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The recent warmer weather and some rain are the only invitation ticks need for their spring break...out. But here are some of my tricks to help you fight back...
They might start off life no bigger than a poppy seed but they soon work out how to find trouble for pets all the way from the northern tip of Queensland to the south eastern corner of Victoria.
So here are your must-have tick tips:
- Most ticks start their lives around native animals like bandicoots. So avoid walks in coastal bushland areas especially after rain.
- If they do attach, tiny carbon dioxide sensors on a tick’s face mean it will try to move towards your pet’s breath. As a result, 80% ticks are found around the front legs, neck, ears and head.
- Other common tick hiding spots are between the toes and even under the tail.
- Rather than trying to find a tick with your eyes, feeling it with your fingers is often just as successful. It’ll feel like a small lump on the skin.
- Importantly, if you find something, paralysis ticks are typically a steel grey/blue colour AND have legs. If you can’t see legs, it’s probably just a lump. Or a nipple. Please don’t try to remove a nipple.
The signs to look for:
- A serious lack of energy, laboured breathing, grunting, weak back legs and vomiting.
Most important of all, if you do live in a tick prone area or are visiting one, use your preventative treatments from August. They’re really effective.
Good luck out there.
