Let's look at ticks first. These ticks are commonly seen in the Marion area usually in wooded or high weedy areas. Ticks are attracted to warm-blooded creatures such as you and your pet. Ticks can also carry Lyme disease that can be transmitted to both you and your pet. While the reported cases of Lyme disease in this area are very low, the threat is still out there.
Ticks like to live in areas that are dark and damp.
If you find a tick swab it with rubbing alcohol, use a pair and tweezers and grasp the tick as close to your pet' s skin as possible. Now slowly pull and remove the tick. Using a slow steady pull will reduce the chance of the head staying lodged in the skin and causing a possible infection. Second degree burns are much tougher to treat than a simple tick bite. If your pet spends a lot of time in area with ticks, it is a good idea to have him or her vaccinated against Lyme disease just as a precaution.