Yes! There Are Ticks in the Winter!

Did you know that cold winter weather doesn’t just kill all ticks?

Some ticks, depending on the species and stage in their life cycle, can survive our Mid-Atlantic winters. Typically ticks will go into a sort of hibernation when the temperatures are below 45 degrees Fahrenheit; they can easily hide under leaf cover, dig burrows, or take advantage of a host animal for its body heat.

Here in Garrett County, the weather seems to be changing and we don’t to have the harsh winters and long freezes that we used to. This milder weather helps the tick population stay active year-round.

The greatest danger with ticks remains the spread of the bacteria and diseases they carry. When sharing these pathogens to hosts, ticks can cause serious illness and even death.

Even in the winter, the most susceptible targets are our pets who spend a significant amount of time outside, including taking hikes in the woods, and who are more likely to brush up against vegetation where ticks reside. It’s important to continue tick management through the winter months with daily checks and preventative care.

Dr. Jessy and Dr. Weimer recommend several flea and tick preventatives, such as chewable Nextgard, topical Revolution-Plus for cats, and Seresto collars for cats and dogs. Beware though, most of the Seresto collars purchased online are counterfeit and do not work! The Bredel Clinic has had patients test Lyme-positive because unsuspecting people have purchased the collars from Amazon or other sources. Be sure to purchase directly from a veterinarian.

So be sure to keep your pets on flea/tick preventative all year-long! Set up your appointment at the Bredel Veterinary Clinic to manage your year-round tick treatments today.