Fall might be the worst season for ticks. Maybe it’s because we think that tick season is over now that the weather is cooler, and we let our guard down. However, our pets need us to continue to protect them from the dangers that ticks pose to them well into the fall season and even the start of winter. Ticks are hardy parasitic pests that can go long periods of time without a blood meal and survive cold temperatures, which is why it is so important to seek professional help to reduce the risk of ticks where pets frequent and play.
Ticks are tiny hard-shelled pests that burrow into the skin and can spread several diseases that can affect people as well as their pets. Ticks are known to transmit Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Symptoms in pets and humans can range from mild to severe, but usually include joint pain and stiffness, fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. These diseases can be short-term or cause ongoing chronic problems throughout the rest of their lives.
Pet owners should consult their veterinarian for a prescribed tick preventative medication or treatment method. You should also inspect your pets each time they come in from outdoors for ticks. And you should remove any ticks found immediately. Yards should be free of leaf litter, debris, and overgrown vegetation. You should keep your bushes trimmed and the grass cut short. It is also a good idea to put up a fence to keep wildlife from entering your yard since they can potentially bring in more ticks. Lastly, you should limit your pets' exposure to thickly wooded areas and tall grasses where ticks lurk, looking for a new host.
The professionals at Parkway Pest Services can help you protect your pets and your family. Our knowledgeable technician will thoroughly inspect your property to locate tick breeding grounds and develop a treatment plan that will control ticks. They will then use professional tools and methods to spray your yard to keep ticks away. They will return the following spring, summer, and fall to re-treat the area so that you can enjoy your yard with your pet during “peak” tick seasons as well as all seasons. Get out and enjoy your pet and your own backyard again by contacting the professionals at Parkway Pest Services.