Ticks go hunting: how to protect yourself from encephalitis and not go broke

Are there protective vaccinations?

At the end of winter, veterinarians recommend vaccination with complex drugs that will protect dogs from encephalitis and other pathologies. The vaccine will not protect against ticks, but it will prevent the consequences that may occur if the insect is infected.

It is known that these parasites are carriers of diseases dangerous to the life and health of animals, including spotted fever, relapsing fever, and tick-borne encephalitis.

Most often, a dog becomes infected with them during the period of the first spring greenery, when the bloodsucking insects are especially active.

How do flea injections work for cats?

Injections work completely differently than shampoos, sprays, drops or collars. It is no coincidence that they are resorted to last, since the active substance is injected directly into the cat’s blood. The injection is performed subcutaneously, intramuscularly, depending on the purpose of the drug.

The active substance enters the animal’s blood through a network of capillaries and is distributed throughout the body through the circulatory system. Thus, no matter where the parasite is, when it bites a cat, it is guaranteed to receive a dose of the poisonous agent. Once the “infected” blood enters the flea’s digestive tract, and along with it one of the medications, it leads to paralysis of the insect and then to death.

Since most drugs act in a complex manner on young and adult individuals, curing a cat from fleas is quick, painless and quite effective. To prevent re-infection of a cat, veterinarians recommend preventive treatment with sprays or shampoos, and special collars.

Types of tick vaccinations

There are 3 types of vaccines. Their action is similar: each drug contains a microdose of neutralized pathogens.

Piroplasmosis

The result of infection with a subcutaneous mite is piroplasmosis. This serious disease causes an increase in body temperature to +40 ° C, diarrhea and vomiting.

No more than 5 days pass from the first symptoms to the death of the pet.
Dogs of all breeds and ages can be affected. The subcutaneous tick, like the encephalitis tick, attacks animals on the street in the warm season. To prevent serious consequences, 2 months before the start of the warm season, the following drugs are administered: Pirodog or Nobivak-Piro.

Vaccines stimulate the production of immunity against pathogenic intracellular organisms. Vaccination is carried out for an adult animal or a puppy over 5 months old.

Encephalitis

The disease develops after the bite of an encephalitis tick. The vaccine cannot prevent this, but a vaccinated animal will more easily endure all the consequences.

The drug stimulates the immune response against tick-borne encephalitis. Approximately 14 days after vaccination, lasting protection against pathogens is developed.

An animal can even become infected with piroplasmosis or encephalitis, but the course of the disease will be mild.

When to vaccinate

The first vaccination is carried out 2 months before the appearance of ticks. In the southern regions of the country it is the end of winter, in the central and northern regions it is April and May. Within 60 days, an immune response to the pathogen will be formed, and the animal’s body will be ready to meet it.

After a month or a month and a half, re-vaccination is carried out. After this, the animal is protected from the consequences of tick bites for six months.

Vaccines

Three complex drugs have been registered in Russia that can protect domestic animals from the consequences of a tick bite.

The following vaccines are currently considered effective:

1. 
   Nobivak Piro is a Dutch drug produced by Intervet. The vaccine contains strains of pathogenic bacteria Babesia A and Babesia rossi. After administration of the drug, an immune response to the activity of pathogenic microorganisms is developed.

2. Pirodog is a vaccine produced by the French pharmacological company Merial. The drug is effective against piroplasmosis (babesiosis). Immunity is developed 14 days after the vaccine is administered and lasts for six months.
3. Eurikan Piro is a drug similar in action to Pirodog. There is no allergic reaction after administration of the vaccine. It is rare to observe loss of appetite and lethargy in your pet. Symptoms go away on their own within 2 days.

Should you be afraid of adverse reactions?

Like any drug, immunoglobulin has contraindications. For example, serum sickness, concurrent use of antiviral drugs, and so on. In each specific case, the doctor who administers the vaccine finds out all the details from the patient. If there are no contraindications, there will be no side effects either.

“I have been working for more than 30 years only in the Altai Territory. “Not a single case of complications after the administration of anti-tick immunoglobulin has been registered,” says the epidemiologist.

Preparing for vaccination

There are certain requirements when preparing dogs for vaccination.

It is important to follow them so as not to harm your pet’s health:

1. 
   The main condition is the health of the animal. At least 14 days must have passed since the last illness.

2. The dog should not be in a stressful situation. Moving, changing home or owner negatively affects the mental state of the animal. In this case, vaccination should be postponed.
3. 10 days before the expected date of vaccination, the animal is dewormed, even if, in the owner’s opinion, it is absolutely clean.
4. Pregnant and lactating females are not vaccinated.
5. Regularity: vaccinations are administered annually; this cycle cannot be interrupted. This is the only way to develop lasting immunity against many diseases.

