Today we celebrate the International Day of Friendship. When I think of friendship, I think of the human’s best friend, better known as a dog. In our family we have two wonderful fur babies to round out our household. I am not sure what life would be like without them. They protect our children and give our home so much love. It is important to give them the love and care they deserve. Keeping your dog’s safe from ticks and the diseases they carry is a top priority this summer.
Ticks are parasites that live by feeding on the blood of mammals. Ticks are extremely resilient creatures. They have been found to even survive in a vacuum for as long as a half an hour. Ticks consume blood to satisfy their nutritional requirements. They require the blood to move from one stage of life to another. Some ticks will attach to their host quickly while others will roam trying to find a thinner skin to latch on to. Ticks are like mosquitos in finding their hosts, they use the carbon dioxide in their breath for tracking.
Ticks carry many types of pathogens, viruses, and bacteria. This can make it difficult in the diagnosis of a tick-borne disease for bites. There are things to look for such as a bullseye when determining Lyme Disease. In dogs it is hard to find a rash or have them tell you they are not feeling well. Many dogs are asymptomatic, but some will experience symptoms from tick-borne illnesses listed below. These may include, fever, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, bleeding, and painful joints.
Tick- Borne Diseases to look for are:
- Bartonella
- Lyme Disease
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Ehrlichiosis
- Babesiosis
- Hepatozoonosis
- Tularemia
- Tick Paralysis
- Anaplasmosis
It is important to know that not all ticks will carry these diseases. In fact, most do not. Checking your dog’s daily for ticks especially after long walks or hikes is key. Tick bites will often not lead to infection if removed within 36 hours. A tick can be removed with tweezers or special tick removal tools. Be sure to check that after pulling the tick the entire head is removed. Clean the area with rubbing alcohol. Ticks can be disposed of by flushing them down the toilet of placed in soapy water with alcohol.
The best protection for your family and your pets is to take preventative measures. Spraying your yard to ensure the ticks stay off your property in the first place is key! Contact your local Mosquito Sheriff for a free estimate to talk about a full proof barrier method to keep not only the ticks off your property but mosquitos too! We look forward to working with you!
As always here is a delicious Summer Grilling Recipe to enjoy with your friends and Family!
Honey Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
Honey Balsamic Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- In a Ziplock bag, add chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Make sure the chicken is completely coated in the seasonings.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, balsamic vinegar, ketchup, and garlic. Pour half of the sauce into the bag and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Grill your chicken on each side about 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Place reserved sauce in a small saucepan and allow to deglaze for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat. Brush sauce on top of chicken.