What Pug Owners Need To Know About Ticks | Dogs

By MichelleE.Arthur
Total views: 3
Word Count: 410

Each year as the warm spring weather approaches, Pug owners should be increasingly apprehensive about those blood-sucking, disease-carrying ticks, otherwise known as "Rhipicephalus Sanquineus". This dangerous creature can infect man with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, cause paralysis, and can even kill Pugs and Pug puppies.

Referred to by most everyone as "ticks", these parasites are blamed for carrying the micro-organism that caused the death of so many British war dogs in Singapore several decades ago. And during the Vietnam war, more than 300 U.S. war dogs had died mysteriously from tropical canine hemorrhagic syndrome, and canine hemorrhagic fever. Intensive studies resulted in the finger of guilt pointing directly at the ordinary tick.

There are several different species of ticks, from wood tick to brown Pug tick and many more. Unfortunately, ticks in general are pretty resistant to chemical insecticides, so they are really challenging to control in the wild.

The female tick will lay up to five thousands eggs in the crevices of a kennel, baseboard, or under the carpeting in the home. Eggs are never deposited upon the host animal. After twenty to thirty days have elapsed, the eggs hatch and become larvae. The larvae then seek out a host Pug, gorge themselves on his blood, then drop off again to hide.

A few weeks later, the tick larvae transform themselves into nymphs, which are sort of like teenagers. These nymphs looks for another host to grab some more blood, then fall off to rest again. Then, after another few weeks, the nymph transforms into an adult tick. Of course, now the adult tick is ready to seek out another host like a Pug, where it will fill up on blood and mate.

Adult ticks can live for up to 2 years without eating...which is really bad news for Pug dog owners, as this means you can have ticks lurking in ambush.

Out of doors, ticks climb onto branches and into foliage to await the arrival of a Pug host. A Pug napping under a bush or walking within jumping distance of the tick is all that is needed to provide the parasite with a host.

Once in your home, ticks will emerge from beneath rugs and carpeting, climb walls, table and chairs, and even up as high as wall pictures, to await the passing of a Pug. They may even have to wait up to six months, but a tick can instantly sense the approach of a Pug and jump on it as it passes.

About the Author

Listen to a complementary audio where a top Pug vet explains exactly how to keep fleas and ticks off Pugs. Visit UltimatePug.com for Pug potty training video, expert tips and advice for Pug owners.

You are here Articles > Pets and Animals > Dogs