Protect Your Pet From Worst Tick Season

For many of us, our pets are family and we will do what we must to keep them safe and healthy. When I read the People Pet Vet article “Protect Your Pet During One of the Worst Tick Seasons Ever,” naturally, I was very concerned, so I read the article.

“Health officials are cautioning that 2017 could bring the worst tick season in recent memory.”

They consulted their “Hunky Pet Vet” Evan Antin, a two-time title winner of PEOPLE’s Sexiest Veterinarian Alive, from Thousand Oaks, California. While that alone should be enough credibility, you should know he is a graduate of the highly respected vet school at Colorado State University. Note: As a board member of The Elk and Deer Foundation, I have worked with CSU’s Chief Pathologist, Dr Terry Spraker, who discovered a way to identify if an elk or deer has Chronic Wasting Disease, without cutting its brain open to see if it is sick. Terry is the real deal, and gives cred to the school, in my mind.)

Sexy vet Evan says prevention is the best medicine and going with a monthly oral or topical medicine is good.

All his credentials aside, I wanted the opinion of someone I know I can trust.  I checked with Frontier Veterinary Clinic where Katrina said there has been no surge in ticks or fleas, but grub worm infestations are more of a concern right now.

Still, In dealing with ticks she says the oral medications are fine, but prefers the topical application that kills the ticks and they fall off. It needs to be applied on a monthly basis. She recommends name brands and they can be found at PetCo, Walmart or any number of outlets. I asked about the flea and tick collars and she is not impressed. I have trusted Frontier Veterinary Clinic with our furry family members and trust thier quality care and expertise. I hope you have a trusted vet.

Ticks are spiders, or at least in the arachnid family. They dislike peppermint oil, so you may want to apply that to an imbedded tick. Some also like to use DEET as a deterrent for humans and pets. Check your pets regularly if they spend a lot of time outdoors and watch for symptoms and behavioral changes.