EAGLE, Idaho — Your pet's outdoor playtime could be putting them at risk of disease as ticks are appearing earlier and in greater numbers throughout neighborhoods this summer.
"Our clinic has seen more ticks this year than in the past years," said Zach Raptosh, veterinarian at Lake Shore Animal Hospital in Nampa.
The increase is significant. Dr. Raptosh recently pulled more than 80 ticks off one unlucky dog.
WATCH: How Eagle residents are protecting their furry friends.
Eagle pet owners are responding to the tick threat with various preventative measures to protect their furry family members.
"We spray our yard now and I use a tick preventative on our dog. Obviously, you can get them online or through your vet, but that seems like it's helped that a lot," said Eagle resident Rene Robinette.
Some neighbors found success with alternative treatment methods.
Gene Roy, who was visiting Eagle Park with his dog Lola, swears by a natural approach.
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"About three years ago, my daughter came across a thing called black cumin, and we put it in all her food, and the first year she had two or three dead ticks on her," claimed Roy. "And since then, we haven't had tick number one on her."
When asked if it was essentially a natural preventative, Roy humorously confirmed, "Yeah, we eat black cumin too. Not a tick on me!"
Not all Eagle pet owners have encountered the tick problem. Owen Moorhead, another Eagle Park visitor with his dog Butters, said they haven't experienced issues despite frequent outings.
"Not at all, and we walk around the Boise River, probably, [at a] minimum of two times a week. Sometimes more," said Moorhead.
Despite varying experiences, local veterinarians still recommend taking precautions. Dr. Raptosh advises using preventative treatments and thoroughly checking your pets after outdoor activities to prevent ticks from being brought inside your home.
"The biggest thing is it's pretty inexpensive and it's pretty easy insurance to have the animal on a flea and tick preventative," said Raptosh.
By taking these simple precautions, you can reduce risks and keep your pets happy and healthy this tick season.
