American dog ticks can be a nuisance and a danger that homeowners must deal with. American dog ticks are incredibly small, reaching only about a quarter of an inch in size when fully mature and slightly larger when fully fed and engorged. It can be easy to miss a tick crawling on your family members and pets if you aren’t doing thorough tick checks each time you come in from outside. This is why it’s a great idea to protect your property from American dog ticks this fall.
While some pests natural life cycle will preclude that they die off in the fall. American dog ticks can live year-round. They become far less active in the winter, but through the warm early stages of a Texas fall, American dog ticks can still cause problems for you and your pets.
Dangers American Dog Ticks Pose
While we often fear getting Lyme disease from ticks, the good news is that American dog ticks do not transmit Lyme disease. They can, however, transmit bacteria that carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. Not every tick carries these diseases and not every tick that bites you, even if carrying a disease, will transmit it to you. The problem is that there is no way to distinguish by sight which ticks are carrying disease and which ticks are not, therefore, it’s important to try to reduce the risk of tick bites.
Tick bites on dogs can cause itching, which can lead to scratching, and excessive scratching can cause secondary infections. For these reasons, it’s important to consult with your vet for appropriate tick control for your pets. Reducing ticks on your pets can help reduce the risk of the humans in your family getting bites.
Preventing Ticks & Seeking Professional Treatment
Around your property this fall you should work quickly to remove falling leaves and yard debris as well as cut back shrubbery. Continue to mow your lawn throughout the fall to make your property less appealing to ticks.
Try not to do things to attract wildlife to your yard as these animals bring ticks with them. This means reducing or eliminating pet food containers outside, emptying bird baths daily, and limiting bird feeders that can attract deer, squirrels and other nuisance pests.
This fall call Innovative Pest Control so we can help you with our flea and tick program to help reduce the risk of fleas around your Texas property.
Categories:
- Flea & Tick Prevention,
- American Dog Ticks,
- Flea & Tick Control
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