Ticks may soon be among us, according to Channel 2 Action News.
A mild winter and early spring could mean more of the bloodsucking arachnids lurking in Georgia bushes and shrubs.
“They do sense warmth and they sense vibration,” veterinarian Dr. Sherry Weaver told Channel 2. “As soon as a mammal of any sort walks by, they release and try to drop on that mammal.”
The ticks usually land on dark, warm spots — usually the ears of animals and the private region of people.
As unpleasant as that may sound, illness from ticks usually remain low-grade for a long time.
“They really don’t cause much of a problem, until they do,” Weaver said.
Dog owner Devon Moree told Channel 2 he is constantly checking his dog Cooper’s coat for ticks and the best way to get them off is calmly with tweezers or a paper towel.
“You just grab the tick, gently traction until he comes off,” Weaver said.
Once you gently remove the tick, flush it or put it in alcohol to kill it. However, don’t put the alcohol on the tick before it’s removed because that makes its defenses kick in, Weaver said. It will grab a better hold of the skin and inject its disease-carrying saliva into the host.
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