Veterinarians told what must be done by every “dog lover”

In the spring, as soon as the temperature rises above zero, many dog ​​owners begin to treat their pets for ticks. And some even do it all year round. About which of them acts more correctly, “MK” asked the veterinarian Viktor Suvorov.

– This week, weather forecasters promise up to +10, probably, is it time to treat the dog from the bites of ixodid ticks?

“Actually, it’s already late. If someone else hasn’t done it, deal with it immediately. Any remedy does not begin its action immediately, so even after using the drug, the dog will be defenseless for several days against the bite of an ixodid tick. Therefore, walk these few days with caution, do not let the animal off the leash, do not let it climb into the bushes and thickets of last year’s grass. It is there that a tick can sit and wait for its prey.

– So, maybe then those who treat dogs for ticks all year round are right?

“It depends on the climate, the weather. If the temperature is above zero for most of the winter or the dog walks where there is a heating main, it must be treated against ticks even in winter. But if the weather is cold, snowy, I would not use toxic drugs in vain. Although you should not relax either – there are more and more ixodid ticks every year, including within the city.

– This winter they told me such a case: in January, in the very frost, people walked with a dog in the forest, picked up a bouquet of dried flowers, came home, put them in a vase, the tick warmed up, bit the dog and infected it with piroplasmosis.

There are quite a lot of such examples in our veterinary practice. Ticks do not die at sub-zero temperatures, they hibernate, while insects can cling to bushes, grass, tree branches. The animal climbed into the thickets, shook off the bloodsucker on its back and brought it home, and in the warmth it warmed up and went on the attack.

In addition, there are allergic dogs, which must be treated all year round, because they can be bitten by fleas that inhabit the basements of apartment buildings, they often move to the entrances. A flea bite can cause allergic dermatitis in an animal. This, of course, is not as dangerous as piroplasmosis, but nevertheless.

– What means of protection are better: drops on the withers or tablets?

– Whoever likes it better. Some prefer to give a pill that lasts 12 weeks and forget about the problem for 3 months. But the pills have one drawback, they can cause vomiting or diarrhea – depending on how tender your pet’s stomach is.

– Are the drops on the withers also toxic?

– Of course, all means of protection against parasites belong to the group of broad-spectrum insecticides. Their task is to kill or scare away the insect, but they also affect the dog’s body. Drops, for example, are not recommended for puppies under 3 months of age. The most harmless in this sense are sprays, but they are also the weakest in terms of protection. If the dog is allergic, and drops and tablets cannot be used, all that remains is to treat the coat with a spray, but this should be done every two weeks.

– The choice of brands is not as huge now as it was a year ago, but still it is. What to look for when choosing a drug for your pet?

– Validity period, what “side effects” may occur and, of course, the spectrum of action, the wider it is, the better. In my opinion, the drugs of the isoxaline group are the most effective. They immediately come from all parasites: fleas, ixodid and ear mites, and even from heartworms – dirofilaria.

– Are they dangerous?

– Yes, worms clog the dog’s blood vessels, which leads to circulatory disorders and heart failure.

– After treating the dog from ticks, when can I go for a walk?

– If you used drops on the withers or spray, then after 2-3 hours, but on the condition that there is no rain, and that the dog will not swim in puddles. Taking pills does not affect the mode of walking at all, and this is why they are convenient. But any remedy, as I said, does not work immediately, so take care of the animal – do not let it off the leash. Ixodid ticks have already woken up with the onset of warm weather, and they are very hungry.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 28996 dated March 24, 2023

Newspaper headline:
“It’s too late to treat your pet for ticks!”