Tips for the prevention of ticks in Pug dogs
The beginning of spring marks the time when Pug owners everywhere should be ready to protect their dogs from ticks.
Scientifically known as “Rhipicephalus Sanquineus”, these blood-sucking insects can transmit diseases and cause discomfort in our Pug dogs. In fact, ticks can infect humans with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, cause paralysis, and can even kill our beloved pugs.
Quite simply, ticks are parasites that live off the blood of their victims. Ticks have been blamed for causing the spread of disease between people and dogs. They were shown to be behind the famous mass deaths of military dogs during the Vietnam War.
While it is indeed true that an insect is an insect, it is also true that there is some variety in specific types of ticks, such as the brown tick, wood tick, black tick, and several more. One of the things in common is the fact that all ticks are very resistant to typical insect poisons, and this makes them very difficult to control.
This may really gross people out, but it is absolutely true that a female tick can produce several thousand eggs, yuck! They usually lay their eggs under the rug, in a small hole in the baseboard, or in some other dark, secluded spot. Ticks lay their eggs in a safe place but never on the body of their victim. Once the eggs hatch after about a month, they develop into larvae. Tick larvae seek out their first host, where they suck a little blood and then split off to find a place to hide.
A few weeks later, the tick larvae transform into nymphs, which are like adolescents. These nymphs search for another host to take more blood and then fall back to rest again. Then, after a few weeks, the nymph transforms into an adult tick. Of course, now the adult tick is ready to find another host like a Pug, where she will engorge herself with blood and mate.
Adult ticks can live up to 2 years without eating…which is really bad news for Pug owners as this means ticks may be lurking around.
A tick outside will look for a hunting ground, which means climbing onto some low branches or a bunch of leaves. This becomes the launching pad for the tick when an unsuspecting Pug dog comes to the bathroom or just runs past playing. The tick will literally lunge and jump several feet to land on its victim.
Once in your home, ticks will emerge from under carpets and rugs, climb walls, tables and chairs, and even reach the height of paintings, to wait for a passing pug. They may even have to wait up to six months, but a tick can instantly sense a Pug’s approach and pounce on it as it passes.
