Ticks are a major concern in Southwest Missouri. Not only do they cause trouble by the bite, irritation, and blood loss, but also from a number of diseases spread by them. In southwest Missouri, the most common disease is Ehrlichiosis, followed by Lyme Disease and Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis. To this list for cats is added Cytauxzoonosis known as Bobcat Fever.
Do we really see ticks?
According to entomologist Thomas Mather, PhD director of the Center for Vector-Borne Diseases at the University of Rhode Island, it is a war zone out there. “Most people don’t see ticks. If they did — if they saw how many are waiting on twigs and sticks and leaves and in the brush —–they would never go outside again.” (JAVMA Feb1,2020, Vol 256, #3 p 288). Ticks are everywhere in Southwest Missouri.
Commonly I am told that their dog or cat never gets ticks because they are checked regularly so they would be seen. The dark spot in the middle of the back is not a dirt spot but the image of a Lone Star tick larvae without magnification but the actual size of the larvae. Often these immature ticks are called seed ticks but they spread disease just as their counterpart adult ticks do. In fact, seed ticks prefer small mammals such as cats and small dogs. Would you see this seed tick in the hair of your dog or cat? It is better to error on the side of caution rather than have a sick dog or cat.
Our preferred product control in both the dog and cat is Bravecto,because of it’s fast action in killing ticks and long duration of action on the pet.
