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What You Must Know About Ticks

All Shih Tzu owners most likely have seen other dogs with ticks or have seen tick removal from a dog on TV or in the movies. You burn the tick to remove it, right? And then your dog is fine?

No to both!

For many of us, tick season is coming up….So this does not just mean that you need to be on guard… You need to be on guard for your Shih Tzu also!

Removing a tick the proper way is very important. Just as important is knowing about the risk of canine Lyme Disease.

You Shih Tzu may not have gotten a tick yet, and hopefully never will. However it is very easy for a tick to attach to your dog in many areas of the world. Therefore…

To make sure that all Shih Tzus stay happy and healthy, let’s discuss:

What exactly is a tick
How to properly remove a tick from you Shih Tzu
What is Lyme Disease, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

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Is this right for you? How will this affect your Tzu? Is there really a big difference between manufactured dog food and homemade food? Read more

A Tick

The tick is a small, grayish insect that usually lives in fields and forests, particularly around the dens of wild rodents such as moles and mice. It is the Ixodes deer tick which is a common transmitter of the Lyme bacteria.

This bacteria is the cause of Borreliosis, known more commonly as Lyme disease. Lyme disease is one of many tick-transmitted diseases.

Discovering a Tick on Your Shih Tzu

Any time that your Shih Tzu has walked in tall grass, in a forest area, a field or any place that may contain wildlife, it is a good idea to check your dog for any attached ticks once you come back inside the home.

We just learned that a friend, going from his front door to his car, found 2 ticks on him...He didn't even walk through tall grass!

Think about how low to the ground your Tzu is...And consider that any grass of any length could contain ticks...And they can latch right onto your puppy or dog.

Ticks are very small, and therefore you must check very carefully. Most ticks will quickly dig down into your Shih Tzu’s skin, making them hard to spot. However, in most cases the tick’s head will enter the dog’s skin, leaving you to see the tick’s body.

The common dog tick can range in size from very small, but clearly visible, to quite large. Then when they're engorged with blood, they blow up like a big greyish/greenish blob.

How to Remove a Tick From Your Shih Tzu

Forget about what you may have seen or heard. Using cooking oil or burning a tick is not the way to remove one!

To remove an attached tick from your dog you will want to use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or special tick removal instruments. These tools will allow you to remove the tick without squeezing the tick body. This is significant as you do not want to squash the tick and force harmful bacteria to leave the tick and enter your dog’s bloodstream.

Do not use your fingers to remove or dispose of the tick. If so, you may come into contact with a potentially disease-carrying tick. Do not squash the tick with your fingers. The contents of the tick can transmit disease.

1.   Grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. Do not grasp the tick by the body.
2.   Without quickly jerking it, pull firmly and steadily directly outward. Do not twist the tick as you are pulling.
3.   After removing the tick, place it in a jar of alcohol to kill it.
4.   Clean the bite wound with a disinfectant. It is also suggested to apply a small amount of a triple antibiotic ointment.
5.   Wash your hands thoroughly.

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Lyme Disease

If your Shih Tzu had a tick and you successfully removed it, the chances of Lyme disease are reduced. However, it is important to know the symptoms so that if the tick did transmit this to your Shih Tzu, you will be able to spot the signs right away.

Symptoms

The Lyme disease bacterium, transmits from tick to dog. Humans can catch Lyme disease, however with dogs; the symptoms will be a bit different.

In dogs, Lyme disease produces signs similar to arthritis, though it can less commonly involve a dog’s heart, nervous system and the kidneys.

The skin around the bite may become swollen and infected.

The arthritic joints may become swollen and hot, and there may be a fever associated with weakness and lack of appetite.

Lameness does not commonly last very long, but may recur in cycles. The glands (lymph nodes) of the dog may also be swollen.

Prevention

It is important to note that Lyme disease is not found everywhere that ticks are found. Your local veterinary clinic will be able to advise you whether this infection is a concern in your area. If you are in a risk area, you will want to:

Perform inspections each time your Shih Tzu returns from being outside on grass, the woods or any area of the like.
If you are in a very high risk area and your Shih Tzu goes outside often, your veterinarian may recommend a repellent product.
If you are in a high risk area, even with repellents, it is best to minimize time spent in risky areas.
There are vaccines to help protect dogs against infection with Lyme bacteria.

Treatment

If your Shih Tzu is diagnosed with Lyme disease, treatment will require antibiotics. Other therapy and nursing care may be needed depending on the particular effect that the infection caused to your Shih Tzu.

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