There are eleven different types of ticks in Norway.

Ticks sit waiting in grass and vegetation waiting for an appropriate host to walk by. They have no eyesight, but are sensitive to heat and vibrations. When the ticks are satisfied with the chosen host, they’ll use their mouths to bore into the host’s skin. It’s close to impossible for the dog himself to become aware of the tick. Having been able to stick to its host, the tick exudes saliva with a numbing effect and enables the tick to paste itself stuck. The grown tick can suck blood from its host for as long as 10 days. When the 10 days are over the tick will fall off.

You will most likely find ticks on your dog’s neck, head and lower back.

It is only through the Castor Bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) that Borreliosis has been identified. In other countries it has also been identified in the Ixodes uriae. The Castor Bean tick is also associated with Erlichiosis. Both the Borreliosis and Erlichiosis can cause problem for dogs.

The most common symptoms are fatigue, joint and muscle pain and fever. The treatment is through an antibiotics cure. The prognosis of recovery increases if the treatment is started at an early stage

Tick season is between April and September; therefore one can predict the ticks as being active in temperatures above 4 degrees Celsius.

Hints to avoid ticks:

- Avoid areas of heavy vegetation and where it’s likely to find ticks.

- Feel through your dog’s coat every day.

- There are many aids that aim to keep ticks away. They have an average lasting period of 4 weeks and need a prescription from      your vet (normally).

- Remove the tick as quickly as possible. Transmission of disease need not happen for 48 hours, but can take place after only a couple of hours.

- Take hold as close to the skin as possible and pull the tick out. There are various types of tweezers available which can be o fuse when removing a tick.

- Be careful not to pierce the tick’s soft part. Potential infection could pass through the dog’s skin.

- In the case where your dog has seen a lot of tick bites and gets a fever, decreased appetite or a limp, consult a vet immediately.