Ticks

Ticks have eight legs instead of six and are a cousin to the spider, not the insect. There are several species that feed on dogs, including the wood tick, the brown dog tick, and the deer tick, and they all thrive in tall grass, shrubby areas, and woods.

Ticks can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, encephalitis, tularemia, tick paralysis, and Lyme disease, so it is important to prevent tick infestations in domestic dogs.

The tick is a slow mover and can easily be picked off the dog with tweezers as it crawls about looking for a feeding spot. So, after a walk in the woods, check your dog and yourself for ticks from top to bottom.

Embedded ticks should be removed immediately. Protect fingers from the tick's body fluids with surgical gloves or a plastic bag, grasp the tick firmly, rock it back and forth a few times, and pull it out. If a patch of skin comes along, it's unlikely that any of the tick's head has been left behind.

To control ticks in the environment, keep grass trimmed and control the spread of shrubbery and tall weeds.

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