Prevention of encephalitis and piroplasmosis is more effective than treatment after a tick bite.

Preventing flea infestation

The best prevention is to avoid any contact between the cat and infected street animals, and periodically monitor the first signs (scratching and nervousness). It is better to contact a veterinarian for help in time to prevent a colony of fleas from multiplying on your pet, rather than having to deal with numerous generations of these parasites later.

Treating the pet's resting place (bedding or house) helps a lot: washing, spraying. One “accidentally” entering flea can cause a lot of trouble. After walking (with or without an animal), be sure to wash your hands with soap and shake out your clothes and shoes. Wet cleaning of an apartment or room with the addition of anti-flea drugs works well.

Finally, bathing the cat in a special shampoo and using a collar are quite effective. The latter is a strip of plastic impregnated with the drug. The smell has a depressing effect on fleas and helps prevent their reproduction in the early stages. Before putting on the collar, you should make sure that it is suitable (the mark on the label) and adjust the size to the cat’s parameters.

Sources

• https://misterklop.ru/klesshi/privivka-ot-kleshhej-dlya-sobak-kak-i-kogda-ee-delayut-otzyvy-veterinarov
• https://dogipediya.ru/veterinariya/preparaty/privivki-ot-kleshhej-dlya-sobak
• https://opklop.ru/blohi/sredstva-ot-bloh/ukoly-protiv-bloh-dlya-koshek-i-sobak-196/
• https://otravin.ru/blohi/ukoly-dlya-koshek-i-sobak.html
• https://parazitdoma.ru/blohi/privivka-ot-bloh-sobake
• https://combat-dez.ru/privivki-protiv-kleshei-dlia-sobak-opisanie-mehanizm-deistviia-vidy-vakcin-effektivnost/
• https://dezplan.ru/vopros/izbavlyaemsya-ot-bloh-na-raz-dva-obzor-i-preimushchestva-populyarnyh-privivok
• https://parazitdoma.ru/sovety/privivka-ot-ukusa-klescha-sobake
• https://adogslife.ru/diseasedogs/medication/privivka-ot-kleshhej-dlya-sobak-dostoinstva-i-nedostatki.html

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Vaccination procedure

2 months before the first greenery appears on city lawns, the dog is given a comprehensive vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis and other diseases.

The serum is re-administered a month or 6 weeks after the first.

To protect your dog from fatal diseases, it is recommended to vaccinate it every 6 months.

Vaccination scheme

1. 
   The veterinarian uses a syringe to draw up a solvent for the drug.

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2. Injects it into a vial of vaccine.
3. Leave the bottle for 5 minutes for the powder to completely dissolve (do not shake).
4. The prepared solution is drawn up with a syringe and injected subcutaneously into the dog.

Vaccination is carried out with only one drug. Serums from other manufacturers and diseases are used after 2 weeks.

Vaccination against hypodermic ticks: to do or not

Infestation with subcutaneous mites is called demodicosis.
Every dog ​​has the causative agent of this disease, but not every dog ​​gets sick. Demodicosis appears during the period of weakening of the animal’s immunity. Treatment is carried out with local and immunostimulating drugs. There is no vaccine against hypodermic mites.

Piroplasmosis is a disease caused by mites of the genus Babesia. To prevent infection, vaccination is carried out with complex preparations Nobivak Piro, Eurikan Piro.

By vaccinating a pet, the owner protects it from the serious consequences of an attack by encephalitis and ixodid ticks for a period of six months. Even if an animal is bitten by a dangerous parasite, the dog will tolerate this condition more easily, and the immune system will cope with pathogenic organisms faster.

Contraindications for vaccination

The vaccine is not given to dogs with weakened immune systems . In this case, the body's reaction will be unexpected.

Main contraindications:

• 
  The vaccine is not given to pregnant and lactating females;

• postoperative period;
• chronic diseases in the acute stage;
• puppies up to six months;
• presence of parasites;
• less than 2 weeks have passed since the previous vaccination;
• the dog suffered from encephalitis less than a month ago;
• change of teeth in puppies;
• planned mating.

Sick, weakened animals in a state of stress are not vaccinated.

