Ticks – What you need to know
Ticks are most common between March and October, but they can survive in any temperature above freezing. They live and hide in low brush. Ticks can latch on to an animal in an instant, burrowing through the hair until it has access to the pet’s skin; they bite into the animal and then feed on its blood. When the tick is done feeding, it will drop off its host and wait until it’s ready for its next meal. This is especially dangerous if a tick drops off your pet in your home, as you could be its next target. Ticks can carry Lyme disease and other bacteria’s that are dangerous to you and your pet. Ticks are the leading carriers of diseases to humans in the United States, second only to mosquitoes worldwide.
Ticks are a problem everywhere. The two most common ticks in LA County are the Western Black Legged tick, and the Pacific Coast Tick. The Western Black Legged tick is known to carry Lyme Disease, and the Pacific Coast Tick is known to carry Tularemia, and Tick Fever.
The easiest and safest way to remove a tick is with a pointy pair of tweezers. Think of a tick as a little germ-filled container. If you squeeze it too hard on its back, all the germs will get pushed to the front, where the mouth is attached to you or your pet by. By using really pointy tweezers, you are able to grab the tick all the way down next to the skin. Next step is to simply pull the tick out like a splinter.
There is good news, for most tick-borne diseases you have about 24 hours to find and remove a feeding tick before it transmits an infection, so be sure to check yourself and your pet after any risk of exposure.