Eye with ticks: how to treat your pet and disinfect the house

IN CUCHA | THE CORNER OF ANIMALS

They can be in your pet. And also adhere to your body. They can cause a skin reaction, cause anemia and even transmit a serious disease. We are talking about ticks, parasites that today heat and moisture appear everywhere. Therefore, extreme care must be taken. A recent report from the Ministry of Health confirmed that two people died this year in Salta as a result of a tick-borne disease. Although these fatal cases are not frequent, many pathologies can transmit us.

Given their status as blood-sucking arthropods (they feed on blood), ticks occupy an important place as vectors or transmitters of diseases posing a threat to both animal life and animal life. man (zoonoses), describe the experts.

Rickettsiosis is one of the most serious pathologies that can be transmitted. In total, and so far in 2018, there have been seven cases of this disease in Salta, including two deaths.

Although the authorities have indicated that in Tucumán there are no complaints of this pathology, it is necessary to remain vigilant, warns the veterinarian Sebastián Rivadeneira, member of the Zooosis Division of the Provincial Health System (Siprosa).

fumigations

An adult tick is able to leave a large amount of eggs in the house. In these days of rain and heat, it is likely that many homes are filled with these pests. If there is an animal at home, the vast majority of ticks will attempt to climb it. It is also possible that they are looking for food in humans. For this reason, Rivadeneira says that it is fundamental not only to disinfect our pets, but also to fumigate homes, both inside and out.

How can I tell if a tick has caught me? Most of the time, they cause inflammatory lesions of the skin that are manifested by pruritus (itching), irritation and agitation. "Not always, when we get stung, we will develop a disease, and it is only occasionally that it can be fatal; this happens when they are vectors of an illness, such as than that detected in Salta It should be noted that this is a pathology more common in wild animals than in domestic animals, "he said.

Rodrigo García, responsible for the Municipal Center for Adaptation and Relocation of Animals (Cenara), believes that the lack of awareness: it is estimated that it is only by eliminating the tick of our pet that we will be safe, when these parasites live in the environment. "Yes or yes, you have to fumigate the houses," he says. The veterinarian explains that ticks have gained ground in recent decades because of their bad habits and resistance to pesticides.

"Normally, their bites are not fatal, but they can cause us a lot of problems, sometimes they cause us silent diseases, and in the castration operations we performed in the neighborhoods, we saw a lot of ticks," explains -t it.

And he points out that one of the biggest mistakes pet owners make is to snatch ticks: "Usually, in this action, the parasite's oral tract stays in the animal's skin, which can be contaminated or make a reaction in the body up to generate nodules ".

Lotions and Shampoos

García and Rivadeneira pointed out that today, many products come to attack the presence of ticks, both for pets and for the home. Pills are usually the most effective. There are also lotions and shampoos, pipettes and snacks. Another fundamental problem is to deworm regularly dogs and cats, which most people do only if they are puppies.

But that does not work if we only act on the animal, they insist, because ticks feed and then come down from the animal to lay their eggs at home. "Liquids come to the fumigation of homes, they cost from $ 80. It is not necessary to hire an expert.Just follow the instructions, use gloves, mask and not to spray food, "says Garcia.

The places where there is more to fumigate at home: armchairs, dark corners, porous walls and background.

With regard to the habit of sleeping with pets, the question arises: could I have been infected if my dog ​​was infected? It is possible that a tick has adhered to your skin. This is not very common because they prefer to stick to the body of hairy animals. In any case, if you sleep with your dog and have had or had ticks before, go to the doctor. If the test that allows you to detect, you will need to prescribe an antibiotic.

> Bacterial pathology
What is rickettsiosis?
Rickettsiosis, a disease that has already affected seven people this year in Salta, is a bacterial pathology that causes fever and skin lesions, and is transmitted by ticks. Ticks acquire this disease after stinging infected animals; they are usually wild animals.
Cases were also detected in Córdoba, San Juan, Jujuy and La Pampa. To transmit rickettsioses to humans, the tick must be attached to the body for at least six hours. If it is not treated, it can cause edema, circulatory collapse, anemia, delirium and even drive the patient to coma.
It is completely curable if it is detected in time, but it can have a fatal outcome if it is not treated in time, due to a failure of several organs, "said Dr. Griselda Rangeón, director of the epidemiology of the province of Salta.

> Essential actions
– Keep the house weeded because ticks are usually in the pasture.
– Use an insect repellent, including spraying all clothing.
– If our pet has ticks, treat it and fumigate the house.
– Consult your doctor before the onset of the first symptoms such as fever and red rashes.
– When observing the presence of a tick, do not remove it.

> Castration service
The trailer will be this week at Villa Amalia
The mobile veterinary operating rooms of the Capital Animal Rehabilitation and Accommodation Center (Cenara) will bring this week the free pet castration service to residents of the Villa Amalia neighborhood. From today until Friday, from 9 am to 6 pm, both phones will be located at 363, Eudoro Aráoz Street, between Las Heras and Congreso. Animals must be over six months old and have consumed solid and liquid foods at least 12 hours before the procedure.