Brief
Info About Ticks
Ticks
have four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva,
nymph and adult. Adult ticks may require several
days of feeding before they are able to reproduce.
Male
hard ticks usually die soon after mating, and
females die soon after laying their eggs. Egg-laying
begins about three days after the engorged adult
female drops from the host. She can deposit
as many as 5000 eggs in places like under plaster
or carpeting and in other cracks. The eggs can
hatch between three weeks to several months,
depending on the weather conditions. They can
live up to eight months while waiting for a
host.
Adults
are said to live up to 11/2 years without feeding,
but must feed before mating. After mating, the
female will completely engorge herself with
blood and then drops off the host to lay eggs.
Mating usually occurs while adult ticks are
on the body of the host animal. Adult females
need only to feed once before laying one large
batch of eggs.
Most
people do not feel a tick biting, nor the subsequent
drawing of blood the tick needs for nourishment.
If left undisturbed, the tick will remain attached
to its host and become engorged with blood over
the next 2-4 days.
"Ticks
may carry various infectious organisms that
can transmit diseases to cats and dogs, including
the following (listed with possible symptoms):
- babesiosis--lethargy,
appetite loss, weakness, pale gums
- ehrlichiosis--high
fever, muscle aches
- Lyme
disease--lameness, swollen joints, fever,
poor appetite, fatigue, and vomiting (some
infected animals show no symptoms)
- tick
paralysis in dogs--gradual paralysis, seen
first as an unsteady
- gait
from uncoordinated back legs (some infected
dogs don't develop paralysis)." Dixie
Farley- FDA Consumer magazine (July-August
1996)
LYME
DISEASE AND TICKS
"
In
the
United States, two closely related tick species
– lxodes scapularis and lxodes pacificus
– have been identified as harboring and transmitting
the Lyme Disease- causing Borrelia and Ehrlichia
bacteria and Babesia protozoan to people and
animals.
A typical early symptom of Lyme Disease is a
slowly expanding red rash at the site
of the tick bite. The rash usually appears within
a week to a month after the bite and can slowly
expand over several days."
Keep
in mind that not all ticks carry a disease causing
organism, and just because you had a tick bite
does not mean you will get Lyme disease.
Even
if a tick is a carrier, it's bite may not always
cause the development of disease, but proper
caution and care always is crucial in prevention.
If
you see any abnormal rashes after a tick bite,
you should consult your doctor or your pets
vet immediately.
"Ticks
may carry various infectious organisms that
can transmit diseases to cats and dogs, including
the following (listed with possible symptoms):
-
babesiosis:
lethargy, appetite loss, weakness, pale
gums
-
ehrlichiosis:
high fever, muscle aches
-
Lyme
disease: lameness, swollen joints, fever,
poor appetite, fatigue, and vomiting (some
infected animals show no symptoms)
-
tick
paralysis in dogs: gradual paralysis, seen
first as an unsteady
gait
from uncoordinated back legs (some infected
dogs don't develop paralysis)." Dixie
Farley- FDA Consumer magazine (July-August
1996)
How
To Remove A Tick
Being
hikers, we always encounter ticks and carry
our tweezers and a small jar of alcohol on each
trip!
Use
a fine-point tweezers. Never squeeze the tick’s
body. Try to grab it (with your tweezers) where
it's mouth-parts enter the skin and pull gently
without letting go, It will eventually releases
its hold by withdrawing its barbed mouth-part
from your skin.
Do not try to pull it out within seconds – proper
tick removal will take time and needs patience.
Keep an eye on any abnormal rashes and consult
your doctor if necessary.
Once
you have successfully removed the tick from
your skin or your pets skin, we suggest that
you store it in a small jar filled with alcohol
for a few days before disposing it.
