Ticking time bombs

The summer monsoon may bring much-needed rains to the Valley, but it also brings an unwanted pest for dog owners — ticks.

“With the humidity up and the heat increased, it’s almost an aphrodisiac for ticks,” said Jeremy Lomeli, vice president of Paul’s Pest and Termite Control of Glendale.

The parasites aren’t just a nuisance, they can carry potentially deadly diseases for canine companions.

“The biggest disease that ticks carry (in the Valley) is canine ehrlichiosis, tick fever, which is similar to the Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Lyme disease,” said veterinarian Michele Johnson of Surprise Animal Hospital. “It’s very common, I see about two cases a week.”

Lyme disease, Johnson said, is transmitted by deer ticks to dogs and humans. While the ticks aren’t found in the Valley, they can be seen near the Flagstaff area.

“A high percentage of the brown dog ticks here carry tick fever,” Johnson said. “And it just takes the bite of one to transmit it to a pet.”

The disease is passed by the tick to dog through the tick’s feeding process.

Once infected, tick fever manifests in three phases: acute, subclinical and chronic.

The acute stage occurs shortly after exposure to the disease, when the disease enters the white blood cells and reproduces inside of them, and includes symptoms such as fever, sore joints, swollen lymph nodes and weight loss.

If untreated, the dog could go into the subclinical stage when no outward signs of the virus manifest, and could stay in this phase for years.

The chronic stage occurs when the dog’s platelet count lowers and it becomes prone to uncontrolled bleeding, such as a bloody nose, anemia and weight loss.

Tick fever is diagnosed by a blood test. Once confirmed, strong antibiotics, usually doxycycline, are prescribed to try to combat the disease.

Milder cases are often treatable, while more severe cases may be terminal.

If a dog or home becomes infested with ticks, it is one of the more difficult pests to eliminate.

Lomeli said that any landscaping that includes lush grass and shrubbery can house ticks.

Keeping grass cut very short and eliminating moisture low to the ground helps detract ticks.

And if one tick is spotted, it could be the tip of the iceberg.

“When looking through the dog’s hair, if you see them there, or in the house or in the yard, the problem has already gotten pretty large,” Lomeli said. “They aren’t hard to see or spot.”

Johnson recommends taking preventative measures for helping keep ticks out of yards and off of dogs.

“Keep the yard free of ticks and treated by a pest control company,” Johnson said.

Lomeli said that ticks could enter the property through a number of means.

“They could come from another dog, whether from a neighborhood dog or from taking a dog to the groomer, from walking around the park,” Lomeli said. “They can be picked up anywhere.”

Monsoon winds can also blow ticks in from neighboring yards.

Ticks move fairly slow, and are known to scale the walls at home and nest where the walls and ceiling meets.

If ticks are found on a dog, do not burn them or poke them with a hot needle.

Instead, use sterilized tweezers to gently but firmly pull the tick off of the dog. Kill it by either putting it in a bottle of rubbing alcohol, or crushing it in tissue and then flushing it down the toilet. Live ticks have been known to survive in sewer systems.

Johnson recommends monthly preventative methods for combating ticks, such as the Frontline, which is applied topically and acts as an internal flea and tick protector. Frontline is available through veterinarians, feed stores and through online retailers.

Commercial flea and tick collars aren’t as effective, Johnson said. And some collars could be toxic if used on young puppies.

Some dog rescue groups recommend feeding dogs brewer’s yeast and garlic tablets to help make dogs less attractive to parasites.

Dave Owens, “The Garden Guy,” recommends garlic, rue and artismia plants as natural deterrents for ticks.

Rosemary, either the plants or ground up and placed throughout the yard, is another natural method of tick control, said Danny Curtis, manager of Moon Valley Nursery in Surprise.

Being diligent is key to keeping ticks out of the yard and off of dogs. And an application of pesticide alone is not enough to eliminate ticks.

Vacuuming a home where ticks have been seen should take place before receiving a pest control service, which brings ticks and eggs to the surface. And then place the vacuum bag inside of another bag and disposing it outside of the home is recommended.

Washing sheets, blankets, pillow cases, and dog pads in hot water and high heat will also kill ticks, Lomeli said.

And check dogs’ coats at least once a day and remove any ticks.

Joy Slagowski lost her husky-shepherd, Princess, in May due to complications resulting from tick fever.

Princess was rescued from a reported drug house in Surprise on Dec. 27, 2000. Her veterinarian believes Princess contracted the disease there.