Prepare Your Pets For An Early Ocean County Tick Season

Ocean County is experiencing a few things that could make this season particularly bad for parasites for both us and our four-legged friends, so there's no better time than now to prepare your pets for tick season!

Just last week we talked about how the recent trend of groups of warm days has kicked off an early allergy season. But along with early blooming plants, we also have early emerging bugs.

In addition, we also have this new warning that Lyme disease could be more of a concern this year than ever before.

So here are a few tips to keep in mind as we head into the season where the creepy crawlies will start showing up:

• If your vet recommends a flea and tick treatment, you should definitely keep on top of the schedule. In the past year, I've started using a chewable tick treatment, which is a whole lot easier than getting a squirmy pup to sit still to apply a liquid and then not lick or rub it off!
• It's always a good idea to check your pet and yourself on a regular basis, especially after long walks in grassy or wooded areas. We call it a check over, but your pup will be more than happy for what they'll just see as extra belly rubs!
• If you don't have one, get a simple tick removal tool. Removing all of a tick that's decided to hitch on for a meal is really important. If you try to pull it off with tweezers, you may end up leaving bits and pieces behind. Which is not only gross, but could lead to infection.

I have a "Tick Twister", which cost me all of five bucks on Amazon.

Even better? Some vets, like my very own at Brick Town Veterinary Hospital, will happily give you a tick removal tool like this one:

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