Ticks are animals that you would rather not encounter, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to avoid. We will answer all of your questions about these parasites.

What exactly are ticks?

Ticks are black-brown, spider-like eight-legged critters that feed on the blood of their host. There are different types of ticks. They are very small animals but, when they fill up with blood, they can expand considerably. They then look like small, blue-gray marbles.

Are they dangerous?

Not all, but some are. Ticks bite into the skin of humans and animals and, while 'drinking' blood, can transfer bacteria they may have been infected with into the bloodstream of their host. Worldwide, they are known as transmitters of various diseases, which are often difficult or impossible to cure.

What diseases do they transmit?

  • Babesiosis, also known as piroplasmosis, is a globally prevalent tick-borne acute and serious disease that affects the red blood cells. Characteristic symptoms are (high) fever, pale mucous membranes, lethargy, decreased appetite, anemia and especially the brownish red urine.
  • Ehrlichiosis is a sneaky "tick-borne disease" that affects the white blood cells. The resulting symptoms are often somewhat vague: lethargy, lack of appetite, enlarged lymph nodes, stiffness, respiratory problems such as coughing, fever and (nose) bleeding.
  • Borreliosis, better known as Lyme disease, is the best known tick-borne disease that can be contracted after being bitten by a tick infected with the Borrelia bacteria. Typical symptoms are joint disorders, fever, loss of appetite and problems with the skin, nervous system (paralysis) or heart.
  • Tick-borne encephalitis, also called tick-borne enchephalitis (TBE) or Früh Sommer Meningo Encephalitis (FSME), a virus that causes flu, fever, head and neck pain and dangerous meningitis.

Did you know this?

Lyme disease is named after the town of Old Lyme in the U.S. state of Connecticut, where it was first diagnosed as such in adults and children with arthritis in 1975.

Where can you encounter ticks?

Ticks like to live in areas with lots of nature like bushes and tall grass. You can find them in the woods, but also in the dunes, and they can just as easily be in your garden. Ticks seem to have a preference for undergrowth and oak trees, where they wait patiently for their victims. As soon as something warm-blooded passes, they step on it and then look for a place to bite down.

And when?

As soon as the temperature rises to 5 to 10 degrees, ticks can become active. The tick season usually runs from March to October, when the weather is warmer, but with the current climate you should actually be alert all year round. Do you want to know how active ticks are at the moment? Check out www.tekenradar.nl for up-to-date information.

Where are the most dangerous ticks?

Previously, the southern countries and the area around the Mediterranean Sea were especially notorious for their dangerous ticks: the Dermacentor tick, notorious for Babesiosis, and the Rhipicephalus tick, spreader of Ehrlichiosis. However, these species, as well as ticks from Central and Eastern Europe, are increasingly moving to the north and west, so that you may encounter them not only during your vacation, but also in your hometown. In our country, however, it is mainly the Ixodes tick, also called the sheep tick or the dog tick, that can transmit Lyme disease. Research shows that approximately one in five ticks is infected with Lyme disease.

Where do ticks prefer to bite?

Ticks can attach themselves anywhere on the body, but are often found on the head of your dog or cat or in thinly haired, well-fed areas such as armpits and their groin. In those places they can easily reach the skin and it is also nice and warm. In humans they sometimes attach themselves just below the hair behind the ears or in the neck and, don't worry, in the buttocks!

Actually, you should be on the alert for ticks all year round.

How do you discover them?

When the ticks have not yet attached themselves, you can sometimes see the little 'spiders' running across your animal's fur. And sometimes, after a walk in the woods, you can feel something tickling your arm, for example. If you check the fur and skin of your dog or cat with your fingers, you will soon learn to 'feel' and recognize bitten ticks.

What to do

It is important that you remove a tick as soon as possible. The longer the tick remains in place, the greater the chance of an infection. If you remove a tick correctly within 24 hours, the chance of infection is the lowest. Check your dog if necessary after every walk and check your (outdoor) cat regularly for ticks.

How do you remove a tick?

Attached ticks can be removed quite simply using special tick tweezers or a tick hook. Just remove the tick from the skin. If you first try to stun it with, for example, perfume, alcohol or nail polish remover, you only run more risk of it emptying the contents of its salivary glands and gastrointestinal tract into the skin, which increases the risk of infection. Try to remove the tick in its entirety; parts left behind can cause inflammation. If necessary, disinfect the place where the tick has been sitting/biting with a disinfectant suitable for animals or humans.

Tip!

Make sure you always have a 'tick's clamp' with you. The easiest way is to have several: put one in your coat pocket, one in the first aid kit at home and one in the glove compartment of the car.

What should I do after a bite?

Dogs and cats are less susceptible to Lyme disease than humans, but make sure you are always alert to the symptoms that can be associated with tick-diseases. Have you yourself been bitten by a tick? Write down the date of the bite, keep an eye on the place of the bite for the next three months to see if there is any red discoloration and be alert to possible symptoms of infection, such as a fever, or muscle or joint pain. If in doubt or for advice always consult your vet or, for yourself, your doctor!

What can you do against ticks?

By preventively using an appropriate pesticide, you can try to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to your animal. Always read the instructions carefully to see if the product is suitable for your dog or cat. On the internet you see many home remedies against ticks.

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Annerike from the CareTeam

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