Tick Season is here! 🕷🌷
While we all dread finding a tick on our furry family members, there are pharmaceutical and herbal solutions to help protect them!
Our popular Botanical Tick Repellant is available over the counter, so no prescription is needed. Made in-clinic, there are fresh batches on the shelf throughout the spring season.
For prescriptions, your cat or dog must have been in recently for a visit and had a full examination with one of our vets within the last year to ensure the best prescription parasite control product is chosen for them.
Read more about your choices below, then email us to arrange a veterinary appointment, a prescription, and/or a bottle of tick repellant for pickup.
So, why are ticks so bad, anyway?
TICK PARALYSIS
Ticks in the Okanagan can cause two issues - the first is tick paralysis. Every year, we have terrified pet parents come into the clinic when their cat or dog suddenly stops being able to walk (understandably panicked!). Tick paralysis is caused by a neurological toxin being transmitted by a tick bite. The paralysis doesn't last, but it's scary and confusing for all involved. (This is one of the reasons we love our Botanical Tick Repellant so much - it helps keep ticks from biting.)
LYME DISEASE
Ticks can carry a variety of nasty diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but the disease most fur parents are familiar with is Lyme Disease - a chronic ailment that can negatively affect your fur kids' internal organs, neurological system, muscles, and joints. See the 2023 map below for the areas of our province affected by these nasty 8-legged beings. Learn more about Lyme disease from the BC Centre for Disease Control.
ICK FACTOR
In addition to the above, there is the added “ick” factor of having a little blood-sucker attached to your furry family member!
Do You Test Ticks for Lyme Disease?
We can do blood tests for dogs 4-6 weeks after they have been bitten if they exhibit the symptoms of Lyme disease. These blood tests are by appointment, so give us a call and we can schedule your dog or cat at the right time so the test is most accurate. There is an exam, blood draw, and testing fee - they'll get a full exam with one of our doctors as well.
Ticks in the Okanagan
The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni)
This is the type of tick we most commonly see at Pandosy Vet. The adult female is reddish-brown with a white "shield" near the front, and the male is mottled-grey in colour. They do not carry Lyme Disease, however they can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and can cause Tick Paralysis.
The Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus)
Another common tick at Pandosy Vet, this reddish-brown species feeds on dogs, usually found around the ears and between the toes. They can also carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichia Canis and Babesia Canis.
The Western Black-legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus)
Less common, these ticks (pictured above) are identifiable by their reddish bodies and black legs. They can be carriers of Lyme Disease as well as Borellia and Anaplasma.
As for the ticks themselves, the first step is for you to identify which tick species it is. To identify the tick species, simply make an account at etick.ca and upload a picture. If it is a black-legged tick, we can send it to the provincial lab for you for a PCR test. All we need is the tick (dead or alive) with a moist bit of paper towel in a ziplock bag to send it in! Sorry, we can only test ticks that were on your pets - not on you. (You'll have to go to your human doctor for that). There is a shipping charge for all ticks sent to be tested.
Botanical Tick Repellent
Our Botanical Tick Spray, made right here at Pandosy Village Vet, is a favourite among our clients and team. Using the power of rose geranium and other florals, it naturally repels ticks. It works by smell, so be sure to reapply it before each outing and after getting wet.
Our tick spray is also safe for humans—our team all use it on their boots and socks before hikes and outings to stay tick-free! Please note - our tick spray is not safe for kitties as they will lick it off!
HOW TO USE
Spray on the nape of your dog's neck, back and legs before frolicking outside. Avoid their eyes and nose, of course. Reapply when the scent is gone or after swimming. Avoid ingestion. Not recommended for cats.
Pharmaceutical Options for Dogs
As no one is perfect with applying a spray every outing, we recommend prescription pharmaceuticals as a foolproof backup. Once the tick attaches to the skin, the pharmaceutical in your dog's system kills the feeding creepy crawly and protects from disease transmission.
NexGard Spectra
Our top recommendation is NexGard Spectra - a once-a-month chew, it protects against four types of ticks as well as fleas and lice. We also like this lower, once-a-month dose, as it's easier on their system than a multi-month solution. This product also has best-in-class protection for Lyme disease as it's highly effective against the western black-legged tick. Additionally, NexGard protects against internal parasites, including roundworms, hookworms and heartworm.
Other options we recommend are Simparica Trio or Bravecto.
All medications require a prescription and an up-to-date annual exam on file. If you haven't brought your pet to Pandosy Village Vet in the last year, we are happy to schedule you for a health consultation, and one of our vets can prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Pharmaceutical Options for Cats
For cats that go outside, our top recommendation is a pharmaceutical option. Why? Because cats clean themselves constantly so our Botanical Tick Spray is not safe for them (they shouldn't be ingesting it!). The other benefit of a prescription pharmaceutical is that they act as dewormers, removing things they can pick up from mousing and having fun outside.
NexGard Combo
A simple once-a-month topical prescription that you squirt between your cat's shoulders, NexGard Combo protects against four types of ticks (American dog ticks, brown dog ticks, lone star ticks, and black-legged ticks) and fleas. NexGard also protects cats from intestinal worms, like tapeworms, and heartworm, which they can pick up, mousing and interacting with other cats.
NexGard requires prescription and an up-to-date annual exam on file. If you haven't brought your kitty to Pandosy Village Vet in the last year, we are happy to schedule you for a visit, and one of our vets can prescribe the appropriate treatment for your furry family member.
Don't let this scare you...
Remember, all this tick protection is not to freak you out - it's to keep your fur family safe so you can go outside and have a wonderful time!
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