Veterinarians in Windsor-Essex say tick cases on the rise

A mild winter has proven to be the perfect environment for ticks, which are showing up much earlier this year and in larger numbers.

Some Windsor and Essex County veterinarians are warning the public after seeing the blacklegged ticks embedding themselves on dogs more than ever before.

Last month Mehma Saini, a veterinarian in Tecumseh, said a dog came into his clinic, fully covered in ticks.

"Some were attached in the ear canal, some were on the forehead and face and on the neck area," he told CBC News.

One dog had 30 ticks 

He pulled 30 ticks that had already dug themselves deep beneath the dog's skin.

"When we removed them with the tweezers, they were all moving and alive." he said. 

While this particular long-haired dog wasn't showing any visible symptoms, Saini sees an increasingly larger number of dogs turning up to the clinic with ticks. The animal tested positive for Lyme disease.

"Mostly long-haired breads ... are more affected because people cannot see the ticks easily," he said. "They are hiding under the hairs."

Now, Saini is warning people in Windsor-Essex to be more diligent when they go outside, especially in wooded areas, near lakes, or dog parks.

"We are not safe, so when you go outdoors with your pets, you should check yourself," he said.

Don't get ticked ... check yourself!

Saini says as soon as you come in from outside, be sure to check yourself for ticks.

"Especially under armpits, groin area, where they have more chances to stay,"  he said.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, in most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours, or more, before the Lyme disease bacteriu.m can be transmitted.

Saini says most humans are infected by smaller, hard-to-see ticks, called nymphs, but he says, if you see a tick on yourself or a dog, go to a medical professional to be tested as a precaution.