Tick cases on the rise in Montreal, veterinarian says

A West Island veterinarian says she's concerned about the highnumber of pets being brought in with ticks so far this year.

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Dr. Karen Joy Goldenberg, who worksat thePierrefondsAnimal Hospital, saidalthough it's too early in the season for specific statistics, the numberof recordedtick incidents hasbeen increasing over the past few years.

So farthis season, it is worse than ever before, Goldenbergsaid.

She said the concern lies not only with the increase in reported incidents, but also with thetick-infected areas growingand migrating closer to the city, making backyards andparks more of a risk for pets.

"The best prevention, in addition to prescription medications, is to avoid wooded or shady areasand tall grass, where ticks tend to thrive," Goldenberg said.

How to check your pets

Goldenberg suggests checking your pets regularly after walks or once they've been outside, especially if you live in the West Island or surrounding off island areas.

She said to check your pet for ticks, you should be very thorough, running your fingers through every inch of their fur.

"It's important to check again 24 hours after potential tick exposure, because within that time, any ticks too small to notice beforewill have grown larger, and since it usually takes 48 hours for the potential diseases to spread from tick to pet, this will leave owners with ample tick-removal time," she said.

In the case that you do find a tick on your pet, Goldenberg suggests going to the vet unless you have previous experiencein tick removal. This is because a tick that has been improperly or incompletely removed can result in an infection.