Prevention is the best way to protect your pooch from Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Pets are most at risk for encountering ticks during the warmer months of spring, summer and fall, a few varieties of this blood-sucking parasite survive the winter cold, posing a year-round threat to pets.
Ticks in Winter
Many ticks that wouldn't survive winter in the elements can live indefinitely once they're inside, where they pose an ongoing threat to your pup, even in the dead of winter. In areas with mild temperatures warmer than 45 degrees Fahrenheit, ticks can be a threat outdoors year-round. For this reason, most vets recommend using year-round tick prevention.
Tick Collars
Tick collars are laced with tick-killing pesticides; should be kept out of reach of small children, handled only by adults wearing gloves. Tick collars can be used alone or as an added layer of protection used in combination with other repellents. Typically, a monthly edible or topical pesticide, taken year-round, eliminates the need for a tick collar.
References
Resources
Writer Bio
Christy Ayala writes about recreation, sports, aquatics, healthy living, family and parenting, language development, organizational change, pets and animals. Ayala holds a master's degree in recreation administration from Aurora University’s George Williams College, a graduate certificate in organizational change from Hawaii Pacific University and a bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.