What to do if a cat is bitten by a tick

Are ticks dangerous for cats?

Ixodes ticks are active from March to November, especially aggressive in spring and autumn. They live in forest litter, high grass, bushes, young trees at a level not higher than 1 m. They feed on blood. They sit in ambush for a long time, waiting for the victim. Do ticks cats - very often. Easy prey is a pet walking through the grass. More often wild, yard inhabitants suffer, but also the domestic well-groomed cat risks to pick up the parasite.

Ticks are carriers of dangerous diseases:

• tularemia;
• viral encephalitis;
• hemorrhagic fever;
• piroplasmosis (babeliosis);
• typhoid fever;
• spread helminthic invasions.

Important!

The effects of a tick bite on a cat can be very different - from slight reddening of the skin to death. Pests are equally dangerous for cats and dogs.

Non-hazardous effects on the body

In the absence of a virus in the blood of the parasite, infection with a dangerous pet disease does not occur. The wound after a bite heals within a week, without causing much concern. Caught on the body of the animal, the pest for a while evaluates the situation. Then he finds places with the thinnest skin, makes a small incision, digs into the skin, and starts drinking blood.

Under the skin remains the entire head.The oral apparatus is fixed in such a way that it is impossible to simply pull out the parasite. With a sudden movement of the head comes off. Externally, the parasite stuck looks like a growth of gray, brown color. As blood becomes available, the chitinous cover increases. The size of ixodic tick grows from 0.4 mm to 3 cm.

When a bite injects a special secret that thins the blood, anesthetizes. The initially attached pest is not felt in any way. However, secretion into the blood, damage to the integrity of the skin causes a reaction of the immune system, which reacts with swelling, redness, itching. After removing the pest, treating the bite site with a disinfectant, the wound heals up quickly.

Tick ​​at the cat

In a situation where the cat was bitten by a tick, a strong allergy can develop. Manifested by skin rashes, redness, swelling, itching. The situation is dangerous by the accession of a secondary infection, which is entered in the wounds when scratching.

On a note!

At home, the lesion sites are treated with anti-allergic ointments, anti-histamines are given by mouth - tablets, drops.With the right approach, the state normalizes in a few days, there are no complications.

First aid for bite

If a tick has stuck in a cat, it must be pulled out. You should not try to stretch the parasite with your fingers, because there is a risk of the head being detached from the body. Extraction carried out in a special way.

Pre-treat the skin near the stuck pest with medical alcohol, any alcohol tincture. The substance weakens the muscles of the tick, facilitates free extraction, and also prevents the infection from entering the wound.

Tweezers, forceps, syringe, string are used as tools. Additionally need a needle. All tools must be wiped with alcohol. Wear rubber gloves.

• Use a pair of tweezers or forceps to pick up the body at the base, scroll clockwise or counter several times. Ticks should be unscrewed, but not pulled.
• In the absence of tweezers use a string. Throw a loop on the body at the very base of the head, begin to twist.
• From the syringe cut off the part to which the needle is attached. The edges are smeared with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. Arranged in such a way that the body remains inside.Pulling the piston over. Under vacuum pressure, the parasite gets out.

Further treatment of a tick bite is carried out based on the general symptoms. Be sure to wound should be disinfected - filled with iodine, brilliant green. Allowed to apply the means to reduce itching, eliminate local allergies - Fenistil gel, Balsam Asterisk, aloe vera juice.

On a note!

Experts recommend after removing the parasite to make a cat an injection of immunoglobulin to enhance immunity. This measure allows to soften the course of the disease, if an infection has gotten in the wound, a virus, but it does not save from the disease.

After extracting the parasite, it is destroyed. You can get rid of the method of burning, pouring alcohol. But it is more correct to send it to the laboratory for analysis to make sure that there is no infection. Only the whole body is subject to analysis, if the head is torn off, such material will not be taken in the laboratory. In a jar placed cotton wool moistened with water, put the body, cover with a lid. Assign to the analysis should be within 48 hours.

