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These warmer days are in some ways a blessing. There are so many more activities that you can do with your family including your Pets.....

Activities like beach days, hikes and playing outside to name a few. 

But with the warmth, those pesky ticks are coming back out and looking for a nice meal to chow down on. 

Unfortunately for us, our dogs are usually the target for them. Dogs are closer to the ground, don’t have clothes on (generally) to protect themselves against ticks, and they can’t check to see if they have a tick on them.

Of course, this also applies to Horses as well......  Ticks will latch onto any warm blooded animal (including us humans) at the slightest chance......

Pet Rabbits are also vulnerable..... but they tend to be better at self grooming that Dogs and Horses and also, if they are pets of course, are less likely to be roaming around outside as much...

So what are ticks?

Ticks are little creatures, a type of arachnid, which means they are more closely related to spiders than they are to insects.

They live in vegetation and wait for a suitable host to accidentally brush past them unsuspectingly....  then they latch on!!! 

A tick has four life stages and all but the egg stage need a host to survive.  These four stages include the egg stage, the Larvae stage, Nymph Stage, then Adult stage.

But why are they considered Nasty?

Apart from the fact that they are unsightly and no one wants to have things living off you, tick can spread disease.....  and some of those diseases are very nasty indeed.

Further to that, the paralysis tick here in Australia can be deadly.....

This is because ticks are a parasite which means they need a host to live off.....  As such, they lock-in to a hosts skin, and then feed on their blood......

How can we control Ticks?

So how can we make sure that are furry family members don’t fall victim to ticks?

Thankfully there are some great medications out there that have been developed to help avoid ticks. 

However, be sure to speak to a professional about which medication suits which animal species...  That's because what medication suits a dog may be lethal to a cat.....

Also, you can check regularly by grooming your pets using a comb, brush, or simply being diligent and observant.

That way you have a chance of finding them before they latch on......

How do you remove a Tick?

If you do find a tick which is firmly into the skin, you can remove it carefully.

It's best to use a specialized tick remover or a pair of Tweezers.

Make sure you grab the tick as close to the skin as possible.

Then pull up slowly and firmly....  However, never twist or jerk it out....  This risks leaving the head in which can then encourage nasty infections.....

Hence, it's important to ensure you get the head out cleanly.

Then disinfect the area with something suitable and try and identify the tick........  If it isn't a paralysis tick, dispose of it.....

Now keep a very close eye on them because a paralysis tick can be fatal.  

However, if you are using a Flea and Tick treatment you shouldn't be finding any ticks on your pets..... but it's still import and keep checking you pet pet thoroughly after being outdoors for any period of time. 

Ticks can jump on to your beloved family member at any time. 

The warm weather brings them out and they are fast spreading.

Even if you think your suburban backyard is safe from ticks, think again. 

Whatever you decide to do to ensure your pets are free from ticks, make sure that you reward them with a delicious Huds and Toke Pet Treat. They will associate something not so pleasant with something enjoyable. Which will in turn make the whole experience easier for everyone.

A Good Idea!

Managing your Tick risk is very important and by far the most popular way of achieving this is using a flea and tick treatment especially when it comes to our puppies!

These medications, whilst designed for Dogs, may also come at a cost.

To minimise any build up in your dogs system of chemicals, and not just from medications, but also from daily life, the team at Huds and Toke have developed a Detox Cookie with Zeolite.

These are designed to help absorb and remove Toxins from their system.  They are Grain Free and super tasty.

Thanks so much for keeping up with the Huds and Toke family! 

We’ll keep you updated on our shenanigans with a new blog post coming out soon. 

Make sure you follow our social media handles, so you can keep up-to-date with special promos, competitions, and giveaways.

Until next time,

Lots of love,

The Huds and Toke Family

@hudsandtoke

#Hudsandtokefamily