Ticked Off
August 10, 2008
You may be familiar with having ticks in our environment, but did you know these facts? Our common ticks are Deer Ticks and American Dog Ticks. They survive in hot and cold weather. Some of the diseases they carry are Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia,and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The only way to acquire these diseases is from a tick bite or tick fluids getting in to an open wound. Dogs are very susceptible to Lyme Disease, Like people, but interestingly cats are not. Multiple infections can even be acquired at the same time!
Symptoms of Lyme Disease are: Shifting leg lameness (seems to move from one leg to another), fever, lethargy, depression,and decreased appetite. If caught early, Lyme Disease can be treated with antibiotic. If not treated soon enough, it can cause irreversible kidney failure and death.
Preventative measures include topical flea and tick products such as Frontline, Advantix, and Revolution
available from your veterinarian. Frontline spray can be applied just before an outdoor trip to the woods or camping for quick effect. An exception to the “don’t use a flea and tick collar” rule is a Preventic collar which deters and kills Ticks for up to 3 months and is also available from your veterinarian.
There are Lyme vaccines currently available for dogs. This is not a guarantee against acquiring the disease but it can be helpful for dogs that are exposed. The Lyme vaccine doesn’t replace good tick control and vice versa. They are two measures that should be used together to fight ticks and the diseases that they carry. Remember to check your pet often if he goes outside and especially after a hike in the woods or a camping trip.
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