Symptoms of a tick bite in a cat

Tick ​​at the cat

The pest is able to stay on the body of the animal from several hours to 10 days.Saturated, disappears to perform its further functions. Mature female lays eggs, nymphs of different ages molt, moving to the next stage of their development.

After the self-extinction of the pest, a red spot with a dot in the center, gore, remains on the cat's body. There is a slight swelling. Pet constantly trying to scratch a sore spot. In consequence, there appear scratching. In the presence of a secondary infection develop sores, suppuration. Healing is difficult, local antibiotics are required.

Dangerous consequences

The most common diseases are piroplasmosis, viral encephalitis. The incubation period lasts from 14 days to a month. The clinical picture is pronounced or with mild symptoms, followed by a transition to the chronic form.

Piroplasmosis

Transmitted directly by the bite. Infectious babesias are found in the salivary glands. Painful microorganisms enter the blood, feed on red bodies, weakening the protective functions of the body, causing disruption of the internal organs. With the rapid course of the disease, in the absence of adequate therapy, the cat can die from a tick bite in 10 days.

Symptoms:

• vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• blood impurities in feces, urine;
• fever.

For the treatment prescribed antibiotics, antiviral drugs, administered immunoglobulin. Prescribe symptomatic drugs against vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

The more time passes after the appearance of the first painful symptoms, the worse the condition of the animal. In the absence of therapy is observed:

• weakening of the pulse;
• convulsions;
• paralysis;
• intestinal atom;
• strong toxicosis.

On a note!

Babel drugs have high toxicity, severe side effects, so they should be used only after confirmation of the diagnosis. Additionally prescribed droppers to maintain the liver, kidneys, heart. If the cat is sluggish, prescribe glucose.

Encephalitis

Tick ​​at the cat

Symptoms of infection after a tick bite can occur after 10 days or several months. It all depends on the strength of immunity, the age of the cat, the individual characteristics of the organism. A pet can get sick from a tick bite under certain circumstances - when the parasite's blood falls into the wound of an animal. This can happen if the mite is not properly removed, the head is torn off, if the body will burst.

Important!

Externally encephalitis tick is no different from the usual.A blood test done earlier than 14 days will not provide reliable information. The only way to find out if an infected parasite is or not, take it to a laboratory for analysis. When confirming suspicion, the cat is given emergency therapy - vaccine, antiviral drugs, Immunoglobulin.

Symptoms of encephalitis in cats are associated with impaired functioning of the central nervous system, intoxication.

• lack of coordination, "drunken gait";
• lack of appetite;
• convulsions;
• vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• weakness;
• swelling of the neck;
• intense headache.

The disease has several stages of development. After the first symptoms, there may be temporary relief without special treatment, but the next aggravation is more difficult for the pet. The process disrupts the functioning of the liver, brain, spinal cord. As a result, the animal becomes disabled or dies.

There are no special preparations for tick-borne encephalitis, the treatment is symptomatic, depends on the form of the disease, the clinical picture. Be sure to prescribe antiviral agents, anti-inflammatory from the group of glucocorticosteroids, a bacterial infection is treated with antibiotics.

Prevention

Tick ​​Protection Products

Whether cats suffer from tick bites is an affirmative answer. In addition to the above diseases, there are still many no less dangerous, difficult to diagnose. Therefore, you need to be serious about preventive measures.

Ticks do not bite cats when treating wool or skin with contact-repellent preparations. The death of the parasite occurs after a few minutes in the cat's fur. Preparations are made in the form of drops, collars, sprays.

Effective means:

• Leopard;
• Hartz;
• Rolf Club;
• Bolfo;
• Front line;
• Dana Ultra;
• Beafar.

The action of ticks lasts from 14 days to several months. The information is specified in the instructions for the drug. After a walk in nature, you should inspect the body of an animal, remove existing ticks that have managed to stick, can cause harm.

The bite affects not only the condition of the skin, well-being, but also the future life. The choice of method of protection should be taken seriously. Both an adult and a kitten can become infected. Small cats are almost unable to endure the disease, die. It is necessary to process the pet for the first time in March.The man is completely responsible for the life of his pet.