FAQ: Health for dogs

The effectiveness of natural remedies is often unproven or short-lived, and some essential oils, such as tea tree oil, can be toxic to dogs. If you want a gentler option, talk to a vet, who can help you choose a product that is safe and effective.

There is no reliable scientific evidence that such tags repel ticks or fleas. Relying on them can leave a dog without real protection. Registered antiparasitic products recommended by vets are a more reliable choice.

Some dog products contain active ingredients, such as permethrin, that can be highly poisonous to cats even in small amounts. Never use a dog product on a cat, and keep cats from snuggling up to a freshly treated dog. Read the label warnings carefully.

If the dog product may be dangerous to cats, wash the cat's coat at once with mild soap and water and call a vet. Trembling, seizures, drooling or agitation are signs that need urgent help. To prevent this, keep the animals apart for a few days after application.

Combining products yourself, such as drops and a collar, is not recommended, because some active ingredients can strengthen each other's effect or be incompatible. Some combinations are safe, but a vet should confirm that.

Each product states a minimum age and weight, and these differ a lot between products. Always read the label before use, and if the puppy is very small or weak, ask a vet. Products specially made for young puppies are sometimes recommended.

Not every product suits pregnant or nursing dogs, because the safety of some has not been studied for this period. The label usually states whether it is suitable. Before using any antiparasitic product on a pregnant dog, ask a vet.

Sometimes the application site gets red, itchy or greasy, and tablets can cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Rarer but serious signs are trembling, unsteady walking or seizures. If you notice a reaction, call a vet and have the product's packaging at hand.

If a dog licks off drops it may drool heavily or vomit because of the bitter taste. Wipe its mouth with a damp cloth, let it drink and check the package leaflet for what to do. If the dog seems unwell or licked off a lot, see a vet.

Call a vet immediately and say which product and how much the dog ate, with the packaging at hand. Do not make the dog vomit yourself unless the vet tells you to. Always keep antiparasitic products out of reach of the dog and children.

In Lithuania ticks usually become active in spring as the weather warms and stay active until late autumn. In milder winters and during thaws they can be found in winter too. So it is worth starting protection in advance rather than after finding the first tick.

Ticks can transmit diseases dangerous to dogs, of which babesiosis is the most often mentioned in Lithuania, along with anaplasmosis and Lyme disease. Some progress quickly and can be fatal without treatment. That is why protection and checking the dog after walks matter.

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease that damages a dog's red blood cells. Common signs are lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, pale gums and dark, brown urine. If you notice such signs, especially during tick season, go to a vet without delay.

Grip the tick with a tick remover or fine tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull or twist steadily, as the tool's instructions say, without squeezing the tick's body. Do not jerk. Afterwards clean the bite with an antiseptic and wash your hands.

The most popular are notched hooks that slide under the tick and twist it out, loops that also work for tiny ticks, and special tweezers. Hooks are often sold in pairs for different tick sizes. It is worth keeping a remover at home and taking one on trips.

No. Oil, alcohol, creams or burning do not make the tick back out; they only delay removal and may cause the tick to release more saliva into the bite. The tick should be pulled out mechanically with a proper tool as soon as possible.

If only a tiny black fragment is left, the body usually expels it by itself, much like a splinter. Do not dig at the skin with a needle; just clean the spot with an antiseptic and watch it for a few days. If it swells, oozes pus or the dog feels unwell, see a vet.

You can destroy the tick by sealing it between two layers of sticky tape or dropping it in alcohol, but do not crush it with bare fingers. Some owners keep the tick in a sealed container and note the date in case the vet needs it later. Wash your hands afterwards.

During tick season check your dog after every walk, especially after woods, meadows or scrub. The sooner a tick is removed, the lower the risk of it passing on disease-causing organisms. Brushing and feeling with your fingers make checking easier.

Ticks most often attach where the skin is thinner and hair sparser: on the head, in and around the ears, on the neck, in the armpits and groin, between the toes and around the tail. Check these areas especially carefully, particularly in dogs with thick coats.