Blog

Ever seen a tick?  Would you be able to identify a tick if you saw one crawling on your dog?

If you live in Florida and have pets, take a close look at this image and read on to learn how to protect your animals from ticks and the diseases they carry.

Did you know that ticks aren’t insects?  They are arachnids and are related to spiders and scorpions.  Ticks live in warm, wooded or grassy areas and feed on blood – often on the blood of animals that run through the grassy or wooded areas where they live.

Each year, thousands of dogs become infected with tick-transmitted diseases.  You’ve probably heard of the dangerous Lyme Disease, but ticks can also spread other serious illnesses including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, anaplasmosis, babesia, tularemia, and Ehrlichia.  Early symptoms from these diseases are difficult to recognize, and dogs can suffer for weeks or months before the disease is detected.  Sometimes treatment works; sometimes it’s too late.

Tick populations have been on the rise throughout the country.  South Florida’s year-round warmth allows ticks to thrive – in the grass, in shrubs and wooded areas, and on your pet.  Brown ticks and American dog ticks are common in South Florida, but Deer ticks and the Lone Star ticks can also be found in the state.

One of the top recommendations that veterinarians give pet owners to keep pets healthy is to protect them from fleas and ticks.  So, in addition to the monthly flea and tick treatment for your pet, you will want to ensure that your home, your property, and your family are free of ticks.

To keep you and your family safe, follow these tips:

• Keep your yard, trees, and bushes trimmed.
• Remove any debris or clutter around your yard and home.
• Use fences to keep out other wild animals that may carry ticks.
• When you go outside, use tick repellants and wear long, light colored clothing so that you can easily see ticks.
• If you have a pet, vacuum frequently and dispose of the dust and dander in a sealed plastic bag.
• Wash bedding regularly with hot water.
• If you, your family, or your pets have been exposed to grassy and wooded areas, be sure to check for ticks! Check around the ears, underarms, in hair, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and in the belly button.
• If you find a tick, properly remove the tick with a fine-point tweezers, gently pulling it out and saving in a glass jar with a tight lid in case a disease develops. Clean the bite area with a disinfectant.

Contact Florida Pest Control Center (FPCC) to treat your yard, bushes, trees, as well as hot spots on your home’s exterior.  We will also recommend changes that will help prevent ticks from invading your property.  FPCC will conduct regular inspections and follow up treatments to ensure your property is protected from ticks, especially during the times they are most active.

For more information or for a free estimate, please visit us at Florida Pest Control Center (FPCC)  or contact the Florida Pest Control Center (FPCC) at 954-945-5050 today.   Florida Pest Control Center (FPCC) services are licensed, insured, and guaranteed.

Florida Pest Control Center (FPCC) employs comprehensive, state-of-the art technologies, chemical, and non-chemical treatments to eliminate pest problems in residential homes, businesses, hospitals, medical facilities, group homes, and apartment and condominium buildings.  Our highly trained professionals provide a fast, complete solution to your ants, ticks, mosquitoes, termites, bed bugs, birds, rodents, and other pest infestations.

Florida Pest Control Center (FPCC)

https://www.floridapestcontrolcenter.com/

Local: 954-945-5050