 Talk to the vet -
I am always surprised when people who are very diligent about flea and heartworm protection, forget about ticks. Sometimes people want to use the latest all-in-one product (worms/fleas) and these tend to NOT cover ticks.
I am in the human-healthcare field, and for humans, the odds of acquiring Lyme's disease, if the tick is infected, increase if the tick is attached for longer than a day.
Your parents may want to speak with their vet about the need for testing their dog - there is a finger-prick bloodtest for Lymes similar to the one for heartworms. Meanwhile, you shouldn't worry about your dog, if you didn't see any ticks on him.
I have read up on this, because my Yorkie, bought from a breeder, tested positive for Lymes in a routine screening. Because she was treated before she had any symptoms, the outlook for her is good. People really need to educate themselves about whether Lymes is prevalent in their area (you can find maps of Lyme's distribution on the internet) and if so, choose Flea preventives that also protect against ticks. Oh, and protect your human families too, but being careful in tall grass, tuck pants into socks and check yourself after being in grassy/wooded areas. |