PSA for Dog Owners

[Barb Stolar]

Important to check your dog after walking as tick season is still in full force.  We drove our dogs to the dog park near Turner yesterday and afterword discovered a couple of deer ticks.  Today we walked to the dog park on the paved streets and cut through the wooded path  that runs from the cul de sac behind Bellinger ( Howard Hanson Ave)  to the Turner dog park.  Afterword out pups were FULL of ticks adults and young ones.   Fortunately they are  up to date on tick prevention and we noticed the problem before we returned the dogs to the house.   I know there are everywhere but its important to be vigilant.     We have regularly taking this route all summer and frequented the park all summer with no problems.   Google suggests that October and early November are very active for deer ticks. 

FYI.  Our Vet advised us to go straight to the dog shampoo station at tractor supply or pet supplies plus and   use Dawn dishwashing soap (only the kind with the duck on  the label) Lather well and leave on for several minutes,  they will come to the surface.  Which they did.  Pick off and drop tick in a container of rubbing alcohol.   Worked well.