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Community Corner

Swelling Number of Dogs with Ticks; Vets Blame Cold, Wet Spring

It's shaping up to be bumper crop year for the nasty insects, which feed on blood and can transmit Lyme disease.

It’s shaping up to be a banner summer for ticks, area vets say.

“In general, we are seeing an increase of ticks this summer,” said Dr. Paul Blaso, with Plainfield Veterinary Clinic. “We are getting a lot of dogs in that already have ticks on them.”

My recent visit to my own pet doctor confirmed it. Both my dogs had ticks. It’s one of the worst years she can remember for insect, the vet said. As I waited to pay my bill, veterinary assistants told several other customers picking up dogs that they had removed ticks.

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Our long, cold, rainy spring may have something to do with it, Blaso said. Ticks love mild, wet conditions. like those we endured in April and May, according to information in the Farmer’s Almanac. They hate are hot, dry weather and very cold, dry weather.

I don’t like the idea of putting pesticides on pets and I abhor the prospect of being around harsh chemicals myself. But no one seems to be able to come with an organic answer to chasing off ticks.

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I weigh which is worse – the chemical or the tick? But, after watching my in-laws’ dog die a slow, painful, expensive death from the Lyme disease that ticks can transmit, practicality wins over principle. Frontline from a vet or a new product, Revolution, which doubles as a heartworm preventer, seem to be the only real options. 

If you do find a tick on your pet, don’t try to burn it with a match or cover it with petroleum jelly or nail polish, Blaso said. If you aggravate or stress the tick, it may inject more disease-carrying saliva.

The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it with fine-point tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Don’t twist or jerk. If you don’t have tweezers, grab the tick with a cloth or anything else that will keep you from touching it.

It’s a good idea to keep the tick in a jar of rubbing alcohol with the date and location of the bite in case a vet or a doctor needs to test it for disease.

ARGOUDELIS WATCH: 219 days since Election Day 2010 and still no statement from Plainfield Township Supervisor John Argoudelis on whether he intends to be both township supervisor and a Will County Board member.

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