Tiny ticks, less than a centimetre long, have been sleeping all winter and now that the snow is melting they are hungry, leaving pets vulnerable.
“They don’t typically feed right away,” says veterinarian Dr. Lethan Dwan. “What they do is, they search around the animal to find the right spot for feeding and that typically is in an area that is kind of protected.”
Biologist Nicolas Lecompte says ticks are resilient and waste no time.
“They are fast breeders, so they can cope with a massive loss by breeding much more,” says Lecompte.
Ticks latch onto deer, rabbits, grass, and pets in order to survive. Dog’s necklines, underarms and bellies are particularly vulnerable, and dogs with long hair provide the parasites with a better hideout.
Ticks will feed on an animal for three to four days and during that time, they anchor themselves into the skin, making them difficult to remove. Removing only some of the tick, but not all, can cause a serious infection.
“We’ve all probably known of a tick situation gone disastrous,” says Dwan. “Well, it’s a result of that anchor, or sometimes even part of the head piece, that’s left in position.”
Ticks also carry Lyme disease, which can be deadly.
Veterinarians say the best way to protect your animal is to have them vaccinated. Ticks can be removed with a special tick-removal device, or with a special topical cream.
Dwan says checking your dog by frequently rubbing its belly is the best way to find ticks so they can be removed.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Sarah Plowman
