To many people, ticks seem to embody all that is nasty and unpleasant about external parasites ­– big enough to send a shiver down the spine and the way they attach themselves aggressively to the skin sends some pet owners into fits of panicky hysteria!

The humble tick generates quite a bit of hostility towards itself, and removing them generates even more excitement and anxiety. There are many suggested techniques for trying to detach the little blighters – I’ve heard of people trying to burn them off (please don’t try that), or smothering them in alcohol or Vaseline to suffocate them. Removing them with a tick remover is actually very easy but the thought of leaving the ‘mouth parts’ embedded in the skin leaves some people too scared to attempt removing them at home. Even identifying a tick causes some people problems. I had one pet owner bring their dog in after attempting to remove a tick from its tummy, complaining that every time they tried to pick it off the dog yelped. I had to explain to them that they had been trying to pick off their dog’s nipple!

So, the question remains – how much of an actual problem are ticks? The answer varies depending on where you live. Australia has Ixodes holocyclus – the paralysis tick – which is lethal, causing a progressive and eventual complete paralysis of its host. If the tick isn’t found in time and removed it will certainly kill – it is so dangerous that an anti-venom has been developed for severely affected cases.

There are other types of ‘paralysis ticks’ in North America but, thankfully, we don’t have them in Europe. However, tick-borne diseases can be an issue, particularly on the continent. These are microscopic parasites, bacteria or viruses carried by the tick and passed on when it bites and feeds from a host. In Europe we are largely concerned with the bacterial infections of Ehrlichia and Borrelia and the blood parasite Babesia.

Babesia and Ehrlichia can be serious but, fortunately, are confined to the continent. I have, however, seen cases in dogs that have returned from France and Spain. Borrelia or as it is more commonly known – Lyme’s disease – exists in the UK and can cause fever, joint swelling, lameness and even kidney and brain damage. Thankfully it’s quite rare and mostly confined to specific areas of the country including the New Forest, Dartmoor, Exmoor and East Anglia.

Avoiding infection is achieved by good ‘tick prevention’ treatments, and prompt removal helps avoid infections being transmitted. Using a topical tick treatment or monthly tablet will kill ‘attached’ ticks, but they may still need to be removed. A cheap tick remover tool and appropriate tick preventatives can be obtained from your local vet clinic, along with advice on which is most appropriate for your pet.