08/12/2026
Good afternoon WG911 Family!
Uncle Willie here!
Whew!
I'm finally back. Well… kinda.
Long story short, take your medicine, people! One minute you're fine and the next minute Fox 5 is doing a Breaking News Special on ya!
Anywho, my nephew sent me a pic (I assume I still have a job 😂) of a tick attached to one of the furry friends visiting the salon today, and that sent Uncle Willie down another rabbit hole.
I found some pretty good information from the St. Mary’s County Health Department about ticks here in Maryland, so I figured I'd share a little of what I learned.
-Ticks are pretty common around here. Some of the ones found in Maryland include blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks, and lone star ticks.
-Finding a tick DOES NOT automatically mean your pet has a disease, but ticks can carry illnesses, so they're definitely something to take seriously.
-And apparently some of the old-school tick removal tricks aren't such a good idea. Don't reach for the Vaseline, nail polish, or a hot match. The recommendation is to use fine-tipped tweezers, grab the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull upward steadily without twisting or jerking.
-Also, check those furry friends when they come back inside, especially if they've been running around tall grass, brush, wooded areas, or trails.
One more important thing: your groomer might be the person who finds a tick, but prevention and any concerns about tick-borne illnesses are conversations to have with your veterinarian.
That's just some of what I found. Definitely check out the full information from the St. Mary’s County Health Department when you get a chance.
Apparently Uncle Willie is taking grooming classes and studying bugs now. 🤣🤣🤣
Stay safe out there, WG911 Family! ❤️🐾
