The Ticks are Coming! The Ticks are Coming!

​Actually, they're already here!! With our most recent positive diagnosis of Lyme Disease (that brings us to 4!) we thought it would be a good idea to go over the disease and how we can prevent it.

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Dogs (and people too) are infected with Lyme Disease after being bitten by an infected deer tick aka the blacklegged tick. The bacteria doesn’t transfer immediately; a tick generally has to be attached for around 24 hours before the bacteria are expressed by the tick’s salivary glands. This means that THE MOST important part of Lyme prevention is checking your pets and yourself regularly.

​The symptoms of Lyme Disease can vary, but the most common thing that pet owners notice is lameness due to inflammation in the joints. Dogs are also often feverish, so they can be lethargic and have a decreased appetite. Unlike people, dogs don’t develop a “Bulls Eye Rash” when they contract Lyme Disease. People often mistake blackfly bites for tick bites because of the mark they leave. If left untreated, Lyme Disease can also lead to kidney damage, sometimes irreversible.

Blackfly bites on a dog's abdomen

​A quick blood test can diagnose Lyme Disease, but treatment can go on for months and often requires multiple tests. 

​There are several ways your veterinarian can help keep your pet safe from Lyme Disease. There are a variety of products out there that will kill a tick before it has the opportunity to transmit Lyme. Topical products (like Revolution and Advantix) have been around for years but a new class of oral products (Bravecto, Simparica and Nexguard) are available and kill ticks super fast after they bite. While Advantix claims that the ticks do not have to bite in order to die, all of the other products require that the tick  bite in order to die. Most of these products are prescription, meaning vets require your pet has had an annual exam to buy them. Advantix can be purchased over the counter, but it is only for dogs. 

There is also a vaccine for Lyme Disease that is very effective available for dogs. Because cats don’t actually get sick if they are infected with Lyme bacteria (lucky!), there isn’t a vaccine available for them. That being said, its still important to have them on a tick prevention product so they don’t bring ticks into your home where they can bite you! 

​If you have any questions about ticks/Lyme Disease and your pets, please contact your veterinarian.