If bitten by a tick

As soon as a dangerous insect is found on the animal’s body, you should contact a veterinary clinic. This should be done especially if the dog’s temperature has risen, the animal has become lethargic, and its urine has darkened. Missing time will lead to the death of your pet.

At home, you can try to remove the insect. It is thickly lubricated with vegetable oil, and after 10–15 minutes it is twisted counterclockwise. The bite site is treated with an antiseptic.

The insect is placed in a jar and taken for examination to a veterinary clinic. If it is the causative agent of encephalitis, the dog will be prescribed treatment.

Vaccinations after a tick bite are not given for a month. The animal’s body is weakened during this period, it requires treatment and proper care.

Why is it important to insure in advance?

If an unvaccinated person is bitten by a tick, the most important thing is not to miss the moment. Immunoglobulin is given no later than 72 hours after the bite. Insurance is free, but there are certain rules that must be followed. The most important thing is to insure yourself in advance.

The contract states from what day the insured event occurs. In some companies - on the fourth day after the conclusion of the contract, in others - on the sixth. That is, in any case, it is more than 72 hours. For example, if you signed a contract today, and tomorrow a tick is attached, you will not be able to get a vaccine through insurance.

Getting immunoglobulin for money, and not through insurance, is quite expensive - about 700-1000 rubles per ml of the drug for every 10 kg of weight.

Where to get vaccinated

Currently, it is practiced to administer complex vaccines at home.
It is believed that in a home environment the pet feels better and does not experience stress. Veterinarians are against such a phenomenon as home vaccinations. It is impossible to predict the reaction of each animal's body to one or another component of the vaccine.

If an unpredictable allergic reaction occurs, the pet will die at home, but in the clinic he will be provided with qualified assistance.

Before vaccination, an examination and, if indicated, tests are required. Only a doctor can control this.

After vaccination, the animal is also observed for half an hour to avoid unexpected allergic reactions and side effects. After the specified time, if everything is in order, the owner and the dog can go home.

Other pest control options

To understand why flea injections for indoor cats are most effective, it's worth taking a closer look at other methods and how they work.

You can fight fleas with the help of the following drugs and protective agents against parasites:

• flea collar;
• flea and tick drops;
• spray;
• pills;
• shampoos;
• powder.

They are less effective, but are suitable for complex use and for the prevention of fleas in cats and dogs.

Collar

This is one of the simplest and most commonly used insect repellents. It is easy to put it on the animal, the main thing is to observe the period of validity of the substance specified by the manufacturer.

The design can be very diverse. Each owner will be able to choose a collar to suit their taste.

During a walk during treatment, 2 collars are put on at once: a regular one and a therapeutic one. The drug begins to act on parasites 48 hours after the insecticidal components have completely spread through the coat. The action continues throughout the period of wearing the collar.

Drops

Drops are an easy and effective method for prevention or treatment. Applying them at home is easy. The drug begins to act immediately after contact with the skin. After 24 hours, its effect stops, so re-application will be required.

For the effect to be noticeable, the drops are used for 30 days. During treatment, animals are bathed less frequently. The cost of such a drug in different pharmacies varies, but it is quite affordable.

Spray

The action and application of the spray are similar to the use of drops.

But the impact comes faster, because the processing area is larger. The spray can be applied to the entire coat, even in hard-to-reach places. The medicine has a long duration of action, up to 14 days. Moreover, the parasites begin to die immediately.

The big advantage is that the active substance does not penetrate into the blood. But apply the medicine to the fur only with gloves and in a well-ventilated area or outside.

It is better to put a muzzle on the dog so that the animal cannot lick itself and does not swallow the medicine. The cost of the spray is higher than that of the drops, but the purchase will be worth it.

The spray has a long duration of action, up to 14 days

Pills

Anti-parasite tablets have not been used for very long, but have already become popular due to their effectiveness. They are based on the active substance. It is an insecticide registered as a pesticide in the United States. He handles the problem well. But some animals reject the drug and regurgitate the tablets.

Shampoo

Many pet owners prefer to use shampoo. It cleanses the hair well and heals at the same time. Application does not require special skills, the products are less toxic than sprays.

The advantage is that all wool is processed. But there is a drawback. Shampoo only paralyzes the parasites and after bathing you will have to comb the animal’s fur with a sparse comb. The effect of the shampoo lasts about a week, then the procedure is repeated.

Powder

Powder is rarely used, because it will have to be applied to the entire six and then combed out. The procedure takes a long time and requires several repetitions.

The danger of powder is that animals lick it off. This causes stomach upset. After the procedure, the coat becomes brittle, dry and dull.