Three Tick-Related Reasons To Visit A Local Pet Hospital
Depending on where you live, ticks may be a serious concern in wooded areas. If you're a new dog owner and are concerned about the risk of a tick biting your animal, it's important to know that you can turn to your local pet hospital for help. The pet hospital's website likely features information on how to identify ticks on your pet and how to remove them yourself. Additionally, there are several reasons that you may need to visit the hospital for tick-related issues with your pet. Here are three times that a visit will be necessary.
Difficult Tick Removal
When a tick bites a dog, the owner can typically remove it. There can be times, however, that this removal is extremely challenging. If undetected for a prolonged period of time, the tick can become somewhat embedded in the dog's skin. If you have tried to remove the tick but have been unsuccessful or feel completely overwhelmed with attempting to tackle this issue on your own, you can visit the pet hospital for help. Vet technicians have ample experience with tick removal and will be able to help your pet with this issue.
Tick Testing
If you're able to successfully remove a tick off your dog, you may still want to turn to your local pet hospital for help. Many pet hospitals recommend that you immediately place the tick in a sealed bottle after you've removed it. You should then take the tick to the pet hospital so that a technician can test it for Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a serious disease that some ticks can carry, and it can lead to a long list of unpleasant complications for your pet. If the test comes back negative, you'll have the peace of mind that your dog will be okay. In the event of a positive test, the clinic can test your dog for Lyme disease.
Tick Prevention Medication
A pet hospital visit can still be a good idea if your dog hasn't had an encounter with a tick, as this will allow you to obtain tick prevention medication. This medication is typically a tablet that you give your dog to eat. Once the dog has consumed the medication, it will kill any ticks that get on your pet's skin in the future. Generally, the medication will last for a specific duration. After this period of time has passed, you'll need to provide your dog with another dose of the medication. Contact your local pet hospital to learn more about tick-related topics.
