Ticks 

I had a case this week reminding me people need to know more about external parasites in dogs. This particular dog had an unbelievable number of ticks imbedded in its skin. Imagine if you will a quart sized Ziploc plastic bag.  The bag had ticks of varying size inside it. Placing the bag flat on a counter top resulted in three quarters of the flat surface occupied with moving crawling little ticks. There were approximately eighty ticks in the bag. Some of the ticks had not been attached long enough to become engorged with blood. Some were pale brown in color about the size of a watermelon seed or an adult human fingernail. The real amazing thing about this case was they had removed three other bags of ticks from this dog. This dog had just days ago come into the Milan area, it had resided east and south of Jackson. Since I started practice in 1972 I have noticed an increase in the number of tick cases and number of ticks seen on a case. The local environment has been able to support the lifestyle of this parasite.
Ticks are notable to fly, jump or even blow with the wind. They are small and very patient in their approach to finding their host/prey.  Their purpose of life is to propagate their species.  They feed seldom but when they do they can acquire disease pathogens form a host and pass it to another host at a later feeding.  They can also pass diseases through the eggs they lay. And these will infect the next group of hosts (dogs) the next year. Ticks have sensory organs that are complex. These systems can determine trace amounts of gases, such as carbon dioxide left by warm-blooded animals and man.  They sense the potential host's presence from long distances. Selection of an ambush site based upon their ability to identify paths that are well traveled by their preferred host.
The female tick is modestly small when waiting for a host (dog) to come by in the weeds and bushes beyond the lawn.  After being lucky enough to get on a host they start the process of attachment. Interestingly there is no pain from the biting mouth parts when they attach. There has been research done on the products ticks use to drill through skin and attach painlessly to people or critters. There may be application in the medical world where these substances will help man or beast.
How a tick should be removed?  It is important to list first some methods NOT to use. A lit cigarette has potential for burning skin. The same is said for matches, recently lit and quickly blown out extinguished wooden matches has potential to cause a thermal burn. You may notice two ticks attached at one site. The really little one is the male. He is doing his part to pass on his genetic code. The male is a minor player in disease transmission.  The female attaches deeply and uses biological anticoagulants and local anesthetics to help avoid detection and trauma. In this manner she is able to attach long enough to obtain a large blood sample. She needs the protein and trace elements to manufacture and produce fertile eggs. She does her part to complete the biological replication cycle.
It's also worth noting ticks should be removed with a tick removal tool or a tick hook. Hooks get the latex type material referred to as cement with the neck and head. This latex-like adhesive is used by the tick to secure itself at the feeding site.  If left in, the cement can be a point of irritation until the cement is absorbed by the body.  It may or may not be a factor in disease transmission. Some people advocate use of forceps (tweezers) for tick removal. If forceps are used there is a quick twist needed or the head will remain under the skin.
Ticks are supposed to need attachment for 24 - 48 hours for transmission of Lyme disease bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi). This is a spirochete gram negative bacterium. There are other spirochetes that can cause this disease in Europe they have a different strain that causes infections in people and dogs.
Prevention of tick borne diseases is by vaccinating the dog and achieving what epidemiologist tell us veterinarians "reasonable protection" through the immune system. There are extremely effective topical medications applied on the back of the dog every thirty days. Some products need time to dry. Two to four hours outside activity on a sunny day will help drying and keep the chemical odor down. I also recommend being applied when toddlers are not close by so the product may dry and is not transferred by a hug. Tick products we carry are EPA approved. If applied just before bedtime and your dog sleeps in the bedroom you will notice a stronger odor.
You need to check your dog daily for ticks. This does mean there has been recent contact with tall weeds and tall grass.  Primarily it means they were beyond the lawn.  The seasonal time of greatest tick exposure here in Milan is a wet warm April, May, June and July. Incidence of ticks detected on client dogs drops off after that. It does not mean they are gone after that but activity is less. Any temperature above 35 degrees F will have some tick activity.
There are other tick borne diseases dogs can get. Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis are three routinely checked for in dogs. These diseases have varying degrees of treatment success.  Preventing ticks is a big step in prevention of these diseases.
This is one instance where you are justified in being "ticked off".
For more information about a specific case, consult your veterinarian.          
The outside of a pet is good for the inside of a human.