for ticks

Mar 28, 2019 | 3:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – As you’re outside with your animals on the warmer days ahead, one pest to start watching out for are ticks.

They’re looking for a food source and start becoming more active when the temperature rises about four degrees.

Tammy Duggan from the Cypress View Veterinary Clinic says in Medicine Hat, ticks are commonly found in wooded and grassy areas like the Saratoga Dog Park.

“We had ticks submitted last year from all around the city,” explained Duggan. “The complete circumference from different parks all the way around. There was even some found in peoples backyards.”

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Ticks do not fly or jump. Instead, when ticks are ready to feed, they usually camp out on blades of grass or other plants, where they wait for a human or animal to come to them. 

That is why it is important to check for ticks not only on yourself, but your pets as well.

“Ticks are pretty small about the size of a ladybug. Once they start taking on their food source, they can get as big as a kernel of corn. To find them on your pets, run your hands over them looking through the hair. The really thick-haired pets, it might be difficult, but just do a good scan.”

If you find a tick, you can either remove it yourself by pulling upwards slightly with a pair of tweezers or you can take your animal to a vet for removal.

“Last year, I bet we were in the range of 40 ticks submitted. If you find a tick on your pet, bring it in and for no charge, we send it away for surveillance so we get an idea of what’s going on and what kind of ticks are in the area and how back the infestation is for this year.”

Duggan says last year, they did have one tick submitted from the area that was found carrying Lyme disease. She says for the most part, the ticks in this area are non-carriers.

Duggan added there are no vaccinations for ticks, but there are oral medications that help repel them.

“It usually comes in a treat form and that lasts from one to three months depending on the product that you choose. That treat/medication costs about $30 a month and depends on the size of the pets.”

Duggan says at this point, there haven’t been any ticks brought in, but they have had a lot of people come in to get their preventative medication.