can be both for animals and people. You likely have heard about the both short and long-term dangers of tick transmitted diseases. For this reason every precaution should be taken to make sure your cat doesn’t have an encounter with one of these tiny blood sucking parasites but chances are if you are reading this informational article your best laid plans for preventing these tiny parasites from latching on to your cat have failed. The Life Cycle Ticks have a complicated life cycle. It involves three hosts, including wild and domesticated animals and humans. Ticks begin as eggs that hatch into six legged larvae. The larvae live and feed from animals for about a week before detaching them molting. After the molt, the larvae becomes eight legged nymphs. Nymphs feed on animals, engorge for 3 to 11 days, detach, and molt again into adult ticks. More about Ticks As you now know (or probably knew) ticks are blood-sucking parasites that attach themselves to anything warm blooded, which of course includes our pets. If that isn’t bad enough, as they feast on the donors blood ticks can transmit a number of serious diseases some of which may have long-term health concerns, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever, and Lyme disease. Skin wounds caused by ticks can lead to bacterial infections. Severe tick infestations can lead to anemia and even death. Cats tend not to be as tick prone as dogs or other animals such as deer. That said, cats that spend a great deal of time outdoors, especially in wooded tick infested natural areas will generally end up with a tick or two from time to time. Additionally, I have noticed that some cats are more prone to ticks than others with one of my cats being a tick magnet and the other three rarely being bitten. This has forced me to stop letting this cat go outside during the late spring and summer months when ticks are most active due to the possible serious health risks involved. Diagnosis, Removal, and Prevention Diagnosis is by appearance of tick bite marks or the presence of the parasite itself. Ticks that have been on an animal for a few days or less will appear flat. Ticks that have been attached for two or more days appear much more rounded due to the blood they have consumed. Any cat which spends time outdoors should be regularly, and thoroughly, checked for ticks. If a tick is found it should be removed as soon as possible to minimize the chances of disease and skin damage. To do this, use tweezers to carefully take hold of the tick close to the skin and pull gently. You should do your best to make sure the whole tick is removed, including the head, to minimize the chances of skin irritation and infection. Warning: Never try to remove a tick with your bare hands, as some tick-borne diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can be transmitted through breaks in the skin or contact with mucous membranes. Keeping cats away from tick prone areas is the most effective step you can take to control exposure. Most ticks live in particular microhabitats, such as tall grass or the border between wooded areas and lawns. Clearing and cleaning of these areas will reduce the overall tick population but not eliminate it. Removing tall grass and weeds and trimming vegetation from your property can also help protect your animal. Insecticide treatment of vegetation can slightly reduce the risk of ticks. However, it is not recommended for wide use because of environmental pollution and the prohibitive costs generally associated with treating large areas.
Cat Owners Veterinary Handbook Native Remedies
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