AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As we continue to enter tick season in Central Texas, it's important to keep up to date with medications for your pet to keep them safe.
KXAN Meteorologist Tommy House sat down with Angela Laws, who is the Head of Community at TrustedHousesitters to learn more.
Meteorologist Tommy House: My first question for you today is, what should pet owners avoid when it comes to over-the-counter parasite prevention products, specifically for ticks?
Angela Laws: Okay, so the best advice is always, prevention is better than cure. Not all over-the-counter products are equal. The very best place to get tick prevention medication or products is from your veterinarian, because they know the dog, and they know the ticks in the area. That is the best way to ensure proper prevention.
House: What specific dog breeds require extra caution during tick season?
Laws: All dog breeds and cats as well. You should be watching all of them. But the ones we focus on more than anything else are those with long coats. And that’s for the simple reason that ticks burrow into the skin. So, if you’ve got a long-coated dog breed, the ticks can get hidden and easily missed.
Those are the breeds you really need to watch. You need to treat them, and every time they come back from a walk or have been out in the yard, check them. The way to do that is by grooming regularly, but also making sure to look in all those hidden spots, like underneath the legs and in areas where the hair is really long.
House: A lot of people think home remedies are a good solution, matches or I’ve even heard of petroleum jelly, when dealing with ticks during tick season. What are the risks of using these at-home remedies?
Laws: Okay, we like to call those old wives' tales. You know, those things like, "Oh, why don’t you try this?" And someone’s going to suggest it. The problem is, they don’t work. Full stop. And they can actually do far more harm than good. What often happens is, you leave the tick embedded in the skin.
You might break it, or leave the head in, and all of those things can contribute to infection. And the one thing we want to prevent above all is Lyme disease. So, if you have any concern that your animal has picked up a tick and maybe you’ve missed it, or if their health or behavior changes, always, always consult your veterinarian.
House: And for pet owners who are going on a trip and they need a pet sitter to watch their pet, what is some advice and ways that owners can communicate to the pet sitter to take care of that animal, and also for the peace of mind of the owners?
Laws: We’ve got over 4,000 members in Texas, that’s a lot of pets being kept happy at home. And especially during tick season, it’s important to give your sitter all the information you’ve got: what product is being used, where ticks are likely to be, anything specific about your pet that helps keep them safe and happy. And again, always tell your sitter that if there’s any concern at all, they should consult the veterinarian.
