The most common ticks found in our area are the Deer Tick, Brown Dog Tick, and American Dog Tick. Ticks can be found almost anywhere, but primarily in grass, woods, or bushy areas. You generally do not see the tick when they crawl onto you or your pet but soon the tick has imbedded its mouth parts into your skin and becomes firmly attached until it is removed. Dogs, cats, and humans are commonly affected by ticks. Since dogs frequent the areas tick live, they are the most affected.
Ticks attach themselves to the skin in pursuit of a blood meal.
Late spring, summer, and early fall are the times of the year we see most tick infestations. Some ticks can live up to two years, survive temperatures below freezing and lay up to 5,000 eggs. Ticks are important not only to dogs and cats but to humans as well, for ticks can transmit diseases that can be harmful or even fatal to pets and humans. The most common tick transmitted diseases in our area are Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Ehrlichiosis, Ehrlichiosis in Humans, and Human Granulocytic Ehrlichosis. By far the most common condition seen in our area is Tick Paralysis.